There can be no doubts or claims that Avengers: Endgame is the biggest movie of the year, having broken major records at the box office and earning both fan praise and critical acclaim as the culmination of every movie thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Walt Disney Studios understands these accomplishments as it pushes for buzz at the upcoming Academy Awards, already campaigning for Marvel Studios‘ biggest film yet. However there are a lot of notable names absent from their “For Your Consideration” push, especially when it comes to actors such as Robert Downey Jr. And the fans are attempting to change that.
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A new petition on Change.org started by Diana Whatley is pushing for Downey’s recognition at the Oscars for the Best Actor award. The campaign was started months ago, but has since picked up steam ever since Disney’s award push omitted the Iron Man actor.
“We, the undersigned, were so moved by Mr. Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame that we believe he is unquestionably deserving of the Academy’s Award for Best Actor. The creative choices he made and immense depth of emotional energy he infused in Tony Stark forged an unforgettable experience for the viewers,” the petition reads.
A lot of emotions are riding high around this topic, especially so considering this is the end of Downey’s tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while fans are hopeful that the actor would appear in the future, but it’s very unlikely to happen anytime soon. Downey himself was adamant that he understood his time with the franchise was at an end.
“We had to get off. We opted to, and knew it was part of the job to get off the bus while it rolled on to other destinations,” Downey said to Disney’s twenty-three Magazine. “There’s something very sobering about it. I’m glad he and I will be there to welcome others as they retire their jerseys.”
He also said that he’s not a fan of looking back at his legacy, especially at this point in time, as an actor defined for his role as Iron Man.
“I really don’t need to look any farther than my co-stars. Mark Ruffalo is an activist, Chris Evans is a diehard American and proponent of true democracy,” Downey added. “I don’t really have the gumption, the skill set, the drive, or the humility either of those guys do.”
