Acting legend Robert Downey Jr. stormed out of an Avengers: Age of Ultron promotional interview this week, after a British reporter went off topic and began to inquire about the actor’s checkered past.
A routine interview conducted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Britain’s Channel 4 News turned anything but, after questions regarding the latest action thriller gravitated toward aspects of Downey Jr.’s personal life, including jail time for past drug convictions, the actor’s relationship with his father, and whether or not he is a “liberal.”
Video of the encounter was posted on Twitter by Guru-Murthy, who describes the end of the interview as “a steely moment from Ironman.”
Things became uncomfortable after the reporter connected the actor’s real-life persona with that of his Iron Man character, Tony Stark. Guru-Murthy then quizzed Downey about a quote from an old New York Times interview.
In 2008, the actor told the paper of his time in jail for drug possession: “ …you can’t go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal.”
“I couldn’t even really tell you what a liberal is… Are we promoting a movie? He said, while describing himself as apolitical, and making attempts to redirect the conversation.
After being pressed about his relationship with his father, relative to addiction, the actor began to breathe nervously. “I’m sorry, I, I really don’t — what are we doing?” he asks, before abruptly ending the interview.
“It’s just getting a little Diane Sawyer in here,” Downey said as he left.
Watch the interview below:
Avengers: Age of Ultron will make its U.S. debut on May 1.