Robert Downey Jr.<\/a> isn\u2019t buying the idea that influencers are set to replace traditional stars\u2014and he\u2019s making that clear in blunt terms.<\/p>\n Speaking on Conversations for Our Daughters<\/em><\/a>, the actor dismissed the narrative outright: \u201cWhen I hear people talk about, \u2018Oh, the stars of the future are going to be influencers,\u2019 I go, \u2018I don\u2019t know what world you\u2019re living into, but I think that that is absolute horsesh*t.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Downey Jr. pointed to how technology has reshaped fame, acknowledging that \u201cnowadays, people can create celebrity without ever doing much besides rolling a phone on themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n COMPLEX SHOP:<\/b> Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what’s next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.<\/a><\/p>\n Still, he stopped short of calling that inherently negative. Instead, he framed it as a new challenge, saying \u201cthe challenge for individuation is being upped,\u201d meaning standing out now requires more than just visibility.<\/p>\n He also expressed concern about how quickly people\u2014especially younger audiences\u2014can get pulled into the attention economy. Recalling his own family, Downey Jr. said his 14-year-old son briefly got caught up in influencer culture: \u201cHe kinda got caught up in this whole influencer thing, and next thing you know, it\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, if you like the way I\u2019m playing this video game, do you wanna send me a donation?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n He added, \u201cIt becomes a religion,\u201d before comparing parts of the space to \u201cthe evangelical hucksters of the information age.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite that critique, Downey Jr. emphasized he\u2019s not against the platform itself, but what it encourages. \u201cHopefully the grosser part of the youth\u2026 is gonna say, \u2018Yeah, but that\u2019s not my thing. I want to go do something, I\u2019m going to make something, I want to build something, I want to educate myself.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n He also addressed his own approach to fame in the social media era, rejecting the idea of curated authenticity. \u201cPeople say, \u2018Robert, they just love it when you\u2019re just kind of like seeming off the cuff,\u2019\u201d he explained. \u201cBut yeah, but I\u2019d be manufacturing that aspect for them\u2026so it\u2019s BS.\u201d<\/p>\n Downey Jr.\u2019s comments land as conversations about influence continue across industries. Recently, Jameela Jamil criticized Serena Williams over her promotion of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, warning, \u201cThese \u2018miracle\u2019 weight loss drugs come at a price,\u201d and urging followers to \u201cmake sure you have access to proper healthcare.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> Jeffree Star Called Out by Latino Influencers Over ICE Joke: ‘I Don\u2019t Find It Funny’<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n <\/a> WNBA Star Sophie Cunningham Slams L.A. Crowd, Says ‘They All Look the Same’<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n <\/a> Blac Chyna Says Her Kids \u2018Don\u2019t Care About Instagram or TikTok\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n \u2018Love Is Blind: Argentina\u2019 Star Sentenced for Trying to Kill Ex-Wife He Married on Show<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u2018Little Women: Atlanta\u2019 Star Ms. Juicy Arrested on Driving Charges in Georgia<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\nRelated News<\/h3>\n
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