In a cozy Manhattan hotel lounge, Robert Downey Jr. sips coffee and contemplates the future of storytelling. He’s reflecting on his latest role, starring in Ayad Akhtar’s gripping new play ‘McNeal’ at the Lincoln Center Theater. The play centers on Jacob McNeal, a celebrated novelist grappling with his own mortality and the looming death of his career, a consequence of his past mistakes and, most notably, his reliance on AI to write his latest novel. The production, directed by Bartlett Sher, delves into the ethical dilemma of technology replacing human creativity. If software can create books indistinguishable from our favorite authors, who cares about the writer? Downey, however, remains skeptical of the AI revolution. “It still feels like what I thought computers were able to do 20 years ago,” he says. “It’s not that good. If it was very good, then we wouldn’t be scared. We would be fucking replaced.” Downey’s skepticism is shared by his wife and producing partner, Susan Downey, who describes being drawn to ‘McNeal’ by the exploration of McNeal’s personal and professional mortality. “I just hope my son learns it first so when I have questions he can show me,” she jokes, reflecting the family’s shared sentiment towards AI’s evolving role in our lives. The play is produced in part by Team Downey, their production company, which has had a banner year, including the Emmy-nominated miniseries ‘The Sympathizer’ and Downey’s Oscar-winning performance in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer.’ These experiences, Downey explains, prepared him for the unique challenges of Broadway. “Nolan was a total rainbow reset,” he says of his experience on ‘Oppenheimer,’ highlighting the transformative impact of working with the acclaimed director. The collaboration with director Park Chan-wook for ‘The Sympathizer’ provided a similar experience, as did his work with Sher on ‘McNeal.’ “He gave us one of the greatest takeaways ever, which is the phrase ‘we don’t know yet,'” Downey says, describing the director’s open approach to the creative process. This open approach resonated deeply with both Downeys as they navigated the uncertainties and anxieties of creating an original play. “The best people are the most open, because there is a confidence in what they’re trying to do,” Susan says. “As seasoned as we are, Bart gave us perspective,” Downey adds. ‘McNeal’ marks Downey’s return to the stage after 41 years, his last performance being a disastrous musical titled ‘American Passion’ that opened and closed on the same day. Downey recalls the experience wryly, joking that he thought the show, which featured songs like “There Ain’t No Virgins in Queens,” was a slam dunk. What compelled him to return to the stage after so long? “New play, timely subject matter, great integers, great humans involved, Bart, the cast,” he lists, highlighting the project’s appealing elements. He also praises Akhtar’s ability to weave conflicting ideas within a single thought line. “He counteracts and degrades everything he just said with the new statement.” In a fitting twist, Akhtar used AI to craft the final lines of the play, with Downey’s input. Susan reveals that the major elements of the play, including the director, theater, and script, were already in place when she first read ‘McNeal.’ She and Downey signed on at the end of last year, amidst Downey’s awards season. While coming from a film background, Susan describes the experience as learning a slightly new but not entirely different language. “I don’t drop names like you do!” she teases, when prompted for the name of the friend who likened the stage experience to learning a new language. But after some encouragement from her husband, she relents. “Okay…Paltrow. She’s very good with languages.” Despite their shared history in film, both Downeys admit that they don’t have a formula for choosing projects. “We don’t sit back with some formula or master plan,” says Susan. “We look for material that feels like we haven’t seen it before. You want that element of scariness, that you’re in new territory.” Team Downey is currently working on a remake of the Hitchcock classic ‘Vertigo’ for Universal as well as an adaptation of “The Hider,” a short story by author Julianna Baggott. For Downey, spending a few months in New York is a homecoming of sorts. Born and raised in the city, he began his career here, including a stint on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ “It’s great to be back. I don’t have to do much of a reckoning with my past in New York or my beginnings in theater or my time on Saturday Night Live before I went careening into the ’80s and just was a total mess.” Downey’s past struggles with addiction, a part of his life he explores in his Netflix documentary about his father, are well-documented. “The fact that I’m here doing this with you and we’re able to discuss it in a pretty cogent way today means that the perspective has already been made,” he says. On the demands of seven shows a week, he puts it in his own, uniquely Hollywood terms: “It’s like I’m in Beverly Hills and I do noses—I do seven noses a week for some very finicky clients.” He arrives two hours early for each performance, a habit he attributes to watching his mother, an actress, dedicate herself to the work of his filmmaker father. “If you’re not early, you’re very late!” Susan says. Their days off are a quandary, both agreeing that Downey is happiest when there’s a call sheet or curtain time. “My intention is not to miss a show. My intention is to be first on site every goddamn performance,” he says, almost as a challenge to the theater gods. So far, they’re favoring him. ‘McNeal’ runs through November 24 at Lincoln Center Theater.
Robert Downey Jr. on AI, Mortality, and His Broadway Debut in ‘McNeal’
