Robert Downey Jr roasts ‘friend from work’ Chris Hemsworth at Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony
Robert Downey Jr playfully roasted Chris Hemsworth as the Australian actor received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today (23 May).
The pair co-starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Downey Jr, 59, playing Iron Man and Hemsworth, 40, as the Norse god Thor.
After taking to the podium on Hollywood Boulevard, Downey Jr opened his remarks by saying that he’s eager to see Hemsworth in George Miller’s forthcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa. “This is going to be the film of 2024,” he said. “I can't wait. I’m gonna see it three times.”
He proceeded to compliment Hemsworth by calling him a “remarkable human being” with a “contagious Aussie charm”. He added: “Chris is a bit daunting to describe. He’s very elusive because of the pretty packaging.
“However upon further inspection, down under, he has a true blue wit, and he has a depth of soul, and it has been my sincere pleasure to know you over these many years. You keep us Hollywood folks on our toes because you’re just a real dude.”
Downey Jr then remarked: “Now, here comes the roast!” before explaining that he’d reached out to fellow members of the Avengers cast to ask them to describe Hemsworth in just three words.
He said Hawkeye actor Jeremy Renner had gone with: “Absurdly annoyingly amazing” while The Hulk star Mark Ruffalo “came in strong” with: “Friend from work.” The line is a reference to 2017’s Thor: Ragnorok, which Downey Jr acknowledged with a smile: “Oh that's a callback, now I get it.”
He added that Scarlett Johansson, who plays Black Widow, called Hemsworth a “sensitive leading lady” while Captain America actor Chris Evans described him as: “Second best Chris”.
Following Downey Jr’s remarks, Hemsworth gave a short speech thanking his family for their support before his star was unveiled.
Earlier this month, Downey Jr revealed that he disagrees with Hemsworth’s public criticisms of his Thor character.
The Australian actor had admitted he felt like a “security guard for the team”, while others had “cooler” lines, and worried he had let fans down with his performance.
But Downey Jr argued that Thor in fact had “the most complex psyche” out of all of the superhero group.
“First off, Thor as a character was super tricky to adapt – lots of implied limitations – but he and Ken Branagh figured out how to transcend, make him somehow relatable but godlike,” he told Vanity Fair.
“Hemsworth is, in my opinion, the most complex psyche out of all us Avengers. He’s got wit and gravitas, but also such restraint, fire, and gentleness.”
