I'm kind of an oddball Manny

Robert Downey Jr who immortalised the character of Tony Stark aka Iron Man will be seen, what is touted as the last appearance, in the much-awaited 'Avengers: Endgame'. Robert Downey Jr, in a career spanning five decades, made his first appearance on the silver screen at age of five in his father's (Robert Downey Sr) film 'Pound' in 1970.

The actor had career troubles from 1996 through 2001 and he was arrested numerous times on charges related to drugs including cocaine, heroin, and marijuana and went through drug treatment programmes unsuccessfully. After five years of substance abuse, arrests, rehab, and relapse, Downey was ready to work toward a full recovery from drugs, and a return to his career. And in 2007 Downey was cast in the titular role 'Iron Man' and as the adage goes the rest is history.

Gear yourself for 'Avengers: Endgame' by watching 'Avengers: Infinity War' on April 21 at 3 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm on Star Movies. Tony Stark who was stuck in the space as show in the first trailer, now is back on the earth and is teaming up with the rest of the Avengers to take on the ultimate villain, who wiped half of the universe with is snap, Thanos. Will the Avengers take on the dreaded baddy Thanos and who will survive the deadly battle is the million-dollar question?

Excerpts from an interview:

Personally, what's been the biggest change in you since you began working on Marvel movies?

Quiet as it's kept consciously or otherwise, Kevin you put us in a position, where we lived our lives looking at each other in the eyes and claim these big stakes moments and being in trouble together and saving each other worrying about each other. It's just this 'impossible to explain' thing is getting a little tired. I think it just comes down to the smallness of our lives has been the constant in this massive endeavour and I think you know, it's impossible not be humbled by it.

So, you know part of the journey is the end. We said goodbye to Stan Lee after a big long life this year and do you guys have any poignant memories of him or stories of meeting him?

Yeah, mine goes to in 'Civil War'. Stan, Roadie and Tony are having a moment in the end and he was the UPS guy or a FedEx guy. And so, he was outside the glass and it was just like this thing, like all of us. He is a really big deal. But he's just another monk. We have gotten his coverage on the cam – and in an emerald sound he says, "I have a delivery for Tony Stark" And then like great, it went completely downhill after that. Not only is that memory through the glass, but also, I am exactly like him. It all goes downhill after take-1, you have to capture it before I tire.

When you first suited up as Iron Man, could you have envisioned Tony Stark's arc and where you wanted to see the character go and how did you approach building such a memorable character?

I have been thinking about this recently, there's always two tracks at least in mind. One is the sky is falling and the other is the sky's the limit. And as we had those many discussions in the high desert and shooting the film, I am reminded now that I was talking a lot of smacks saying, 'Where do you think this is going', but at the moment I was just hoping, day to day we were making good scenes and getting good stuff in the cam and know usual gobbledygook. I just wanted to not drop the ball.

Was it a surprise early on that 'Iron Man' amassed an army of devoted fans and would those fans mean to you today?

I have been just feeling like I am kind of an oddball Manny, who has been offered the opportunity to usher in this larger, as you were saying family and stuff and I look around and we are close and growing closer by the moment. To me, it's just the coolest relay race in the history of entertainment.

At the end of 'Infinity War', the Thanos snap is a very emotional moment for a lot of audiences to experience that. Shooting that moment with Spider-Man having him turn to dust, then the actual acting and the emotion of that moment. What was it like to shoot that scene specifically?

It's one of those things, where you like wow I think we just made a pretty serious joke, but I think audiences like that. I think audiences are so smart and now, so they require to not be fed the same drivel as even 20 minutes ago. It's like we need novelty and I think that what the Russos and Kevin have been able to do is provide that in spades.