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Known for playing one of the most popular and beloved Marvel superheroes Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. has risen to become a huge name in the industry. With his popularity and acclaim as an actor, it’s not a surprise that he is reported to receive a massive paycheck worth $100 million for his return to the MCU in the upcomingAvengersmovies.
However, considering the hefty amount he is expected to get for his return to the MCU, it is surprising to learn that the actor once had a brief and unconventional role as a corpse in Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe’s 2016 buddy action comedy,The Nice Guys.
Robert Downey Jr. had an uncredited cameo as a corpse in Ryan Gosling’sThe Nice Guys
Directed by Shane Black and starringRyan GoslingandRussell Crowe,The Nice Guysfollows two very different private detectives working together to solve a missing person case. However, what begins as a routine investigation quickly escalates into the unraveling of a much larger conspiracy.
In addition to Gosling and Crowe, the film also featured an unexpected cameo from another major Hollywood star,Robert Downey Jr.The Oscar-winning actor, however, plays an unconventional and uncredited cameo with no dialogue.
The detectives’ investigation in the movie leads them to a Hollywood party in search of an adult film producer, Sid Shattuck. However, they don’t find Shattuck until March Holland, played by Gosling, drunkenly falls from a balcony and discovers a badly mangled corpse of Shattuck.
The bloodied and nearly unrecognizable corpse in the scene is actually played by theAvengersstar, as perScreenRant. While the character did not have much screen time, Sid Shattuck still has a backstory.
He was revealed to be a wealthy photographer who was believed to be involved with the missing girl. However, Downey Jr.’s cameo is surprising given his statureas one of the highest-paid actors in the industry.
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And while neither the actor nor the filmmakers discussed it in detail, the actor’s history with the film’s director Shane Black is believed to be the reason behind his surprising cameo.
Robert Downey Jr.’s professional relationships with Shane Black
Robert Downey Jr. is an actor who has experienced various highs and lows throughout his career and life. Initially emerging as a rising star, his trajectory was disrupted by struggles with addiction and legal troubles.
However, hewas able to overcome his past and rebuild his career,and one of the films that is credited with reigniting his career before his MCU venture is the 2005 black comedy,Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Starring alongsideVal Kilmer, Downey Jr. portrayed the role of a thief turned actor, who gets involved in a murder investigation after teaming up with a private detective. The film also marked the directorial debut of screenwriterShane Black.
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Though the movie had a modest box-office performance, the actor later credited the film as a crucial turning point in his career. He toldThe Hollywood Reporterin a later interview,“It ended up being my calling card to Iron Man.”
Shane and Downey Jr. have since collaborated onIron Man 3. The duo wasreportedlyset to reunite in Shane Black’s adaptation of Donald E. Westlake’sParkercrime novel series for Amazon Studios. However, he was later replaced by Mark Wahlberg, as perDeadline.
The Nice Guysis available to rent or buy on Apple TV.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
