By Krysta Fauria
LOS ANGELES (AP) --Robert Downey Jr. knows he has amassed an impressive collection of classic cars — one he self-deprecatingly refers to as artifacts of his success.
Despite his expectations of what the "accouterments are supposed to be" when one reaches a certain level of fame and wealth, trophies, it turns out for the actor, are not all they are cracked up to be. It's that dissatisfaction that helped to inspire "Downey's Dream Cars," his latest project debuting Thursday on Max.
"The cash and prizes, it's never been what motivated me. So, I shouldn't be surprised that it's still not," Downey said at the show's premiere, held last week at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
While "Downey's Dream Cars" is very much a show for gearheads, it isn't restricted to that audience. Downey experiments with genre in a kind of eco-friendly "Pimp My Ride" that is also part memoir and a documentary about the latest advancements in clean technology.
"That was certainly the idea, was to try to innovate a little bit in this kind of storytelling," he said.
In each episode, Downey relinquishes control of his prized possessions, letting experts modify his classic cars to be more environmentally sustainable by making them electric, converting them to run on biodiesel fuel or even affixing them with mushroom leather. Downey hopes it will be a glimpse into the future of sustainability and espouses optimism by featuring what's attainable now as well as what technological progress promises.
It is indeed a show about cars and technology, but in it Downey conveys a surprising amount of tenderness and introspection. It's a window into the ways he's grown from very public struggles with drug addiction that informed his image for years before "Iron Man" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe came calling.
He exhibits a self-awareness of the "machismo" cinematic influences and capitalistic values that prompted him to build such a collection. Throughout the show, Downey weaves in reflections on his life, family and shifting priories in recent years, specifically as they relate to the future of the planet.
Susan Downey, a producer who frequently collaborates with her husband, shares his commitment to environmental activism and worked as an executive producer for the show.
Although she said they both feel a personal responsibility in the fight against climate change, she praised her husband for his efforts to hold corporations accountable.
"It's not to absolve the everyday person of any responsibility they have, but really recognizing, to make the significant changes, they have to operate at a much higher level," she said.
The actor has in recent years become widely associated with his activism, particularly after he founded FootPrint Coalition, a venture capital fund that invests in climate technology and artificial intelligence.
In the series, Downey bemoans society's inefficiency and lack of collective will in making progress on these fronts, a frustration that contributed to his decisions to create both the company and the series.
And despite many people's concerns over the uncharted territory AI has already traversed, Downey believes in its ability to fight climate change and suspects fears of its capabilities may be to some extent unwarranted.
"Any time there's been a real emerging technology that was probably going to be significant, there's always a well of fear and hope," he said, arguing that both ought to be tempered even if he does think it can be used for good. "I'm not worried about it, but it is something I think we should have proper guidelines for."
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More