Gwyneth Paltrow has been ‘forever confused' about Marvel Universe

Robert Downey Jr. had the audience laughing as he lovingly teased Gwyneth Paltrow about her ongoing difficulty keeping track of the Marvel world. 

While presenting her with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at The Hollywood Reporter’s Annual Women In Entertainment Gala on December 3, he joked that she remains “forever confused by the basic tenets of the Marvel universe and its inhabitants.”

The two starred together in the three Iron Man films, where Paltrow played Pepper Potts, Tony Stark’s love interest and later wife, in what ultimately became the foundation of the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

But despite so many years in superhero territory, Downey Jr. said she still struggled to remember who’s who on set. 

He recalled a moment when she asked, “Who’s that? He said his name was Peter.” Downey Jr. said he had to tell her, “No, his character’s name is Peter. That’s Tom Holland. You did four movies with him.”

He affectionately described her as both admired and misunderstood, saying she might be “reviled and revered,” possibly a mix of both. 

Poking fun at her quirks, he praised her brilliance too. 

“She’s a great actor and yet wholly unimpressed with herself,” he said, adding that while she may have “a few blind spots,” she also has “vision. Vision. All caps.”

Downey Jr. also pointed out that he helped pull Paltrow back into movies when she joined Iron Man in 2007. 

At the same time, she was launching Goop and balancing motherhood, all while holding onto the Hollywood success she had already built with her Oscar and Golden Globe wins.

With humour and admiration woven together, his tribute showed just how far their professional bond and friendship have come, and how Paltrow’s lighthearted confusion about Marvel has become one of the most endearing parts of her story.