Ben Stiller believes that Robert Downey Jr.’s character in Tropic Thunder would’ve gone over well if the film were made today. Tropic Thunder, which Stiller wrote, acted in, and directed, is a satirical action comedy that followed a group of actors making a big-budget Vietnam war film,

As explained by People , the 2008 satirical comedy film featured Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus, a White Australian method actor who underwent “pigmentation alteration” surgery to play Staff Sergeant Lincoln Osiris, a Black character, complete in blackface .

The 2008 satirical film starred Robert Downey Jr. as a Method actor who dons blackface to play a Vietnam War soldier.