How Timothy Olyphant's Iron Man Audition Paved The Way To The Mandalorian

Fish swim. Birds fly. Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark. These are just facts, and there's no arguing with them. In 2008, when Downey first rummaged through a box of scraps for director Jon Favreau, it was apparent that no one would be a better fit for "Iron Man." That said, seeing Timothy Olyphant try it on for size might've been worth a look.

In the search for the Armored Avenger, the "Deadwood" and "Justified" star auditioned for the part. He saw it as a break from his typical gigs as 10-gallon-hat-wearing heroes. Speaking on The Playlist's podcast, "Bingeworthy," Olyphant admitted he might've been a little late in realizing the superhero genre would take off but didn't mind giving it a shot anyway. "I'm a bit of a slow learner, and I think I was scared to death of the things that come with success in this business. But that was the time where I remember thinking, 'Well, I can't get any more grounded, and so this would be fun.'"

However, one of the most significant selling points was working with the man wanting to tell Tony's story. "I think part of that appeal was those conversations that I had with [Jon] Favreau — I just have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and I just like the guy. He's just a good dude." A good dude that saw potential in Olyphant in a galaxy far, far away.

When asked if there was any disappointment in not landing the role that would become as iconic as it is now, Olyphant was pretty chill about the whole thing. "I try to see things simply for what they are and not what they could be, and any conversations I had with Jon about that job and about that process, I remember it very fondly." Of course, we can see that good times led to more down the line, with the two collaborating on "The Mandalorian" when Olyphant brandished a different kind of stolen armor as Cobb Vanth. It's something he's immensely grateful for, admitting that going for "Iron Man" was "an enjoyable process ... And, well, he's the one who hired me for 'The Mandalorian,' so he doesn't owe me anything."

In hindsight, it feels safe to say that just as Robert Downey Jr. nailed the part of Tony Stark, so too has Olyphant made Cobb Vanth his own during his time in the "Star Wars" universe. As proof, even after Cobb took a near-fatal hit in "The Book of Boba Fett," fans hoped he'd return for "The Mandalorian" Season 3. While that didn't happen, it feels like a safe bet that Vanth will soon be firing off some shots somewhere in a galaxy far, far away.