Tropic Thunder is a 2008 action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller. Robert Downey Jr. plays the role of Kirk Lazarus, an Australian method actor who undergoes a controversial skin pigmentation procedure to portray an African-American character in a war film. The film satirizes the Hollywood film industry and the nature of acting. Downey Jr.'s performance as Lazarus received critical acclaim and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
