Which actor plays Tony Stark?

Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark, the billionaire inventor who becomes Iron Man. He first portrayed Stark in Iron Man (2008), where the character is introduced as the CEO of Stark Industries and a major weapons manufacturer for the U.S. military.

After being kidnapped in Afghanistan, Stark builds an armored suit to escape captivity instead of creating the weapon his captors demand. The experience changes his outlook, leading him to shut down Stark Industries’ weapons division and use his engineering skills to protect people as Iron Man.

Downey’s casting was initially controversial within Marvel, but director Jon Favreau strongly supported him. His witty, charismatic performance became central to the MCU’s identity and helped establish Iron Man as one of Marvel’s most popular screen heroes. Viewers sometimes confuse Tony Stark with the armor itself: Stark is the person, while Iron Man is his superhero identity and armored technology.

Downey continued playing Stark through Avengers: Endgame in 2019.