Robert Downey Jr. calls for Elon Musk to ‘control his behavior a little more’

Robert Downey Jr. calls on Elon Musk to "control his behavior" while acknowledging his accomplishments.

In a recent appearance on the “On with Kara Swisher” podcast, Robert Downey Jr. shared his thoughts on Elon Musk, drawing parallels between Musk and his iconic character Tony Stark from Iron Man.

Downey acknowledged Musk’s influence on the portrayal of Stark, as Iron Man screenwriter Mark Fergus previously stated that Musk partially inspired the character with his mix of technological brilliance and bravado.

While discussing Musk, Downey expressed admiration for Musk’s accomplishments but also voiced concern about his behavior. "As an almost 60-year-old recovering white American male, I just wish that he would control his behavior a little more, but that’s not on me," Downey said, referencing Musk’s controversial actions. Downey added, "I know that this idea of ‘It’s all okay ’cause we’ve gotta get to Mars’ doesn’t really hold water with me."

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, has often been compared to Stark for his visionary leadership and public persona. Iron Man screenwriter Fergus described Stark as a blend of Musk, Donald Trump, and Steve Jobs, noting that Musk combined “the brilliance of Jobs with the showmanship of Trump.”

Musk remains a divisive figure, with his ventures and public statements frequently sparking debate. A biopic about Musk, based on Walter Isaacson’s biography, is in development by A24 and director Darren Aronofsky.