LOS ANGELES — Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. is well aware of his limits and
how far he can stretch himself as an actor.
He also expressed his gratitude to the commedy sketch series
saying how it added to his repertoire as a performer, reports 'People'
magazine.
The 'Iron Man' star, 59, is featured in the new four-part
docuseries 'SNL50 Beyond Saturday Night', which delves into the history and
legacy of the iconic late-night sketch show 'Saturday Night Live'.
As per 'People', he was a cast member on season 11 of the
show, which ran from 1985 to 1986. The actor, who was just 20 years old at the
time, said he was appreciative of his brief stint on 'SNL' because it helped
him better understand his lane as a performer.
“I learned so much in that year about what I wasn’t. But
there’s not a more exciting 90 minutes you could have, whether you are any good
or not”, he said.
The 'Oppenheimer' actor also shared that he got the gig on
the iconic sketch series because of his good friend Anthony Michael Hall, who
was also cast in the 1985-1986 season.
“Michael Hall said to me, 'I’m gonna go do SNL. I’m gonna
get you an audition and I bet you’re gonna get yourself on the show too',
Downey recalled.
Hall, who also appears in the docuseries — and was the
youngest cast member ever hired on the show at just 17 years old — recounted
his own challenging experience working on the comedy juggernaut.
“When I look back, I have some memories of it being
difficult,” he said in his interview, while also admitting that, in hindsight,
it was likely hard for the show’s writers to create material for someone so
young.
Season 11 featured a number of other now-well-known
performers, including Joan Cusack, Damon Wayans, Randy Quaid, Jon Lovitz and Al
Franken. However, the season is widely considered one of the show’s weakest by
SNL fans and critics, and many of the cast members were replaced by season 12.
