Robert downey jr actors guild interviews
Robert Downey Jr. Says His Short-Lived SNL Stint Taught Him ‘What I Wasn’t’
Robert Downey Jr. is an actor who knows his limits.
The Iron Man star, 59, is featured in the new four-part docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, which delves into the history and legacy of the iconic late-night sketch show Saturday Night Live.
Downey was a cast member on season 11 of the show, which ran from 1985 to 1986. The actor — who was just 20 years old at the time — said he was appreciative of his brief stint on SNL because it helped him better understand his lane as a performer.
“I learned so much in that year about what I wasn’t. But there’s not a more exciting 90 minutes you could have, whether you are any good or not,” he said.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
The Oppenheimer actor also shared that he got the gig on the iconic sketch series because of his good friend Anthony Michael Hall, who was also cast in the 1985-1986