In the past, Robert Downey Jr. has joked about his ankle injury from filming "Iron Man 3," but he's never before revealed quite how painful the moment actually was.
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Robert Downey Jr. is reliving the moment he sustained an injury while filming “Iron Man 3,” revealing he “blacked out” due to the intense pain. Back in 2012, the actor had broken his ankle, an accident he downplayed at the time. But apparently, the injury would delay filming longer than expected.
Robert Downey Jr during a special screening of 'Iron Man 3' on April 18, 2013 in London, England | Source: Getty Images
In a conversation with author Ayad Akhtar at 92NY in New York City on September 29, the 61-year-old star recalled the experience after the “The Radiance” author asked him about an unfortunate moment that resulted in unexpected joy.
"I remember I was once doing a wire jump, and I landed wrong, and I just shattered my ankle," Downey replied. "In the moment that it happened, all these realizations occurred where I realized, 'Oh my God, this rest of the shoot just got really different.' I thought not only about the ramifications, but the pain was so great that after a few seconds, I kind of blacked out from it."
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Robert Downey Jr. speaks onstage at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: Legends on August 16, 2026 in Anaheim, California | Source: Getty Images
Downey Jr. also recalled that once he could finally speak, instead of saying, “That's lunch, one half hour,” which is what the crew would often say when something happens to cause a delay, he said, “That's lunch, roughly six weeks.”
Asked by Akhtar if that was how long production was stalled, Downey Jr. joked, "No, it was much longer. I am a delicate flower." At the time, Marvel had announced “a short delay in the production schedule” to allow the actor to recuperate.
Robert Downey Jr. speaking on stage at the Iron Man 3" panel with Marvel Studios during Comic-Con International on July 14, 2012 in San Diego | Source: Getty Images
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In 2013, speaking to Entertainment Tonight coinciding with the film’s release, Downey Jr. said of the ankle injury, "It really isn't that big a deal. It happens all the time." The “Oppenheimer” star also noted a silver lining from the resulting delay, saying, “That gave us time to do some more script revisions.”
Ultimately, the actor was pleased with how viewers received the film. "What doesn't happen all the time is that the third movie in a franchise series winds up actually meeting the expectations of a pretty savvy audience," he said. "I love that people are seeing the movie and enjoying it, otherwise it would be a big bummer."
Robert Downey Jr. attends 'Iron Man 3' movie premiere, held at Le Grand Rex on April 14, 2013 in Paris, France | Source: Getty Images
“Iron Man 3” was Downey Jr.'s third solo outing as Tony Stark and his first appearance in the franchise since 2012’s “The Avengers.” He has since portrayed his steel-encased character in five more Marvel films, including “Age of Ultron,” “Infinity War,” and “Endgame.”
This year, he’ll be donning a different suit for the franchise, as he portrays Victor Von Doom, a.k.a. Doctor Doom, in the film “Avengers: Doomsday,” set for release on December 18. He’ll also be appearing in “Avengers: Secret Wars” next year.
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