Robert Downey Jr. gain more than 20 pounds of muscle in five months to look like he "had the power to forge iron". "Iron Man" was globally released between April 30 and May 3, 2008, grossing over $585 million worldwide and receiving rave reviews which cited Downey's performance as a highlight of the film. By October 2008, Downey had agreed to appear as Iron Man in two "Iron Man" sequels, as part of the Iron Man franchise, as well as "The Avengers", featuring the superhero team that Stark joins, based on Marvel's comic book series "The Avengers". He first reprised the role in
Robert Downey Jr. it was very, very, very educational for me and has informed my proclivities and politics ever since." However, when asked about the quote in a 2015 interview to promote "Avengers: Age of Ultron", he denied that his previous statement reflected any longstanding beliefs on his part, and stated, "I wouldn't say that I'm a Republican or a liberal or a Democrat." Downey serves on the board of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. In 2016, Downey appeared in an anti-Trump commercial with other celebrities encouraging people to register to vote in the 2016 election. Robert Downey Jr. Robert John Downey Jr. (born April