Avengers: Doomsday Star Robert Downey Jr. Says Gwyneth Paltrow Is ‘Forever Confused by the Basic Tenets of the Marvel Universe and Its Inhabitants,’ and Forgot Who Tom Holland Was Despite Filming Several Movies With Him
Robert Downey Jr. has discussed his Marvel co-star Gwyneth Paltrow’s difficulty keeping track of the MCU’s many characters — including a moment when she forgot Peter Parker’s real-life identity. (It’s Tom Holland.)
Speaking at The Hollywood Reporter’s 2025 Women in Entertainment gala, where Downey Jr. presented Paltrow with an award, the Iron Man and Avengers: Doomsday actor said his on-screen partner was “impossibly intelligent, but forever confused by the basic tenets of the Marvel Universe and its inhabitants.”
Specifically, Downey Jr. recalled one incident where Paltrow pointed out a particular actor and asked him who it was. “‘Who’s that?'” Downey Jr. recalled Paltrow questioning, “‘He said his name is Peter.’ ‘No, his character’s name is Peter. That’s Tom Holland, you did four movies with him.'”
Paltrow and Downey Jr. pictured together this week. Image credit: Stefanie Keenan/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images.
This isn’t the first anecdote regarding Paltrow’s confusion surrounding her Marvel projects. The actress previously denied appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming, despite sharing scenes with Downey Jr. and Tom Holland in the movie.
More intriguingly, perhaps, Downey Jr. mentions four movies here — despite the fact that Paltrow and Holland have only worked together on three projects that have actually been released (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame). Was this just an error or exaggeration? Or have the pair worked together again on the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday?
Paltrow’s Marvel character Pepper Potts has not been seen since Avengers: Endgame, though the Stark Industries CEO was referenced again recently in Deadpool & Wolverine. Paltrow was believed to have semi-retired from acting, until her involvement in this year’s Timothée Chalamet-starring Marty Supreme was announced.
Could Paltrow be tempted back into the MCU once more? With Downey Jr. back too, albeit as the villainous Doctor Doom rather than the late Tony Stark, it would certainly make for an interesting on-screen reunion — as long as someone ensures Paltrow knows who Doctor Doom is, anyway.
Image credit: Stefanie Keenan/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
