Jon Favreau lauded by friends Robert Downey Jr and Roy Choi as filmmaker gets a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jon Favreau was finally awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after 30 years in the film and entertainment industry. He was accompanied by two of his long-time collaborators and closest friends -- actor Robert Downey Jr and chef Roy Choi. Also present at the ceremony was Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who listened as Downey and Choi spoke onstage about Favreau. This is the 2,746th star awarded at Hollywood Boulevard and is situated right outside the sets of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’.
"His greatest gift is his humanity and then there's the funny, just for the funny alone, this man deserves this star. You will never meet a more searingly sophisticated wit. Why? Because he gets the joke and the joke is often painful. He deeply understands that life is fleeting and if we're not laughing, we're dying,” Downey said in his touching tribute to his friend on his special day.
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Downey sticks a wad of gum on Favreau’s star
Downey and Favreau launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008 with 'Iron Man' and have since gone on to become one of the closest friendships in Marvel history. Downey’s speech for Favreau was filled with praises for the filmmaker. The 'Avengers' actor also took the time to joke around about Favreau’s recognition.
.@RobertDowneyJr jokingly plants a wad of gum on @Jon_Favreau's newly unveiled Hollywood Walk of Fame star "just to make it official." 😋 pic.twitter.com/DReWckplTh
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) February 13, 2023
Downey went on to take a chewed-up piece of gum from his mouth during his speech and planted it on the star, teasing that it was “just to make it official.” The crowd erupted in laughs as the friends took digs at each other.
Tributes to Favreau
"Never forget where you come from. 16 years ago this week, Jon and I were in pre-production on what felt like a high-concept indie, and we were fueled by this infectious, yet unfounded, confidence," Downey said in his speech, according to Comicbook. "I was beyond grateful for the power of second chances. Strangely, Kevin Feige trusted us, he and I trusted Jon, and for no good reason, Jon and Kevin trusted me," he said.
“Before Iron Man grossed more than half a billion dollars globally and kick-started the now 31-movie MCU, it was "a second-tier superhero property that had no shot at affording Kevin Feige the opportunity to launch a cinematic universe, because there was no such thing as a cinematic universe," Downey remarked about the creation of what is the biggest movie franchise in the world today.
Chef Roy Choi, who co-hosts 'Chef' alongside Favreau and was also involved in the movie of the same name, paid tribute to the filmmaker as well. "You care about us, the fans, the nerds, the people who devote themselves to the craft, it matters and that's why we love you so much," he said, according to the Daily Mail.