Drew McIntyre has met plenty of celebrities during his wrestling career, but one awkward run-in with Robert Downey Jr. still bugs him. McIntyre had the perfect chance to chat with the Hollywood star — and accidentally walked away from it because he was trying to be polite.
Drew McIntyre (Credits: Ringside News)
Speaking with Sidewalks Entertainment while promoting Agent of Shadows, McIntyre explained that he does not usually get starstruck around famous people. He would rather have a normal conversation and learn something from them — but that approach backfired when he unexpectedly found himself standing next to Downey outside a Los Angeles restaurant.
Drew McIntyre Robert Downey Jr Encounter: The Walk-Away He Regrets
McIntyre recalled getting out of an L.A. restaurant, turning around to get in his car, and finding Robert Downey Jr. right there. He introduced himself as a fan of Downey’s work — and then immediately started walking away, because he knows what it is like when strangers invade your personal space.
There was only one problem. As he turned away, McIntyre realized Downey apparently was not done talking. But instead of turning back around, McIntyre decided he had already committed too hard to the exit and kept going.
That left him regretting the decision almost immediately, as he and Downey awkwardly waited around for their cars. McIntyre admitted he wished he had continued the conversation, because he is a genuine fan — but he also knows what it feels like when people crowd you and ask too many questions. Politeness, in this case, cost him a chat with Iron Man himself.
The Flash Gordon Meeting That Went Much Better
McIntyre apparently gets much more excited when he runs into someone connected to the movies he loved growing up. One of those moments came at a signing in Knoxville, Tennessee, when he spotted Sam J. Jones, the actor who played Flash Gordon.
McIntyre was preparing to leave when he suddenly heard Jones calling his name in a big, booming voice. The whole thing immediately reminded him of a scene from Ted, complete with the Flash Gordon theme playing in his head. He went over and delivered the famous line from the movie, telling Jones: “Thanks for saving every one of us.”
That encounter went considerably smoother than the Robert Downey Jr. one. Jones signed a picture for McIntyre’s brother, who proudly has it on his wall. For McIntyre, it is the cult figures from his childhood that truly get him excited — the stars he grew up watching, rather than the Hollywood names he meets as a peer.
McIntyre has crossed paths with plenty of famous faces over the years, but it is the conversation he did not have that still sticks with him. He was only trying to respect Downey’s space, but by the time he realized the actor wanted to keep chatting, Drew was too committed to the awkward walk-away to save it.
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Source: Ringside News — read the full story there.