Robert Downey Jr. Beams as He Makes His Broadway Bow on Opening Night ofMcNeal

Mar. 15, 2025

Robert Downey Jr. (center) celebrates opening night of ‘McNeal’ as he takes his bow between Melora Hardin (left) and Andrea Martin (right).Photo:Ilya S. Savenok/Getty

Ilya S. Savenok/Getty

Take a bow,Robert Downey Jr.!

The play stars Downey as Jacob McNeal, a prolific scribe and perpetual candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. But as the synopsis teases, “Good writers borrow, great writers steal [and] Jacob McNeal is a great writer.”

With “an estranged son, a new novel, old axes to grind and an unhealthy fascination with Artificial Intelligence,” Downey’s character has a lot to manage amid this “startling and wickedly smart examination of the inescapable humanity – and increasing inhumanity – of the stories we tell.”

Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey attend “McNeal” opening night at Lincoln Center Theater on Sept. 30, 2024 in New York City.Ilya S. Savenok/Getty

In addition to Downey,McNeal’s cast includes Brittany Bellizeare, Rafi Gavron,Melora Hardin,Andrea Martin,Ruthie Ann Milesand Saisha Talwar.

Direction comes from Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, whose recent credits include the 2018 revival ofMy Fair Ladyand the 2023 playPictures From Home.

Robert Downey Jr. in ‘McNeal’.Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Downey — who is also producingMcNealin association with Lincoln Center Theater through Team Downey, the company he shares with his wife Susan Downey — has had nearly 100 film and television credits over his long career. Memorable roles includeplaying Tony Stark/Iron Manin the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Sherlock Holmes in two films, plus his Oscar-nominated turns inChaplin(1992) andTropic Thunder(2008). He won his Academy Award for playing Lewis Strauss inOppenheimer(2023).

The actor last stared on the HBO seriesThe Sympathizerin multiple roles. Last March, he told PEOPLE he hadno plans of slowing down after his first Oscar win.

“I got a couple other tricks up my sleeve,” he teased at the time.

Melora Hardin and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘McNeal’.Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

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Though this is RDJ’s first time on Broadway, he’s done theater before. “It’s been 40 years since I was last on ‘the boards,’ but hopefully I’ll knock the dust off quick,“he wrote on Instagramback in May, when his role was announced. “McNealis a timely and important story about the future of creatives, and I intend to do it justice.”

Tickets toMcNealare now on sale. The play is currently set for a limited engagement through Nov. 24.

source: people.com