2. Tony Stark - Iron Man (2008)
You can consider each of Robert Downey Jr.'s turns as billionaire industrialist and playboy genius Tony Stark under this banner, because he has embodied the character so brilliantly in each and every entry - even in
The Avengers, a movie with a large superhero ensemble, Downey Jr.'s natural prescene made him the de facto leader. Put it this way: can you really imagine anybody better suited to play Tony Stark than Robert Downey Jr.? I don't think it would be wrong (or insulting) to suggest that this is the role that Downey Jr was "born to play." Usually I'm quick to discredit terms like that, because it never seems to really match up: here, it seems like the only way what the man has done with this role. On paper, Tony Stark looks rather difficult character to play: he's a hero with an ego - harder still, it's that ego that defines much of his personality. The potential for Stark to come across as wholly unlikeable, despite his position as a "superhero," was relatively high, then. Whoever suggested that Downey Jr. might be right for the role deserves a big, shiny award. To date, Tony Stark has become Robert Downey Jr.'s most recognisable role, and the most popular character currently doing the rounds in Marvel's massively expansive Cinematic Universe. And Downey Jr. is the glue that holds it all together - take him out, and the whole showcase doesn't seem anywhere near as appealing. Stark gives the actor the room he needs to really show off his acting talents: one-liners and witty quips aside, Downey Jr. has consistently infused this iconic character with a real sense of humanity... one that has never failed to resonant, despite the constant stream of exploding set-pieces that this series inevitably calls for. Brilliant.