Robert Downey Jr. holding his Oscar trophy

Robert Downey Jr. To Make His Broadway Debut Following First Oscars Win

Home / Entertainment / Robert Downey Jr. To Make His Broadway Debut Following First Oscars Win

By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on May 7, 2024 at 6:01 PM EDT

Robert Downey Jr. is getting ready to make his Broadway debut just months after winning his first Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards.

Downey Jr. has previously been nominated twice for an Oscar, but earlier this year, he made history by winning Best Supporting Actor.

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Robert Downey Jr. Makes History At The 2024 Oscars

Robert Downey Jr. poses backstage at the Oscars
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At the 96th Academy Awards, Robert Downey Jr. finally earned his first-ever Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'Oppenheimer.'

He was nominated alongside Sterling K. Brown for 'American Fiction,' Robert De Niro for 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' Ryan Gosling for 'Barbie,' and Mark Ruffalo for 'Poor Things.'

When holding up his first Oscar, he began his speech with, "I'd like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order."

"I'd like to thank my veterinarian — I mean wife, Susan Downey — over there," he joked. "She found me a snarling rescue pet, and you loved me back to life. That's why I'm here. Thank you."

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Inside Robert Downey Jr.'s Emotional Speech At The Oscars

Robert Downey Jr. poses backstage at the Oscars
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The actor then shared a "little secret" that he "needed this job more than it needed" him. "It was fantastic, and I stand here before you a better man because of it. What we do is meaningful, and the stuff we decide to make is important," he added.

"I'm just going to say this, my entertainment lawyer, Tom Hansen, of 40 years, the half of which he spent trying to get me insured and bailing me out of the hoosegow: Thanks bro," he concluded.

Now that he has taken home his first Oscar, he may be looking at his first Tony as he is making his Broadway debut.

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Robert Downey Jr. To Make His Broadway Debut

Robert Downey Jr. poses backstage at the Oscars
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Fresh off his Oscars win, Robert Downey Jr. will make his Broadway debut in an upcoming drama titled 'McNeal.'

The show is from Pulitzer winner Ayad Akhtar and Downey will play Jacob McNeal, "a great writer, one of our greatest, a perpetual candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature," according to the announcement. "But McNeal also has an estranged son, a new novel, old axes to grind, and an unhealthy fascination with Artificial Intelligence."

Deadline reports the official synopsis as:

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“Good writers borrow, great writers steal. Jacob McNeal is a great writer, one of our greatest, a perpetual candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. But McNeal also has an estranged son, a new novel, old axes to grind and an unhealthy fascination with Artificial Intelligence. Pulitzer Prize-winner Ayad Akhtar’s new play is a startling and wickedly smart examination of the inescapable humanity – and increasing inhumanity – of the stories we tell.”

Following the announcement, fans of the 'Iron Man' actor could not contain their excitement as they flooded social media to congratulate RDJ.

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Fans Congratulate Robert Downey Jr. Following The News

Robert Downey Jr. at 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony
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"OMG OMG OMG Congrats!! What a year," one of his fans expressed as another wrote, "Gunning for that EGOT now huh?? Congratulations hon! Break a leg."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME ??!! I can’t believe I’ll miss that, but happy for you. I hope you’ll have lots of fun," a third said.

"Tony Stark is on his way to win a Tony," one fan quipped.

Meanwhile, one of his followers said, "This is wonderful news! The theater is another world. I'm far away to go see it, but I wish you all the luck and success in the world."

Robert Downey Jr. Hopes To 'Knock The Dust Off Quick'

Following the announcement, RDJ took to Instagram to let his fans know how to get tickets.

"I am making my Broadway debut in the new play 'MCNEAL' at Lincoln Center Theater!" he wrote. "I knew I wanted to do Ayad’s new play before I was done reading it, then hearing Bart would be directing at the Beaumont theater sealed the deal. It’s been 40 years since I was last on 'the boards,' but hopefully I’ll knock the dust off quick."

"'MCNEAL' is a timely and important story about the future of creatives, and I intend to do it justice,' he added.

According to Downey, the "strictly limited engagement begins September 5 at Lincoln Center Theater" and tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, May 21 at 12pm ET by visiting LCT.org.

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