Robert Downey Jr. Recalls Chances Are Costar Ryan O’Neal Warning Him to Clean Up His Act: ‘The Door Came Off the Hinges’

Robert Downey Jr. reflects on a poignant conversation with Ryan O’Neal from the “first day of rehearsals” for their 1989 film. Chances are.

Speaking with Maltin Modern Master Award namesake Leonard Maltin at the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival on Friday, the 58-year-old Oscar nominee revealed that he and the late O’Neal — who died in December at age 82 — had a chance to open their eyes. conversation during creation Chances are.

After showing what he called “the dark side of Hollywood” in 1987. Less than zeroDowney Jr. he described one specific memory from Chances are two years later.

Robert Downey Jr. thanks wife Susan, Rob Lowe, Cillian Murphy as he accepts the honor of the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Robert Downey Jr. and Ryan O’Neal in 1989’s ‘Chances Are’.

Cinematheque/Shutterstock

“We were in Washington, DC. I met some friends, went out to a hotel, we ordered champagne,” Downey Jr. said. about his first day of rehearsals.

“One thing led to another and then the reading was at 11:00 in the morning and it was about 2:45 and I was just sleeping and the door came off its hinges and it was Ryan O’Neal. And it was like, ‘I’m here to tell you, you’re so—— awake. Oh my God, you’re so—— awake.’ And I said, ‘Wow. People look pretty tense,'” he said. “Not that I knew I was late, but that was a warning sign.”

How Downey Jr. said, he loved “making a movie” but wondered why after that Less than zero he was making what he considered at the time a “stupid romantic comedy”.

“Because that’s what people want to see you do. We don’t want to see you die in Palm Springs and make everybody sad. I said, ‘Oh, okay. Don’t worry.’ [I’ll] wake up in time for your next reading. Don’t worry about it. I’ll just start earlier,’ he recalled saying.

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Robert Downey Jr. he was joined by Cillian Murphy and Rob Lowe at the 39th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

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As previously reported, Downey Jr. accepted his latest award on Friday as he was joined by friends Rob Lowe and Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy. The award, named after Maltin, was first created in 1995 “to honor an individual who has enriched our culture with achievements in the film industry,” according to the festival.

After describing Lowe as “someone who showed me so much” and Murphy as a “freaking force of nature,” Downey Jr. made sure to end his speech with a message for his wife, Susan Downey.

– And as always, I’ll never finish any thank you, even though she’s probably just about to put the kids to bed soon, without thanking my favorite co-worker, Susan Downey – he concluded.

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Downey Jr.’s list of upcoming projects includes an HBO mini-series Sympathizer. He is up for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards on March 10, thanks to his role in Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster.

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Source: HIS Education