Oscar winner–slash–Goop guru Gwyneth Paltrow has had a long history in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, first appearing as Pepper Potts opposite Robert Downey Jr. in the franchise's inaugural film, 2008's Iron Man (which is still considered one of the best MCU movies). But the actress recently revealed why making that superhero classic was "very different" from the subsequent six MCU movies she's been in since.
During a Q&A at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia on December 6, the star cited the casting of the "unhireable" Downey Jr. — RDJ was a megastar of '80s and '90s movies like Less Than Zero and Chaplin before his career stalled due to substance abuse and legal troubles — as a reason for people being surprised at Iron Man's theatrical success. The film would go on to gross over half a billion dollars worldwide, and gain lots of love from critics and fans alike. Speaking about making the movie Paltrow said, per Deadline:
