YouTube: Conversations for our Daughters
Robert Downey Jr. appeared on a podcast episode in which he heavily criticized the rise of influencer culture and shot down predictions that content creators could be the next big stars.
The podcast, titled ‘Conversations for our Daughters,’ was created by Bran Ferren, former President of R&D and Creative Technology for The Walt Disney Company.
Ferren started the podcast in honor of his daughter, Kira, and her generation, hoping they will “find both role models and inspiration from the journeys of others.”
RDJ himself has three children; two sons and one daughter, who were the center of a conversation that’s going viral online.
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Robert Downey Jr. speaks out on influencers
In his chat with Ferren, Robert Downey Jr. praised the current generation of children for their mental resilience, saying they’ve managed to hold up quite well despite the current economic crisis and the social difficulties brought about by the pandemic.
However, he levied some harsh criticisms toward the rise of influencer culture and the impact of social media on the American youth, saying “it’s like every one of them is starring in their own version of Minority Report.”
More specifically, Downey compared modern celebrity culture to that of his own time breaking into the spotlight, saying it’s much more difficult to get into the film industry as people can now “create celebrity without ever doing much besides rolling a phone on themselves.”
“I don’t look at that as a negative thing, I just look at it as more like the challenge for individuation is being upped. …the youth of America are gonna say, ‘Yeah, but that’s not my thing. I wanna go do something, I wanna make something, I wanna build something. I wanna educate myself and have more input so whatever my output is isn’t just a self-aggrandizing, influencer-type thing.’
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“When I hear people talk about, ‘Oh, the stars of the future are gonna be influencers,’ I go, ‘I don’t know what world you’re living in, but I think that is absolute horseshit.'”
(Topic begins at 31:35)
Downey Jr. went on to say that his 13-year-old son, Exton, has gotten “caught up” in the gaming and streaming world, which he described as a kind of ‘religion.’
“‘Hey, if you like the way I’m playing this video game, do you want to send me a ‘donation?'” the actor mimicked. “And really, it becomes a religion. There’s something about the influencers today who are almost like the Evangelical hucksters of the Information Age.”
Despite his criticisms, Downey Jr. admitted that he “didn’t really have a judgement” on the “new frontier” of influencer culture, and even described the influencers he’s met as “grounded, interesting, accomplished” people compared to the “associated jive that’s always around.”
Responses to his thoughts have been mixed; some viewers agree with his take, while others feel he’s throwing stones from a glass house, given his own line of work.
It’s no different than seeing an actor and purchasing every merch of there’s as well as supporting every film. No difference whatsoever. Everyone has a place and a space, everyone has their own niche and there’s so much money to be made.
— beevirr (@beerriv) May 4, 2026
“It’s no different than seeing an actor and purchasing every merch of there’s as well as supporting every film. No difference whatsoever. Everyone has a place and a space, everyone has their own niche and there’s so much money to be made,” one wrote on X.
“It’s funny because he’s criticizing it, but at the same time, influencers are shaping culture in ways that can’t be ignored,” another said.
Conversely, plenty of other A-List celebrities have been chummy with influencers and have even become influencers themselves. For instance, music artist Doja Cat has grown quite an audience on Twitch, while rapper and singer T-Pain also boasts a massive presence on the platform.
