Robert Downey Jr. Shines on His Broadway Debut at the Opening Night of 'McNeal'

Hats off to Robert Downey Jr.!

At 59, the Oscar-winning actor was all smiles on Monday, September 30, as he celebrated the grand opening of 'McNeal’, a new play by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ayad Akhtar, now showing at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York City.

And there’s plenty for him to celebrate. Not only does 'McNeal’ mark Downey's long-awaited Broadway debut after five decades in the industry, but critics are also praising his performance, with Entertainment Weekly calling him a "commanding presence onstage."

In the play, Downey stars as Jacob McNeal, a famous writer and perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. The play’s intriguing synopsis teases: "Good writers borrow, great writers steal—Jacob McNeal is a great writer."

Image Courtesy: People

McNeal’s character faces an estranged son, a new novel, old grudges, and a troubling obsession with Artificial Intelligence in this "startling and brilliantly sharp look at the inevitable humanity—and rising inhumanity—of the stories we create." 

The cast also features Brittany Bellizeare, Rafi Gavron, Melora Hardin, Andrea Martin, Ruthie Ann Miles, and Saisha Talwar, with direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.  'McNeal’ is produced by Downey himself, in association with Lincoln Center Theater and Team Downey, the production company he runs with his wife, Susan.

Image Courtesy: People

With nearly 100 film and TV roles to his name—most memorably as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and his Oscar-nominated performances in ‘Chaplin’ and ‘Tropic Thunder’—Downey’s career has been illustrious. His recent Academy Award win for portraying Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023) is another milestone.

Despite his Broadway debut, Downey is no stranger to the stage. In May, he shared on Instagram, "It’s been 40 years since I last performed live, but I’m ready to shake off the rust." He added that  'McNeal’ is a "timely and essential story about the future of creatives, and I’m determined to do it justice."

–Farheen Ali