Robert Downey Jr. found inspiration from the screen to prepare for his Broadway debut in ‘McNeal’

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Downey Jr. made his Broadway debut this week in “McNeal,” revealing some unexpected inspirations that helped him prepare for the stage. He says starring in “Oppenheimer” gave him a very monastic focus and then doing multiple parts in “The Sympathizer” gave him flexibility. The Oscar winner for his role in “Oppenheimer” stated that those two projects provided the confidence boost he needed. Without them, he says: “I believe I would be in a much more precarious situation.” “McNeal” is a one-act play by Ayad Akhtar that delves into themes of artificial intelligence, artistic integrity, plagiarism and copyright infringement.