Shadowing Practice: Robert Downey Jr. & Christopher Nolan Answer The Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hi, I'm Robert Downey Jr. And I'm Christopher Nolan, and this is The Wired Autocomplete Interview.
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I probably should have taken my blood pressure medication.
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Does Robert Downey Jr. have tattoos?
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I have six.
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That's the sixth one, and that was the Avengers cast tattoo.
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That happened the evening of the premiere for Infinity War.
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Scarlett got it first, then Chris Evans got it, then I got it, then Jeremy Renner got it, then Chris Hemsworth got it,
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even though he was a little tentative about it, and seemed to overreact to the pain.
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And then Mark Ruffalo said, I'm not getting that tattoo, I don't want to be part of your Hollywood inside game, to which I applauded him.
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Does Robert Downey Jr. do his own stunts?
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In a year where the level and magnitude of stunts may be at an all-time high,
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I am committing to do less stunts every year for the rest of my career. But yes.
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Does Robert Downey Jr. like ACDC?
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Come on. Of course.
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Back in Black from the first Iron Man.
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Oh.
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Thunder!
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There's your sound bite, buddy.
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Does Robert Downey Jr. like Gwyneth Paltrow?
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I do not like Gwyneth Paltrow.
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I absolutely adore her like a sister.
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Like a sister that you may have made out with a few times. While still liking her.
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That's for you.
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Okay, I'd like to actually try this inverted, just to make this even more impossible.
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There we go, this is gonna work a fucking treat.
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Why Christopher Nolan?
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Now that in and of itself is just a question if you think about it.
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Why Christopher Nolan doesn't use CGI?
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I find CGI, however versatile it is, but it always tends to feel a little safe to me.
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I think if you want something to have a bit of bite, you've got the imagery to have a bit of threat, even if it's a miniature, even if it's something very fake, but something real on camera, I think it gives you a better result.
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Why does Christopher Nolan- We're in the wires.
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Shoot on film.
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I shoot on film because it's the highest quality imaging format ever devised, particularly IMAX film, large format film.
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But film shows you the world kind of the way your eye sees it.
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Is it ridiculous for me to give a serious answer?
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Well, you're saying that, but that's why I shoot film.
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Give the people what they want.
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Where does Christopher Nolan, oh, this one's important.
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I better sit up.
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Where does Christopher Nolan get his ideas?
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All over the place, different on every film.
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Oppenheimer, somebody I've been interested in a long time, I didn't know that much about the specifics of his story.
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Then came to the book, American Prometheus, and that absolutely got me hooked.
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So in the case of Oppenheimer, the idea, I mean, gosh, I trace it right back to like, you know, as a kid in the 80s, and we all thought we were going to die in nuclear Armageddon.
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Absolutely.
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Me too.
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You remember Sting had that song, Russians?
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Russians.
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Oppenheimer's Deadly Toys.
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Yes.
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How can I save my little boy from Oppenheimer's Deadly Toys?
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There is no monopoly of common sense on either side of the political fence.
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We share the same biology regardless of ideology.
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What might just save us, me and you, is if where is Christopher Nolan from?
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Where am I from?
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Born in London.
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But I'm half American, half English.
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My mother's American.
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I've grown up kind of both sides of the Atlantic, but originally from England.
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How come your brother doesn't have your accent?
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He has his own accent.
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Yeah, I know that.
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I know that he speaks the way he speaks, but he sounds like he's from America and you don't.
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Yes, but that's the American thing where you say, how come you have an accent and he doesn't? to what you say where he does have an accent, it's an American accent.
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You're right.
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Just because of when my parents were living in different countries, so he went to school in America, I went to school in England, so you can't get fixed with that accent.
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Sorry, no crew members were harmed in the execution of this dalliance.
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How did Robert Downey Jr. become Iron Man?
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It was God's will.
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That's it, really?
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Well, and a pretty good screen test.
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But I'll really tell you what happened is the same weekend I did a movie called Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Jon Favreau did a movie called Zathura.
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They both tanked and we were both really hungry to try to do something that would make an impact.
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And when Iron Man came out, everyone that knew me and loved me said, this will do until The Dark Knight comes out.
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And here we are now.
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What are Robert Downey Jr. hobbies?
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I have one hobby in that I take classic cars and I do eco-resto mods on them.
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Thus, take old cars and then make them more energy efficient and climate friendly.
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Any follow-up questions to that?
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No, because it's getting dangerously close to a plug for your TV show.
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And we're here doing Oppenheimer.
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Am I limited to three or four?
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Shameless plugs, yeah.
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Who does Robert Downey Jr. play in Oppenheimer?
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Louis Lichtenstein-Strauss.
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He was the head of the Atomic Energy Commission.
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He was a very conservative, patriotic American.
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He and Oppenheimer were verging on Nemesis.
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No spoilers, no spoilers.
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Not at all.
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Yeah, complicated man.
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He was a complicated guy, unlike me, as you can see.
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It takes one to play one.
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What year was Robert Downey Jr. on SNL?
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1985, oft considered the worst season in the history of SNL.
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I got that going for him.
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There's one skit that sticks out.
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Suitcase Boy?
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No?
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Could you tell me what that is?
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I don't remember that one.
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Well, no, that never made it to air.
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And that's the one that sticks out.
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Can Robert Downey Jr. play piano?
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Only well enough to compose at a medium to high level.
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What if Christopher Nolan directed The Avengers?
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Whoa.
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That is the multiverse conundrum having worked with you on oppenheimer
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they'd probably be a lot too much tony stark you'd be
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running away with the movie a little bit like i didn't
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and even more
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and uh not liking to use cg would you be prepared
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to get on one of those jetpacks the ones they make for real
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that do that yeah if christopher nolan had directed the avengers we would still be shooting it
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what is christopher nolan's best movie the one i'm promoting i mean that's how that works right I'm telling you,
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and I've seen every single film you've ever done, Oppenheimer is the culmination of your life's work, and it is a frickin' masterpiece, brother.
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Thank you.
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And that is the God's honest truth.
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Thank you.
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And now, back to my faux sincerity, which works better.
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What makes Christopher Nolan tick?
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Unique.
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He's supposed to answer this?
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Yeah, I was going to say, I'm leaving that to you.
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He already told you he's British, so you're never going to get that answer out of him.
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There's such a mystique around you that I think sometimes people feel intimidated.
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And then when you actually get in proximity to you and particularly shooting a film.
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It's arguably the least judgmental, most nurturing environment I could have ever imagined being in.
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He's kind of like the Wizard of Oz, except I think he dresses cooler.
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That's gonna trouble.
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Moving on.
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Just remember, this was someone's idea to pair us up here.
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What is Christopher Nolan's California driver's license number, I'm sorry, first movie?
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My first movie is a film that Emma and I produced together called Following.
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We shot it on black and white 16 millimeter film.
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We were working full time with a group of friends and we would shoot one day a week for about a year.
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We put it together that way.
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You would never know, it seems even your first film felt so complete.
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What degree does Christopher Nolan have?
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I have an English degree from UCL in London.
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My gosh.
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Are these edible?
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No?
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Okay.
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Sorry.
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Is Robert Downey Jr. Tom Holland's godfather?
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If by godfather you mean I do light yard work for him on Thursdays
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and detail his car every other Saturday, then yes.
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Is Robert Downey Jr. related to Charlie Chaplin?
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Not that I'm aware of.
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Only in spirit?
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Yep.
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Speaking of great directors, Attenborough,
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I got a complete education on cinema and enthusiasm and trust and love.
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How old were you when you did that?
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I was 26, and you know what?
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He's like you, he just cries a lot more.
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Very sensitive man.
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Is Robert Downey Jr. going to ask Chris Nolan to cry on cue for him?
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You're god darn right I am!
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Go in tight, this is his screen test.
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Is Robert Downey Jr. a vegan?
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No, I'm a vegetarian.
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Occasional pescatarian.
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If I start feeling lightheaded, I might have some shrimp.
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Or maybe a steelhead trout.
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No scallops.
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Just for the halibut, I might occasionally...
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I like a bit of soul.
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I don't know why that means soul.
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I guess it's what goes beneath the surface.
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I don't want this to end.
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I mean, we're used to a bit of joviality, but this is...
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This is another level.
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That's for you.
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How Christopher Nolan became a director.
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I started making films when I was a little kid.
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Borrowed my dad's Super 8 camera.
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I was about seven years old.
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Started making films and kind of never stopped.
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Seven.
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Seven.
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Who is Christopher Nolan's cinematographer?
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Well, you can answer this one.
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Oiterman.
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Great Dutch director of photography and not afraid to pick up an IMAX camera and hold it on his shoulder.
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How did Christopher Nolan recreate a nuclear explosion?
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Well, we don't want to give away the tricks too much.
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Didn't use CG, try to come up with methods from the visual effects of the special effects department
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that were very small microscopic things that look huge, but then also some giant big bangs out in the desert that were pretty spectacular to live through.
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And that is how you give an answer without giving an answer.
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Is Christopher Nolan a physicist?
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No, I am not a physicist.
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I've always been interested in physics, and I've done a lot of films that involve looking into ideas of physics.
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Purely an amateur.
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I don't know if I buy that.
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Do you want another take?
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No, I'm good.
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Okay.
