The popularity of superhero movies has given birth to some pretty lucrative acting careers. Many of our favorite superhero actors were already fully-fledged figures in Hollywood, but some of their careers exploded after donning the metaphorical spandex onesie and outer underwear. So, join us as we take a look at our favorite actors and actresses who played heroes (and villains) in our favorite superhero flicks.
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is a man who needs no introduction, but we’re going to give him one, anyway. Like his father, RDJ had a pretty rough beginning in Hollywood, and it didn’t help much that he turned to all sorts of substances to relieve the stresses of acting.
But he did a 180 and changed his life around before he landed the role of Iron Man. The man himself, Stan Lee, said he envisioned a man like RDJ putting on the red and gold suit. He would reprise his role as Tony Stark throughout the MCU until his demise in Avengers: Endgame.