Iron Man

Downey plays the title role in Marvel superhero film Iron Man directed by Jon Favreau. His true identity is Tony Stark, an ultra-rich genius and philanthropist who owns and runs weapons maker, Stark Industries. During a weapons demo in the desert, he is ambushed by terrorists and held captive in a cave. He creates the first arc reactor-powered Iron Man suit. The film also stars Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard. On wearing the armor:

There’s two other guys and I’d come in on the day that he was shooting second unit. And he’d be like laid out in a pool of sweat and still like in half in the suit. He’d just be like (groaning), ‘Dude…’ He’d be like, ‘You’re on tomorrow, right?’ And I’d be like, ‘I’m on, dude. We’re going to do the close-ups and I’ll swing through the thing.’ He goes, ‘Cool!’ We had like a support group. He’d come in the next day, he’d be like, ‘Man, you cool? Can I get you something?’ I was like, ‘Maybe an Advil,’ and then we’d both go visit the third guy.