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What was Robert Downey Jr.'s first job?
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My first job was working at the Indian Walk shoe store on Broadway and 83rd Street.
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I made it about 10 shifts before I was fired for my sticky fingers.
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Okay.
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What music does Robert Downey Jr. listen to?
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Everything from Prokofiev to, I'm into Sleaford Mods lately, and also Indio Downey, my firstborn.
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Got an album coming out.
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Fantastic.
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What is Robert Downey Jr. personality type?
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You want to take this one?
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No, I'm really interested to know what you're going to say.
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I usually play type A personalities.
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No, no, no. Come on, come on, come on.
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You're not getting away with type A.
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That's too technical.
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I'm curious.
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Curious?
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I'm loyal.
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I'm easily bored.
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I thought you were going to go with easy for a minute there, and I was going to shake my head.
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Because I'm easy.
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What glasses does Robert Downey Jr. wear?
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That was a high degree of difficulty tape pull, by the way.
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Do you see how he's mastered it already?
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All kinds of glasses.
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I love all glasses.
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And shameless plug, I'm probably going to start my own glasses company.
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Do you want to just go in tight on this?
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Downey Design Exchange.
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They'll be out in probably 6, 9, 12, 16, 18 months, depending on my personality type. Does Christopher Nolan storyboard?
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Only select sequences.
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I don't storyboard much.
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But if there's something that people really need to take a look at, you know, I use them as a jumping-off point for departments I did not know that.
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Does Christopher Nolan have social media?
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I do not.
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That is a pointless question if you know anything about him because you would think it was
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1847 the way he communicates And this one just says Christopher Nolan Christopher Nolan Influences.
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Influencers.
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Always like to talk about Ridley Scott.
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Huge fan of his.
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Stanley Kubrick, Terrence Malick, Nicholas Roeg.
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I mean, there's just so many greats.
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Too many influencers to name them.
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Nicholas Roeg is a really good pull.
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Christopher Nolan and Killian Murphy.
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And Killian Murphy.
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My old friend Killian.
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We worked together for 20 years.
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One of the great actors of his generation or any other.
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And we've done six films together.
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This is six.
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This is six, but this is the first time I've got to use him as a leading man.
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It's amazing.
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Yeah, first met him, he screen tested for Batman.
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And I think we both kind of knew he probably wasn't right for Batman, but his test was so exciting that the studio was okay for me to cast him as the villain.
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Scarecrow.
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Big star.
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Scarecrow.
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I whispered it because I have a problem talking about DC characters.
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I don't know if I was programmed or not, but I was in this room with a lot of flashing lights once.
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Long story, thanks, Kevin.
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Well, that's done.
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Look what you got.
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This is the most ectomorphic this man has ever been.
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Well, Chris, Robert, we made it through all the boards.
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I thought it was fun.
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I think the time just flew by.
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Flew by, I learned a bit, I learned a bit.
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Until next time.
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by engaging with a lively and entertaining interview featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan. By watching their interactions and the questions posed, you'll sharpen your listening skills, learn new vocabulary, and improve your English pronunciation. This effective English speaking practice will help you to sound more natural and confident by familiarizing yourself with the rhythm and intonation of native speakers.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Tattoo - A form of body art made by inserting ink into the skin.
- Stunts - Dangerous or exciting activities performed for entertainment, especially in movies.
- CGI - Computer-generated imagery used in films for special effects.
- Film format - The kind of film used to capture images, with IMAX being a notable high-quality type.
- Armageddon - A term referring to a catastrophic event, often used in discussions about global threats.
- Imagery - Visually descriptive or figurative language used in film or literature to create a mental picture.
- Adore - To love and respect someone deeply, often more than just liking them.
- Sound bite - A short memorable comment or statement, often used in media for its appealing nature.
Practice Tips
To effectively use the shadowing technique while practicing with this transcript, follow these tips to improve your English pronunciation and overall speaking skills:
- **Watch and listen carefully**: Pay close attention to the video, noting the speed and tone of the speakers. This will give you an idea of how to adjust your own speaking style.
- **Use a shadowing app**: Consider utilizing a shadowing app that allows you to replay segments of the video. This will help you mimic the speakers accurately.
- **Repeat in small segments**: Start by repeating just a few words or phrases at a time. As you gain confidence, gradually increase the length of what you are shadowing.
- **Focus on intonation and rhythm**: Notice how Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan use their voices to convey emotions. Try to mirror their intonation and pauses to make your speech more engaging.
- **Practice regularly**: Consistency is key! Make a habit of daily practice using this interview, as it will enhance your overall speaking fluency and listening comprehension.
By following these strategies, you will not only improve your English speaking skills but also your confidence in using the language in various contexts.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.