MCU Star Daniel Brühl Remembers Robert Downey Jr.’s Invitation to His “Village”

Daniel Brühl plays Helmut Zemo in the MCU, making his first appearance as the main villain in Captain America: Civil War (2016). Zemo, a former Sokovian special forces operative, seeks revenge against the Avengers after his family was killed during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).

Recognized as one of the most complex villains in the MCU, Brühl reprised his role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), where Zemo embarks on a redemption arc, transforming into an anti-hero.

The actor recently spoke with GamesRadar+ to promote his new show, The Franchise, and shared an intriguing, lesser-known detail about his off-screen relationship with Robert Downey Jr. This memorable moment occurred while filming Civil War, and it’s something Brühl will cherish for life.

He revealed that he made RDJ laugh so hard that it earned him an invitation to RDJ’s enigmatic “village.” Instead of just one trailer, the actor actually has an entire “village” set up during filming.

I came to this gigantic park like the new kid at school. I really felt like a school boy again. I remember the first day I had with Downey Jr., we had a scene together and I made some sort of joke and he laughed forever. He then said, ‘Oh you are funny, do you have allergies?’ I was like, ‘Allergies?'”

Later that day when I was in my trailer happily eating a burrito at lunch, somebody knocked at my door to say, ‘You have cordially been invited to Robert Downey Jr.’s village to have lunch’. I was like, ‘Village?’ I put down my burrito and was driven there. I arrived at his village and there was a huge fence and a bouncer. He treated me so nicely, gave me a present, and I was like, ‘This is a dear diary moment’. I was super starstruck.

Source: GamesRadar+

We know that Downey is set to return to the MCU in the upcoming Avengers installment, but this time as Doctor Doom instead of Iron Man. Fans are eager to see him interact with Brühl once again.

Brühl, however, remained somewhat cryptic about his own future in the MCU. When recently asked about his potential involvement in the upcoming Thunderbolts*, which will feature the return of several notable villains, he didn’t reveal much.

Y: So you’re still in with them? Does that mean you will make a cameo in Thunderbolts*?

DB: [laughs] Next question.

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