San Diego Comic-Con delivered a major surprise over the weekend when Marvel announced thatRobert Downey Jr., who helped turn the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the box-office behemoth it is today, is returning to the MCU – this time as iconic villain Dr. Doom inAvengers: DoomsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars. It’s the kind of announcement that continues to spark conversation, but it has also led to another debate, at least in some circles. Downey Jr.’s return to the Marvel fold as Dr. Doom makes him the official replacement of Jonathan Majors, whose Kang the Conqueror was set to be the next big MCU villain.That fell apart when Majors' ex-girlfriend filed assault charges against the actor, resulting in Majors being found guilty on two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment. Majors was immediately dropped from the MCU following the guilty verdict, but some believe that the optics don’t look too good considering that Majors was replaced by Downey Jr., who has his own criminal past.
Renowned stand-up comic Godfrey took to hisInstagram pageto address the casting issue. While he admits he has love for Downey Jr. and thinks he’s a fantastic actor, Godfrey calls out the fact that theIron Manstar also has a criminal record, and says that white actors are afforded more chances for redemption within the industry. Godfrey says that Majors is"getting a raw deal"and questions why he can’t be forgiven in the same way that Downey Jr. was forgiven. Godfrey insists he doesn’t want to make it about race, but on more than one occasion points out the differences in how white actors are treated in this position when compared to Black actors. You can check out his full post below.
Robert Downey Jr. and Jonathan Majors' Cases Are Very Different
Downey Jr.’s past is no Hollywood secret. The actor struggled for years with drug addiction, something that derailed his life and career on many occasions. In addition to multiple stays in rehabilitation facilities, Downey Jr. was arrested on more than one occasion for drug and gun possession. After a stint onAlly McBeal, for which he earned a Golden Globe Award, the actor was subsequently fired from the show in 2001 following additional drug charges. He was ordered to stay in a drug treatment program following the arrest, which, in his telling, became the wake-up call he ultimately needed. Downey Jr. has maintained his sobriety since 2003.
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Majors' issues arose when he was arrested in March 2023 after allegedly physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. At the time, the actor’s star was steadily rising with roles inCreed 3andLovecraft Country, and he was being set up as the next big threat in the MCU; his Kang the Conqueror appeared in Season 1 ofLokiandAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Majors was also set to appear inAvengers: The Kang Dynastyand its followup,Avengers: Secret Wars. Following his arrest, Majors wasdropped from several projectsand endorsements, and when he was ultimately found guilty of assault and harassment, he wasswiftly dropped from the MCU.
There are key differences between Downey Jr. and Majors. Drug addiction is often considered a disease and Downey Jr.’s crimes and issues were primarily self-inflicted; an injustice against himself and his well-being. Majors' crimes involved domestic assault, a crime he inflicted upon someone else. That’s not to say that Downey Jr.’s brushes with the law make him a saint compared to Majors, it’s just that they are very different circumstances.
Also, when talking about redemption, Downey Jr.’s return to acting wasn’t effortless. He was rejected from major Hollywood productions, and when he finally landed more high-profile gigs, he famously had to pay his own insurance bond because the studios weren’t willing to do it. When he appeared inGothikain 2003, producer Joel Silver withheld 40 percent of Downey Jr.’s salary until the movie wrapped production to ensure that his struggles were behind him. This wasn’t an actor welcomed back with open arms. He had to earn the place that he’s lucky to be in now.
Majors happened to catch a case while being on Marvel’s payroll. By the time Downey Jr. appeared inIron Manin 2008, the actor’s struggles were in the past. Had any of his issues taken place while he was making movies for Marvel, they would have every right to let him go, but that wasn’t the case. It has been a little over 20 years since Downey Jr. turned his life around. It’s a success story that should be lauded rather than used as an example of white privilege in Hollywood. There are many cases where race factors into the discussion, but this simply isn’t one of them.
