When Disney announced their 2020 Oscar push for Avengers: Endgame a couple weeks ago, fans were certain Robert Downey Jr. would be on the list. If the Twitter lynch mobs and online petitions are any hint though, it looks like the House of Mouse has, for whatever reasons, declined to pursue a Best Actor nomination for the man behind Tony Stark.
For the past decade, RDJ has given us a Stark who’s gone from a womanizing playboy with billions in the bank to someone who would die an agonizing death to save billions of lives. His final scene in Endgame alone, in fans’ eyes, should have been enough to nab the coveted Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Awards. Instead, though, Disney’s campaign is for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography and Original Score.
It’s not only fans who think the company dropped the ball, though, as the Russo brothers have made it clear that they’re also behind the actor. They explained that they don’t really make their movies for awards, but for Downey Jr.’s final performance as Stark? That’s something they’re all for. The tearful reaction of audiences after his death scene played wasn’t just a bunch of fanboys getting dramatic. It was because the way in which he took the ultimate sacrifice for the team was brilliantly acted.
As for the aforementioned petition, fans officially have a voice now in RDJ’s snub. Unfortunately, there isn’t much that voice can do though and the petition makes that clear. Its purpose is to make sure the Powers That Be know that we think they’re full of it. Given that it’s just sprung up, it’s only got a couple hundred signatures, but you can be sure that it’ll begin to gain traction in the coming days.
Like we said above though, it’s unlikely to change anything but even if it’s not for Avengers: Endgame, let’s just hope Robert Downey Jr. ends up walking off the stage with one of those statuettes at some point in his career.