Can you name the actor in this photo?

Posted Friday, March 7, 2008 at 9:52 AM Central

by Tim Briscoe

DreamWorks has dropped this photo from Ben Stiller's upcoming comedy Tropic Thunder. The movie is about a group of pampered actors who get stuck in a real-life war while shooting an action movie in a jungle location.

The face of Ben Stiller is easily recognizable in this image. That's a blond Jack Black in sunglasses on the left. Can you name the guy in the middle?

In the movie, the middle guy's character name is Kirk Lazarus. Lazarus is a four-time Oscar winner and considered one of the greatest actors of his time. According to DreamWorks, the character is "an over-the-top, Australian-born method actor who has gone to extremes to get into character."

Of course none of that character background gives you any clues to identify this actor, I just thought I'd share.

Here's a too-obvious clue: the person in the middle is a real man of iron.

Yep, that's right. The man in the middle is Robert Downey Jr. I cannot wait to see how they explain his appearance.

This is Stiller's first time directing a movie since 2001's Zoolander. He helmed The Cable Guy and Reality Bites before that.

Tropic Thunder also features Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, and Matthew McConaughey. The movie is due in theaters on Aug. 15.