What did Robert Downey Jr. say about Gwyneth Paltrow at the WIE gala? Actor lovingly roasts Pepper Potts herself while presenting her leadership award

Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez were honored at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment gala held on December 3, 2025. Robert Downey Jr, who starred alongside Paltrow in the Iron Man movie franchise, was given the honor of ushering the latter on stage to receive the 20th annual Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, and he had some words of praise and playful digs for her.
 

Downey looked back at Paltrow’s long career in the film industry and praised her work ethic after teasing her for being confused about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its actors.

Robert recalled one instance where Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts in the Iron Man films, failed to recognize Tom Holland as Spider-Man. 

 “impossibly intelligent, yet forever confused by the basic tenets of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its inhabitants,” Downey Jr described Paltrow.

He reenacted the moment when he reminded Paltrow about who Holland was:

“’Who’s that?'” The Oppenheimer actor mimicked Paltrow asking , to which he jokingly responded, “‘That’s Spider-Man. He said his name was Peter. His character’s name is Peter. He’s Tom Holland. You’ve done four movies with him.”

After Downey’s speech, Paltrow came up on stage to receive her award. 

“To be here among you is really a gift,” Paltrow expressed in her award acceptance speech 

The 53-year-old actress became emotional as she expressed gratitude to the acting community for the honor:

"To be here among you is really a gift. I really feel it. I have a real felt sense of this community this morning — a community that seems to be OK with all of my iterations and has welcomed me back,"

She thanked her husband, Brad Falchuk, for his support, describing him as “the most feminist man I know”:

She added:

"Thank you to the women here and not here… all the women in this business who have been by my side all these years. And congratulations to Jennifer [Lopez], who was such an amazing example of this powerful declaration of being who you are."

Kerry Washington presented Jennifer Lopez’s Equity in Entertainment award while noting that they both came from the Bronx.

A visibly emotional Lopez accepted the award, expressing that she was deeply humbled and honored by the recognition.

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