The MCU family suffered a major loss in 2021 when Marvel crew member Jimmy Rich passed away after a fatal car accident. One person who definitely felt the loss was Robert Downey Jr., as Rich served as his righthand man during his career renaissance, including his decade-long tenure as Iron Man. It became obvious during the actor’s heartbreaking tribute to his late personal assistant. At the time, he received an outpouring of love and support from his MCU family. The Avengers: Endgame actor chose to remember the late crew member’s life on the first anniversary of Rich's death.
RDJ and his late righthand man had been attached at the hip after the two men first met while shooting the 2003 comedy The Singing Detective. So, the Doolittle actor is still feeling Rich’s absence a year after his unexpected death. Instead of mourning his late friend, the former MCU star decided to celebrate his memory on his Instagram. He mentioned wanting to give the world a peek into his late friend’s life.
I felt the need to share a glimpse into his lightning wit, huge heart, and at times, profound simplicity.
RDJ wanted his followers to know that his late assistant was more than just the guy who got him coffee and posed in photos with him. He felt the world only got to see the professional side and never got to know what the man behind the man was like in real life. Not only did the Oscar nominee pen a sweet message, but he also highlighted Rich’s on- and off-set life through a series of photos and videos. You can check out the Iron Man actor’s loving tribute to his late righthand man below.
It was refreshing to see and hear the late personal assistant in his element. Even a year after his passing, the Hollywood star still appears to be reeling from the loss of a man who became family over the decades-long partnership. Remembering Rich as he lived was just RDJ’s way of letting the world know how important his late friend was outside of Hollywood.
But death didn’t just hit his professional life as the Tropic Thunder actor experienced the loss of his father filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. a few weeks later. Much like Rich’s passing, losing his father hit him hard. But instead of mourning his father, the actor paid tribute to him and his stepmother in a touching Instagram post. RDJ isn’t afraid to shine a spotlight on those who may not have gotten their flowers during their lifetime.
RDJ has continued with his life as seen in his reprisal as the Easter Bunny this year. He even joined Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and is currently working on two Sherlock Holmes spinoff series for HBO Max. So the actor is just as busy as ever. While the Oscar nominee isn’t part of the MCU anymore, you can check out what upcoming Marvel releases are coming, including the recently released Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
