At the 2025 Oscars, an unexpected event caught global attention when Robert Downey Jr., while accepting the Best Actor award for his role in The Brutalist, publicly called Elon Musk a “bastard” on stage.

This statement left the entire auditorium in silence, and Musk’s immediate reaction stunned everyone.

During his acceptance speech, Downey Jr. turned toward Elon Musk, who was seated in the VIP section, and said, “Some people think they’re Tony Stark in real life.”

He then continued, “But the truth is, there’s a thin line between genius and a bastard.”

This remark immediately shocked the audience, leaving them unsure whether it was part of a scripted joke or a genuine criticism.

Musk’s reaction made everyone even more astonished.

Instead of getting angry or walking out, Musk calmly stood up, applauded slowly, smiled, and took another sip of champagne.

This action led many to compare him to a James Bond villain, and the incident quickly became a trending topic on social media.

Stars in the audience, like Chris Evans, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling, were visibly taken aback by the situation.

Host Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t hide his surprise and joked, “Maybe Iron Man and SpaceX are having a real showdown.”

On Twitter (now X), hashtags like #DowneyVsMusk and #OscarsClash quickly became trending, attracting millions of comments and shares.

Although Robert Downey Jr. had previously praised Elon Musk as the inspiration for his Tony Stark role, their relationship seems to have become tense in recent years.

Some believe that Musk’s growing influence in AI and the film industry may have caused some discontent within Hollywood.

Although the exact cause of the dispute remains unclear, the event at the 2025 Oscars has become one of the most memorable moments in the history of the awards ceremony, not only for the accolades but also for the unexpected clash between two icons of Hollywood and Silicon Valley.