Robert Downey Jr walks out of Krishnan Guru-Murthy's C4 Age of Ultron interview: Twitter reactions

During an interview with Channel 4 news journalis, Krishnan Guru-Murthy on 22 April, Robert Downey Jr got uncomfortable when questions started going off-topic and when things finally got too personal for the actor, he decided to up and leave all together.

Downey Jr was supposed to be filming a 10-minute video to promote his new film Avengers: Age of Ultron (released in the UK today, 23 April) but pressured by the fact his time with Iron Man was running out, Guru-Murthy proceeded to delve into the 50-year-old's past.

Guru-Murthy had already got the Sherlock Holmes actor's back up early on in the interview by asking for him to explain a quote he made back in 2008 when he said: "You can't go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal."

Confused by the question, Downey Jr joked: "Are we promoting a movie?" But when his problems with drugs and alcoholism were brought up, the actor believed the probing had gone too far and walked out.

"It's just getting a little Diane Sawyer in here," he said to presenter as he left the room. (Sawyer is a notoriously-investigative interviewer in the US).

The exchange went viral when Guru-Murthy tweeted it himself, captioning the video: "A steely moment with Ironman." Meanwhile, Downey Jr hasn't commented on his own social media page.

This wasn't the first time that the news journalist has had a celebrity shut down his interview prematurely either. Back in 2013, Quentin Tarantino got irate when his attempts to promote Django Unchained proved difficult when Guru-Murthy kept wanting to talk about his older films.

IBTimes UK did a round-up of some of the Twitter reactions to yesterday's controversial questioning. Most viewers seem to be sided with Robert Downey Jr, claiming that he had every right to leave the interview and was not there to discuss his troubled past. Whereas others had opposing views believing that the actor should open up more. Meanwhile, some simply saw the funny side.

Re the KGM/RDJ interview. I think it's fine to ask the question, but then surely you read the situation? Why follow up on it?
— Joe Cunningham (@JoeCunningham14) April 22, 2015

@krishgm @Channel4News Well you did give him the option not to answer so he could have said 'No thanks, let's move on'. Bit churlish of him.
— Kitty (@kittysull1) April 22, 2015

I mean KGM didnt even ask RDJ how great Mark Ruffalo's arse actually is... This is poor journalism
— Laura (@FireladySnail) April 22, 2015

@krishgm I'm not sure about your choice of tie for your interview with Robert Downey Jr
— Misha Jessel Kenyon (@MishaTOJK) April 23, 2015

Guru-Murphy's a TV journo I like, and I think RDJ's a bit of a smug prick, so I'm having trouble processing that interview.
— Gavin Stoddart (@gavzilla71) April 23, 2015

Pleased to announce that Robert Downey Jr. has just graduated from my media training school!
— richard ayoade (@RichardAyoade) April 23, 2015

I find Robert Downey Jr. talks about jail & drugs a lot. (Sometimes he brings it up.) But he knows when it's just being used to shame him.
— Anthony Breznican (@Breznican) April 22, 2015

I'm still worried that RDJ doesn't have Stark Beard with Civil War set to start. Krishnan Guru-Murthy should have led with *that*. #protips
— Chris Hewitt (@ChrisHewitt) April 23, 2015

Really can't stand Krishnan Guru-Murphy, fully side with Tarrantino and Downey Jr. Why keep prying for answers they don't want to give?
— Luke Terry (@LukeATerry) April 22, 2015

@krishgm I'm not sure about your choice of tie for your interview with Robert Downey Jr
— Misha Jessel-Kenyon (@MishaTOJK) April 23, 2015

Not sure I got the point of @krishgm interview w/ @RobertDowneyJr. Trying to turn short movie promo into an in-depth personal interview?
— Jason O'Mahony (@jasonomahony) April 23, 2015

Seeing @RobertDowneyJr get irritated is scarier than watching the Hulk get mad. I think I peed a little. http://t.co/AQoAOtZy9h
— Samuel Bousseau (@SamWongBal) April 23, 2015

@RobertDowneyJr @krishgm -It seems you got in under false pretences to just act like a complete arse.Sorry RDJ not all Brits are this rude!
— Rob (@Robbie683) April 23, 2015

The guy who interviewed @RobertDowneyJr looks remarkably like the guy #quentintarantino "shut down" on a #Django interview..Serial offender?
— Cole Phoenix (@CPhoenixTweets) April 23, 2015

@krishgm I like RDJ but I'm definitely a KGM fan in that interview. You told him he didn't have to answer like twice. You do you, man. Love.
— Joey Lemons (@JoeyLemons) April 22, 2015

- @krishgm did absolutely nothing wrong. If @RobertDowneyJr can't answer simple personal questions regarding his life that's his problem ???
— Bradd Chambers (@braddchambers) April 23, 2015

If Robert Downey Jr doesn't want to talk about his mental history when promoting a movie in a junket interview he shouldn't have to. End of.
— Lily Bailey (@LilyBaileyUK) April 22, 2015