Following his departure from the MCU, there was doubt surrounding Robert Downey Jr.'s ability to replicate the success he had achieved as Iron Man for Marvel Studios over the course of a decade. However, the actor proved the skeptics wrong by not only maintaining his image but also receiving an Oscar nomination for his role in Oppenheimer. In addition to his own accomplishments, Downey Jr. was not shy about acknowledging other stars' contributions to the film industry, including Margot Robbie's performance in Barbie. In a recent interview, he praised Robbie's impactful portrayal, although some individuals remain unconvinced of the film and the actress' success with audiences.

Despite both Barbie and Oppenheimer being released on the same day and competing at the box office, their combination into a global phenomenon known as "Barbenheimer" turned out to be a tremendous success for cinema. Not only did it generate significant box office revenue for both films, but it also motivated audiences to witness the exceptional performances delivered by the cast.

While Downey Jr. received his third Academy Award nomination for his role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, he acknowledged the underrated performance of Margot Robbie as the titular character in Greta Gerwig's Barbie.

During a video by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, where Downey Jr. and his fellow SAG Award nominees Sterling K. Brown and Willem Dafoe discussed films from the past year, Downey Jr. expressed his opinion that Robbie's performance deserved more appreciation: "It never fails to impress and remind me how little you need to do to be effective. Just the simplest version of expression, that’s what the camera wants. The closer the camera gets, the more it wants it. Time and time again, it’s demonstrated that it’s super effective. Margot Robbie is not getting enough credit, in my opinion."

While some agreed with Downey Jr.

's perspective, there are those on the internet who believe Robbie's praise is unwarranted due to the perceived overrating of Barbie by audiences. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Barbie was one of the biggest blockbusters of 2023, and those who went to see it in theaters for entertainment purposes were more than satisfied. Barbie can now be streamed on Max.