Robert Downey Jr Addresses His Close Bond With Christopher Nolan, Says He Hates Getting Recognised

Hollywood icon Robert Downey Jr. recently made a special appearance at the opening night gala of the Sundance Film Festival where he unveiled what he humorously referred to as a ‘terrible tragedy’ that has hit renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan.

What did Robert Downey Jr. say about Christopher Nolan?

Downey Jr. amusingly disclosed while presenting Nolan with the inaugural Trailblazer Award that Nolan is not fond of getting recognized on the streets. The success of Nolan's latest work, Oppenheimer has elevated him to a level of fame where even casual moviegoers are starting to spot the British director in public.

Downey Jr. shared that Nolan, perhaps uncomfortable with this sudden and unwelcome reality, seems to "recoil as though from a hot flame" when faced with this recognition. Despite Nolan's apparent discomfort with the limelight, Downey Jr. playfully commended him as an "enigmatic auteur" and celebrated him as "as independent a voice we've ever had in cinema."

The actor, who has been on the Oscar circuit for his role in Oppenheimer jokingly revealed their close bond and said that they had dinner together once and teased Nolan for his strict bathroom break schedule on set.

There’s no looking back for Christopher Nolan

While Nolan may be grappling with newfound attention, there's no sign of him looking back from the spotlight. Expressing excitement about returning to Sundance, the festival where he first gained prominence with the 2000 film Memento, Nolan acknowledged the festival's role in giving his work the recognition it needed.

Reflecting on his earlier struggles to sell Memento in the early 2000s, Nolan credited Sundance for providing a platform that eventually led to the film's success in North America.

In addition to Nolan, the opening night at Sundance also honoured Kristen Stewart, a festival alum, with the Visionary Award. Stewart, who headlines two films this year, Love Me and Love Lies Bleeding received recognition for her contribution to cinema.

With Inputs from IANS