Few folks know fame like Robert Downey Jr. The Oscar-winning actor has achieved the whole lot from vital darlings like Oppenheimer to popular culture juggernauts like The Avengers.
Whereas Downey took a extra conventional path to superstar, many up-and-coming stars obtained their begins on social media. Two of this 12 months’s Grammy nominees for Finest New Artist, Addison Rae and Alex Warren, had been recognized for his or her TikToks earlier than they had been recognized for his or her music. A number of of the most important new names in filmmaking, together with administrators Danny and Michael Philippou of Discuss to Me and Kane Parsons of the upcoming Backrooms, went viral on YouTube earlier than breaking into Hollywood.
However in accordance with Downey, it’s “absolute horseshit” to imagine that influencers shall be “the celebrities of the long run.”
In a latest look on the podcast Conversations for our Daughters, Downey sounded off on influencer tradition, saying that whereas fame has develop into extra accessible because of social media, that doesn’t imply influencers will usurp true superstar standing.
“These days, folks can create superstar with out ever doing a lot apart from rolling a telephone on themselves,” Downey stated. “I don’t take a look at that as a unfavorable factor. I simply take a look at it as extra just like the problem for individuation is being upped.”
“Once I hear folks speak about, ‘Oh, the celebrities of the long run are going to be influencers,’ I’m going, ‘I don’t know what world you’re dwelling in, however I believe that that’s absolute horseshit,’” he added.
Gen Z’s influencer aspirations
Downey is probably not wowed by influencers’ collective cult of persona, however youthful generations are inclined to disagree. In a 2023 survey, 57% of Gen Zers stated they need to be influencers.
Downey shared that he noticed his personal 14-year-old son get “caught up on this complete influencer factor.”
“Subsequent factor you realize, it’s like, ‘Hey, in case you like the best way I’m taking part in this online game, do you wanna ship me a donation?’ And actually, it turns into a faith,” Downey stated. “The influencers at the moment are nearly just like the Evangelical hucksters of the knowledge age.”
Nonetheless, Downey stated he hopes the vast majority of younger folks will pursue passions exterior of social media.
“Hopefully [young people are] gonna say, ‘Yeah, however that’s not my factor. I need to go do one thing, I’m going to make one thing, I need to construct one thing, I need to educate myself and I need to have extra inputs, so no matter my output is, it isn’t only a self-aggrandizing type of influencer-type factor,’” he stated.
For all his criticisms, Downey added that he has little situation with influencers themselves.
“We’re taking part in on this new territory and so it’s somewhat little bit of a frontier, and I don’t actually have a judgment on it,” he stated. “I additionally know when I’m selling a movie now I’ve gotten to know a number of of those influencers, and I discover them—a lot of them—grounded, fascinating, completed, cool folks.”
Downey’s social media presence
Although he’s an actor in the beginning, Downey might moderately be known as an influencer himself: On Instagram, he sports activities 57.6 million followers and he repeatedly posts on the platform. However Downey stated he tries to be as genuine as potential on social media—which for him means protecting his on-line presence to a floor stage.
“Individuals say, ‘Robert, they simply find it irresistible once you’re simply type of like seeming off the cuff, and so they’re getting a glimpse into your life.’ And I’m going, ‘Yeah, however I’d be manufacturing that facet for them, so it’s B.S.,” Downey stated.
“I attempt to not get too deep down any rabbit gap,” he added. “I don’t want to be consumed. I’m, at essence, nonetheless a shopper that can be a contributor.”
