On April 11, 2024, the website Esspots published a post showcasing side-by-side photographs of actors Robert Downey Jr. and Mel Gibson, as well as a rumor that the two Academy Award winners were considering collaborating to form a “non-woke” film production business.
It reads:
Breaking: Robert Downey Jr. is interested in collaborating with Mel Gibson’s Non-Woke Production Studio
In an unexpected turn of events, Hollywood superstar Robert Downey Jr. has indicated a strong interest in collaborating with Mel Gibson’s newly founded non-woke production firm, expressing his dissatisfaction with what he sees as increasing wokeness in the film industry.
The legendary actor, best known for his depiction of Iron Man in Marvel’s blockbuster films, recently expressed his concerns about the state of current filmmaking in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly. Downey Jr. has stated that he is seeking for a creative outlet that is more aligned with his personal beliefs and artistic inclinations.
The story describes an interview Downey Jr. apparently conducted with the entertainment news source Entertainment Weekly, in which he said, according to Esspots: “I’ve genuinely liked my time with Marvel, but the relentless push for wokeness in Hollywood has grown tiresome. I want to work on projects that connect with viewers on a deeper level while maintaining creative integrity.”
On July 1, 2024, the news was also published on the Facebook page SpaceX Fanclub, with the headline “Robert Downey Jr. Is The New Member Of Mel Gibson’s Anti-Woke Movie Production Studio,” with a link to the Esspots report.
READ MORE: Terrence Howard Says Robert Downey Jr. Isn’t Helping Him After Iron Man Remake ‘Broke Him’
The Facebook post got 15,000 reactions and nearly 1,000 comments as of this writing.
One commenter said, “Can’t list all the actors I won’t watch anymore!! Thank you, Mel; I would watch anything and anything you guys create!! “Go America.”
“Excellent news. Many years ago, I recall praying for young Robert Downey when he appeared before a court due to alcoholism. I’m so glad he figured it out over the years. “God bless his new endeavors,” said another.
However, this article was not a true account of real-life occurrences. The allegation was originated by Esspots.com, a website that describes its work as humorous or satirical in nature. According to the “Disclaimer” page:
Welcome to Esspots.com, a website about satire, parody, and humor. Before you begin reading our content, we’d like to underline that nothing on this website is real. Esspots.com’s articles, stories, and commentaries are all wholly fake and were made solely for the purpose of entertainment.
READ MORE: On His 58th Birthday, Robert Downey Jr. Shares A Rare Glimpse Of His Children
SpaceX Fanclub, the Facebook account that created the popular post, carried a similar disclaimer: “We post SATIRE, nothing on this page is real.”
The image accompanying the Facebook post bore a “Rated Satire” stamp in the top-left corner, and the account’s “About” section identified it as a “Satire/Parody” page, with a link to esspots.com.
Furthermore, no reputable news outlets or websites reported the alleged news about Downey Jr. and Gibson forming a “non-woke” or “anti-woke” movie studio, and a Google search turned up no evidence from any news platform of the existence of the Entertainment Weekly quotes attributed to Downey Jr. by Esspots.
Snopes discovered two Entertainment Weekly articles involving Mel Gibson and Downey Jr., but neither referenced the formation of a “non-woke” film studio.
This was not the first time we have discredited such claims on this network of parody accounts. Snopes has previously fact-checked other satirical claims, such as actors Denzel Washington and Clint Eastwood collaborating to form a “non-woke” film production firm and Elon Musk purchasing the TV network ABC in order to cancel the show “The View.”
Radiant TV, offering to elevate your entertainment game! Movies, TV series, exclusive interviews, music, and more—download now on various devices, including iPhones, Androids, smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and more.
