Robert Downey Jr could have been in one of the most iconic scenes in the 1980s, but he found it too “trite”

Robert Downey Jr turned down a role in the 1989 romantic comedy *Say Anything…*, which became famous for a scene in which John Cusack holds a boombox outside his love interest’s home. The story illustrates how Downey, even early in his career, passed on a prominent film because he thought its premise was trite, while Cusack’s performance helped make it an enduring hit.

Downey recalled the decision in a 2016 interview with Howard Stern, saying he did not feel sad about missing out and that the film had turned out well. The article places the anecdote alongside his long career and upcoming franchise work, including *Avengers: Doomsday* and a third *Sherlock Holmes* film.