The core six members of The Avengers became pop culture icons in 2012, and each has a different, albeit heartwarming friendship with the actor who helped kick off the MCU

[{"selector":"#anim-0764a1f5-e7f8-4f38-b63a-fb936927d765 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(15.415351090075506%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a452e30f-41f0-45c0-ba3e-d4c628619f10","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.28663%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dabd86bb-32f8-4b3b-8cf1-2845650c3b88","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-46f554b5-16a2-4d6d-86b5-9f5e1d6f71eb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8dca7e54-8cad-40c1-b60e-de8402b795e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af7bf250-0462-42f8-a041-768aa0614711","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Robert Downey Jr’s friendship with Chris Evans is one of the best-documented relationships between MCU stars.

[{"selector":"#anim-78d1e136-6137-4dd8-904d-f9f43dc4cf4a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-35.937499914669296%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d52ff1a-541d-4b8c-8b73-73ed67d71472","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df93f1d6-aff1-4c5d-883f-f7da273b51e5","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Robert Downey Jr also enjoys a friendship with Avengers co-star Jeremy Renner. While promoting the Disney+ series Hawkeye, Renner spoke of his friendship with Downey Jr, describing him as being as much a mentor as a friend.

Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson have had perhaps the longest onscreen history in the MCU since the latter debuted in Iron Man 2, establishing the canon history between Iron Man and Black Widow.

[{"selector":"#anim-ade96ef8-a2e8-4c2c-96ee-17ae3065885e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-2.78453202990886%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7f2e252-abf2-433c-a105-c6dda110fc62","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-238e1110-4280-4481-99f0-f59fb58a3e16","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.60510%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Robert Downey Jr and Mark Ruffalo are known for being particularly close, embodying their brainiac friendship both onscreen and in reality. As with Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner.

[{"selector":"#anim-2a75b471-bfaa-45b0-add4-22e79f1ad598 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-57.86830324133444%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09b8aedf-a4ef-45fc-bc5a-fd457f646d10","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64dec035-5b7e-47d0-b39b-694d38c6b78b","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

As The Avengers’ roster changed in the MCU and he began working alongside other superhero teams, Robert Downey Jr continued to form friendships with his new co-stars.

[{"selector":"#anim-431da822-650b-4ddb-a461-ec61aee747e3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.585403572197535%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09d40306-108f-4e84-9999-f907393e714d","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Downey Jr’s most famous MCU friendship is with Tom Holland; with Downey Jr helping Holland get his career-defining role as the MCU’s Spider-Man while working on Captain America: Civil War.

[{"selector":"#anim-50094e24-8114-412b-ad9a-90e91dd75425 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(59.54241036550737%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d88a8eb-c673-4dcf-b800-49530a1a3db0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.87342%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-813062e7-830d-451f-b9f6-baf7ae4cc74b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-70481d25-184f-4ca9-a36e-074c51a522fc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-ce77e527-22b7-4c8c-83ba-a1c247fcf89e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-11.28627250112825%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94dfe2c2-b148-4644-9b0d-ab1a1f48592e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-adbdd981-2e59-4fc9-827d-db11e18dc290","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] As with the original members of The Avengers, Robert Downey Jr naturally falls into the role of both mentor and friend to his co-stars.