Robert Downey Jr. is ‘shattered’ after poor reviews for Broadway debut in McNeal
Robert Downey Jr.’s Broadway debut hasn’t gone as well as the actor had hoped.
The Oscar winner played the title role in McNeal, which plays at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York City.
Reviews for Ayad Akhtar’s play haven’t been great, and insiders say the negative press has taken its toll on the 59-year-old Iron Man actor.
Downey stars as an acclaimed novelist whose alcoholism and mental illness have reached a turning point in his career.
An insider said this Closer to weekly the Oppenheimer star struggles with the poor reception.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Broadway debut didn’t go as well as the actor had hoped (pictured in Los Angeles in April)
“Robert made a bold leap from dominating the silver screen to trying his luck on stage,” the source told the publication.
‘But the brutal reviews destroyed him. He poured his heart into this project, but it blew up – it was a blow to his ego!’
Another insider claimed that once McNeal’s run is over, Downey “won’t step foot on a theater stage again!”
Some of the reported unhappiness could be due to the actor’s enthusiasm for the project.
Announcing the show on social media, the Doolittle star told fans, “I knew I wanted to perform Ayad’s new play before I finished reading it.”
The majority of poor press is focused on the tone and pace of the work and not on the actor’s performance.
McNeal “is a dull and unreadable piece that says very little about ethics and artificial intelligence and instead elevates a pompous and exhausting man who has only cared about himself and his legacy,” wrote Variety Aramid Tinubu.
Jesse Green from The New York Timescredited Downey for his attempt to tackle the unlikeable and dark title character, but said, “The play needs him to be outrageous enough to support the outré plot points, which are otherwise inexplicable even to a man who downs gallons of bourbon throws when faced with a diagnosis of advanced liver disease. Yet you sense Downey doing his best to justify McNeal without softening him, an impossible job in an impossible part.”
Downey stars as an acclaimed novelist whose alcoholism and mental illness have reached a turning point in his career. A source told Closer Weekly that ‘the brutal reviews devastated him’ (pictured in New York City on September 30)
Some of the reported unhappiness could be due to the actor’s enthusiasm for the project. Announcing the show on social media, the Doolittle star told fans: ‘I knew I wanted to perform Ayad’s new play before I finished reading it’
The Broadway disappointment doesn’t hurt Downey’s film career. The hitmaker and his wife Susan are in talks to produce The Hider, based on the short story by Julianna Baggott, with Downey set to star (pictured in New York City on September 30)
The actor has several other projects waiting to be completed, including his return to the Marvel Universe as Dr. Doom in two upcoming Avengers franchise films (pictured in San Diego, CA in July)
Downey’s fans have responded more positively. “I saw it Friday night and you were phenomenal,” wrote one. “Definitely more than a few scenes I can’t stop thinking about. The whole cast was great.’
McNeal would continue through November 24.
The Broadway disappointment doesn’t hurt Downey’s film career. The hitmaker and his wife Susan are in talks to produce The Hider, based on Julianna Baggott’s short story, with Downey set to star.
Several other projects in the works include Sherlock Holmes 3, and of course Downey’s return to the Marvel Universe as Dr. Doom in two upcoming Avengers franchise films.