Mike Tyson grabbing Robert Downey Jr.'s collar during a dramatic scene in 'Black and White'.
Mike Tyson slapped Robert Downey Jr. during a scene in the 1999 movie. Years later, Tyson shared how the director wanted it to look more authentic.
The two renowned personalities were co-stars in a 1999 drama “Black and White.” In this movie, the boxer plays himself and Downey Jr. plays the role of Terry Donager, a gay man.
Highlights
Mike Tyson slapped Robert Downey Jr. as part of the script, but it wasn’t a real incident.
The staged smackdown clip went viral online several times over the years.
In 2014, Tyson said he didn’t mean to slap so hard, but the director wanted it to seem more real.
As the boxing legend prepares for his highly anticipated match with YouTube sensation turned-professional boxer Jake Paul, people are recalling the memorable scene from the movie Black and White.
Years later, the boxer shared he didn’t want to smackdown Downey as hard as he did. But the director insisted on making it look more authentic.
Mike Tyson Was Irritated By A Fan Played By Robert Downey Jr.
In the 1999 movie “Black and White,” directed by James Toback, there’s an unforgettable scene featuring the one and only Mike Tyson and Robert Downey Jr.
The scene starts with Robert’s character, Terry, fanboying over Mike, saying he recently dreamed about the boxing legend.
Mike, who’s playing himself, isn’t in the mood for any chit-chat, especially since he’s on parole.
Terry nods as he gets it, but then within a few seconds he brings up the dream again, saying,
“In my dream, you were holding.”
This is where things take a comedic turn. Mike slaps Downey. The “pop” sound could have wake the neighbors.
He keeps hitting Terry while Brooke Shields’ character films the whole thing. She looks as if she knew she was capturing one of the most iconic scenes in Hollywood history.
The scene wraps up with Mike looking slightly apologetic, explaining to the camera that he’s “from a different culture.”
Director Instructed Mike Tyson To Make The Slap As Real As Possible
The staged fight scene has gone viral on the internet many times. In 2014, the boxer discussed the intense moment with Windy City Times.
The Tyson 2.0 CEO said he didn’t want to hit Robert Downey Jr. as hard as he did, but the director, James Toback, insisted it needed to look real.
"The director wanted me to really hit him, and I didn’t want to. He said You gotta really do this, man! If you want to be an actor, then you have to smack him hard!"
Luckily, despite how intense the slap was, the scene didn’t lead to any issues between Mike and Robert.
Furthermore, the scene left fans with some unforgettable memories, and they shared them online.
One fan joked,
“Mike should have said, ‘Did the dream turn into a nightmare like this?'”
Watched this movie many years ago with my brother. I don’t remember anything about it other than this scene. Just HIIII-LARIOUS!
Another remembered watching it at a friend’s house in high school and rewinding the part over and over because it had them in tears from laughing so hard.
One moviegoer shared that, they laughed so much during that scene they actually spit out their drink.
Another fan humorously noted, “Well, his dream did come true. Mike was holding him.”
Someone else added, “Whatever they paid Robert to do this, it’s not enough! Lol.”
Years later, fans still recall watching the movie with their siblings and only remembering that hilarious scene.
It’s clear that Tyson’s slap left a lasting impression, making it one of the most talked-about moments in the film.
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