One of the factors that MCU fans might miss the most is the goofy and heartwarming bond between Tony Stark and Peter Parker. In real life, Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland share a similar dynamic, as countless interviews and behind-the-scenes moments are a testament to it.
Interestingly, Tom Holland’s rise as Spider-Man wouldn’t have been possible without Robert Downey Jr. advocating for him. He convinced the Russo brothers to give Holland a chance, and the rest is history.
How Robert Downey Jr. Saved Tom Holland’s Entire Spider-Man Career
On the Rich Roll Podcast, Tom Holland shared a fun memory of how Robert Downey Jr. had his back during his first time filming as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Debuting as Peter Parker in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, Holland found himself acting opposite Downey’s Tony Stark in his very first scene. And he basically owes his entire career as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to him. This is what he revealed,
I am very grateful to Downey. When I did my [screen test], it was eight pages of dialogue. It was a long scene. When I got to set after I got the gig, my scene had been cut down significantly … It was now maybe two pages … Downey piped up: ‘Where did all of the kid’s lines go? … Let’s shoot the whole thing from the audition. You can always cut it, but you’re going to want to have it.’ And they used all of it. I owe that to him
It was the very scene that Tom Holland screen-tested with, packed with eight pages of dialogue, but the Russo brothers had somehow sliced it down to just two pages. But Robert Downey Jr., the superhero behind the scenes, stood up for the “kid”. Here is what all the MCU fans are saying after hearing this,
Rdj basically saved Tom’s entire career
— Shawn’s lazy eye (@thiclyftmichael) October 22, 2024
That scene is probably the best understanding of Spider-Man as a character we’ve seen in the MCU. Cutting it would be crazy
— Avi Singh (@Avi_Singh2003) October 22, 2024
Can’t believe the scene was almost shorter. S/O RDJ.
— The Prince Formerly Known As Spence 🥀 (@coldcuppapi) October 21, 2024
I love RDJ. He was the biggest star at the time and used his power and voice to advocate for and bring others together.
— Little Cactus (@_little_cactus) October 22, 2024
RDJ the man behind it almost.
Russo’s clearly must of looked back and thought “damn we did right by listening to Robert”— Jordan Green (@Smurfgotbeat) October 21, 2024
Thanks to RDJ, Holland’s entire career as Spider-Man took a flight from that scene. Who would’ve guessed that it all came down to this one epic moment?
Why Keeping That Scene Was So Important!
Why was keeping that scene so crucial? Well, Peter Parker’s introductory moment in Civil War laid the groundwork for how the character would evolve. This scene establishes a baseline for Peter’s character arc and it was just perfect.
The audience sees a young man who is eager to prove himself but lacks the wisdom that comes with experience. This juxtaposition between his capabilities and his understanding of their implications is what makes this spidey so lovable, and his evolution as he battles various challenges in future films is much more meaningful.
It packed all the essential info audiences needed about Spider-Man to fall in love instantly! Thus further speaking about that scene and how his experience was sharing the screen with Robert Downey Jr., he in that same interview revealed,
When I had to take my mark and do my scene with Downey, it was really overwhelming, I was told by my agent to learn the lines exactly. When I did my first take with Downey, he just started improvising everything and changing it all. That gave me license to follow him. You can’t beat Downey, but you can ride his coattails. And those are good coattails to ride. I just followed his lead and we improvised. I thought after that I audition that I got it. It went so well.
It essentially was this charming energy that made fans fall in love with both the actor and the character, kicking off a journey that’s now ready to shine in the fourth movie of the franchise!
Captain America: Civil War is streaming on Disney+.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
