Downey Jr. plays overly committed actor Kirk Lazarus, a white man cast to play a black soldier in a satire of the performing profession. The film also stars Jack Black and Ben Stiller, who co-wrote, directed and produced it.

Stiller said he was "trying to push it as far as you can within reality. I had no idea how people would respond to it, but at a recent screening, black viewers liked the film"

Downey explained that he kept the character from becoming a caricature because he "dove in with both feet."

Tropic Thunder sounds like the perfect summer hit, expected in theaters August 15th