It’s easy to see what director John Favreau saw in him, and how he shaped Robert Downey Jr.’s performance from the screen test into the Tony Stark and Iron Man that we know and love.
One can definitely see his wit in the second part of the screen test, in a scene where he’s talking with soldiers.
Tony Stark is basically a jerk, but he has just enough charm and wit for you to like him.
What is evident in this screen test is that Robert Downey Jr. has those qualities, even though he comes off a bit less endearing in the screen test than he ultimately did in the film.
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Iron Man (2008) - The Merchant of Death Scene (1/9) | Movieclips