Robert Downey Jr. came out victorious at the 2024 Oscars, but his actions at the ceremony have garnered some backlash.
Former Best Supporting Actor winners Sam Rockwell, Tim Robbins, Ke Huy Quan, Christoph Waltz and Mahershala Ali took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 10, to present the category, which Downey Jr., 58, won for his role as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer. When walking up the stairs, Downey Jr. made a beeline for his award, taking it out of Quan’s hand with little acknowledgement.
“WHY DID HE IGNORE KE HUY QUAN LIKE THAT?!?!?!? #Oscars,” one social media user asked. Quan took home the 2023 Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once and was the one to officially announce Downey Jr.’s name.
After grabbing the trophy out of Quan’s hand, Downey Jr. shook Robbins’ hand and turned around to fist-bump Rockwell, who praised his Iron Man 2 costar in a heartfelt speech before his win. When Quan attempted to hand Downey Jr. the winner’s envelope, he was seemingly snubbed once again.
Sam Rockwell, Tim Robbins, Ke Huy Quan, Christoph Waltz and Mahershala Ali come together to present the 2024 winner for Actor in a Supporting Role at the #Oscars and recognize this years nominees pic.twitter.com/JNi5GT4DQ3
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 11, 2024
“Okay I’m so glad I’m not the only one who noticed this. I get this is RDJs moment but it’s Ke Huy’s too. It’s important to an actor to pass on their win to the next and he was the most ignored person of the 5 up there,” one X user wrote. “And also… idk it just makes me sad for Ke Huy because what this clip doesn’t show is how badly he wants to celebrate with RDJ for his win even when they walk backstage and he’s just ignored.”
Another social media user added: “Oh I clocked this too and I wasn’t a fan. Ke Huy Quan is so authentically elated for him.”
Despite the awkward moment on stage, it appeared there was no bad blood between Quan and Downey Jr. after the show. Photographers captured the duo hugging backstage, and Downey Jr. even posed for one of Quan’s iconic awards show selfies.
Downey Jr. was up against American Fiction’s Sterling K. Brown, Killers of the Flower Moon’s Robert De Niro, Barbie’s Ryan Gosling and Poor Things’ Mark Ruffalo on Sunday.
The first-time winner thanked his family and team while offering a rather self-deprecating acceptance speech.
“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and The Academy. In that order,” Downey Jr. said. “I’d like to thank my veterinarian, I mean my wife, Susan Downey. She found me, a snarling rescue pet and you loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here.”
Thanking Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan, the actor added: “Here’s my little secret. I needed this job more than it needed me. … I stand here before you, a better man because of it.”
