Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin
When we mention the name Robert Downey Jr. today, we immediately think of his role as Iron Man, which he played in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than a decade. But before becoming the superhero everyone knows, Robert Downey Jr. stood out above all in other films Chaplinpublished in 1993.
In this feature film by Richard Attenborough, he plays Charles Chaplin, alias Charlot, who recalls, during a meeting with the publisher of his autobiography, his career and his life.
Despite the challenges and controversy surrounding the casting of Robert Downey Jr., his performance was praised as one of the film’s highlights. He brilliantly captured the physical comedy and mannerisms of Chaplin’s iconic character, while bringing a vulnerability to the role. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his performance..
The controversial casting of Robert Downey Jr.
When the movie Chaplin entered development, in the early 1990s, Robert Downey Jr. was already making a name for himself in Hollywood, but he was portrayed more as a pretty boy by teen comedies (A dream creature, Until college).
That’s why the potential distributor of the film, Universal, was not convinced by the choice of the actor for the main role and decided to withdraw from financing the film, under pressure from Richard Attenborough. The latter, in fact, in the rush to start filming, gave them an ultimatum: sign the agreement or leave. And unfortunately for him, the studio chose the second option.
The director stated in 1992 a Los Angeles Times :
Since Downey was neither an A-list star nor a newcomer at the time, they simply refused to sign his deal.
Faced with this reluctance, Richard Attenborough had to look for a new distributor for the film. After many challenges, the project was finally financed by Carolco Pictures.
A 1992 Los Angeles Times article reveals that Robert Downey Jr. was well aware doubts surrounding his ability to play the role. She stated thus:
I know it wasn’t the studio’s dream to play Chaplin. There are five or six people I can imagine, without naming them, who would have been considered better suited for this role.
Despite the doubters, he firmly believed in his connection to Chaplin’s character and was determined to give it his all. But it was Richard Attenborough above all who believed in his ability to interpret the role brilliantly, the latter would have told him “not only can you do it, but you were born to do it“.
Due to the financing mix-up, the actor had almost a year to prepare to play Charlot.
A time he took advantage of to completely immerse himself in the life of this colorful character. Thanks to his vast knowledge of Charlie Chaplin’s life and career, he even suggested that Richard Attenborough change some passages of the film (which he refused).
Source: Cine Serie
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