Robert Downey Jr. Says This Film Was Worse Than Prison

Robert Downey Jr. once said that acting in a movie was worse than serving time in prison. The actor reflected on his experience making U.S. Marshals in 1998, which he found so unpleasant that he claimed he would “rather wake up in jail for a TB test than have to wake up another morning knowing I’m going to the set” of the film.

This is according to Ben Falk’s book The Fall and Rise of the Comeback Kid.

In U.S. Marshals, Downey Jr. played John Royce, a corrupt officer working within the U.S. police force.

The film also starred Tommy Lee Jones and Wesley Snipes and followed a team of Marshals chasing a fugitive involved in an international conspiracy.

Despite the high-profile cast and action sequences, Downey Jr. despised his time on set. He called the movie “possibly the worst action movie of all time” and described the experience as emotionally draining.

“You’ve had a traumatic year, you’ve been practically suicidal, what do you think would be really healing for you? How about like twelve weeks of running around as Johnny Handgun? I think that if you talk to a spirit guide, they would say, ‘That’ll kill you,’” he added.

In another interview with AV Club, Downey Jr. was equally blunt, saying he barely remembered the plot. “I don’t remember anything about U.S. Marshals except that we were running around and pretending like we could ever hold a candle to The Fugitive. I just remember like, ‘Strap on your bulletproof vest, you’re in the bayou!’ What the f*** what? Where’s the story?”

Directed by Stuart Baird and written by John Pogue, U.S. Marshals was a sequel to 1993’s The Fugitive. While Harrison Ford’s character Dr. Richard Kimble does not appear, Tommy Lee Jones reprised his role as Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard, with Wesley Snipes joining as the fugitive Mark Sheridan.

Other cast members included Joe Pantoliano, Daniel Roebuck, Kate Nelligan, and LaTanya Richardson. The film’s score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.

The movie opened in theaters on March 6, 1998, earning $57 million domestically and $102.4 million worldwide against a $45 million budget.

Critics were largely unimpressed, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 30% rating and Metacritic scoring it 47 out of 100. Roger Ebert described the film as “unconvincing and disorganized,” though he praised some of the stunts and performances. Other critics were mixed, with some appreciating the acting and pacing while noting weaknesses in the story.

Despite its moderate financial success, Downey Jr.’s experience on U.S. Marshals left a lasting impression. The actor has since been very selective with roles, aiming for projects that inspire him rather than drain him emotionally.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!