Image Credits: USA Today
Advertisement
Robert Downey Jr.’s highly anticipated Broadway debut in McNeal has not lived up to the actor’s expectations, as negative reviews have reportedly left the Oscar-nominated star “shattered.” Downey, 59, took on the challenging title role in Ayad Akhtar’s latest play, currently running at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York City. The role sees Downey portraying an acclaimed novelist whose life spirals due to alcoholism and mental illness.
Robert Downey Jr. disappointed with the response:
Despite his previous successes on the silver screen, Downey’s leap to Broadway has been met with lukewarm critical reception, and insiders say the impact on the Iron Man star has been profound. “Robert took a bold leap from dominating the silver screen to trying his luck on stage,” an insider told Closer Weekly. “But the brutal reviews have shattered him. He poured his heart into this project, only for it to bomb—it’s been a blow to his ego.”
The criticism hasn’t been directed at Downey’s performance itself, but rather the play’s tone and structure. Variety’s Aramide Tinubu called McNeal “a dull and garbled play that says very little about ethics and artificial intelligence” and criticized its focus on “a pompous and exhausting man” obsessed with his legacy. The New York Times’ Jesse Green praised Downey for his commitment to the dark and unlikable character but noted that the actor was fighting a losing battle in trying to justify the play’s “outré plot points.”
While reviews have been harsh, Downey’s fans have been far more supportive. “I saw it on Friday night and you were phenomenal,” one fan wrote on social media. “Definitely more than a few scenes I can’t stop thinking about. The whole cast was great.”
Nevertheless, insiders claim the experience may have soured Downey on future theatrical endeavors. A source alleged that once McNeal’s run is over, Downey is not likely to participate in theater again.
Despite the disappointment on Broadway, Downey’s film career remains strong. The Oppenheimer actor and his wife, Susan Downey, are in talks to produce The Hider, a film adaptation of Julianna Baggott’s short story, with Downey expected to take on the lead role.