Iron Man (2008 film) in casting Downey, but would not take no for an answer, saying, "It was my job as a director to show that it was the best choice creatively ... everybody knew he was talented [and] certainly by studying the Iron Man role and developing that script I realized that the character seemed to line-up with Robert in all the good and bad ways. Downey earned $500,000 for the role. While preparing for filming, Favreau and Downey were given a tour of SpaceX by Elon Musk. Downey said, "Elon was someone Tony probably hung out with and partied with, or more
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