Robert Downey Jr. Admits He Has a Fear of Flying: 'It's Too Weird a Concept'

Even Iron Man has a fear of flying!

On the Wednesday, January 10, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Robert Downey Jr. opened up about the dread he feels when aboard an airplane.

The actor explained why he still gets the jitters on flights, stating, "I hate to admit it, but it's just too weird a concept — hurdling through the air at 500 mph."

His appearance on the talk show comes as Downey Jr. gears up for awards season, having already won a Golden Globe for his outstanding performance in Oppenheimer.

Below the video clip of the recent interview, fans gushed over the Marvel icon and speculated his potential to win more awards for the film.

“He's coming for that long-awaited Oscar next!! About time too!!” one user wrote, while another added, “People say he deserves this Oscar, I think his performance speaks for itself and he should win based on that alone and not because of his long career which no doubt has been incredible.”

“This man is almost 60 years old and his energy in interviews is absolutely wonderful to watch. We must protect this man at all cost! I can't help but always smile whenever he goes, such a likable guy,” a third fan raved, while a fourth noted, “I love how he gives so much respect to actors like Cillian Murphy and Paul McCartney in spite of being as big of a star as them. Great to see how he can identify and acknowledge greatness!”

As OK! previously reported, the 58-year-old has always been candid about his personal life, even speaking about his time in jail during a 2023 interview.

Downey Jr. — who served one year in prison in the '90s after repeatedly violating the terms of his probation — described his experience as similar to living in a "really bad neighborhood."

"I'm gonna try to give you the flashcards: I'm in court, I'm being over-sentenced by an angry judge, and at some point he said something in Latin," he told the host of the "Armchair Expert" podcast. "I thought he was casting a spell on me."

"Two weeks later, I'm in a place called Delano, which is a receiving center where they decide where you're going to go," he explained, calling it one of the most "dangerous" places he'd ever been to in his life because "nobody is designated" by their criminal charges.

"If they're a level 1, 2, 3 or 4 criminal, [everyone's there]," he continued. "You could just feel the evil in the air."

Downey Jr. then recalled the first time he stepped into the prison yard, which was when it really hit him that he would be "doing more than a year" behind bars. The star said it felt like he was "sent to a distant planet where there is no way home until the planets align."

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"It was kind of like just being in a really bad neighborhood, and there was no opportunity there; there was only threats," he shared. "So, yes, everyone is going to take your wallet, so watch it."