Robert Downey Jr. recalls Kate Winslet holding nothing back while reviewing his British accent as the pair were trying to get roles in The Holiday. Released in 2006, The Holiday is written and directed by Nancy Meyers, following two women with romance troubles who decide to swap homes in the hopes of finding love. Winslet stars in the film as Iris, with the rest of the cast including Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black, Rufus Sewell, and John Krasinski.

Now, in a recent interview on The Howard Stern Show (via Variety), Downey recalls feeling like he was a “shoo-in” for Law’s role in The Holiday, several years before his big comeback with Iron Man. Winslet evidently had doubts, however, informing him just how terrible his British accent was. Check out Downey’s recollection of events below:

“We both got called in just as seat fillers…[director Nancy Meyers] needed someone to read with the gals and we’re sitting there going, ‘It’s about to happen for us.’ And I was like, ‘I’ve got to have a better English accent than Jude Law at this point.’ And Winslet said, ‘That was the worst British accent I’ve ever heard.’ And I was like, ‘I’ll check out now, but I’m taking the gummy bears from the minibar.’”

How Robert Downey Jr. Redeemed His British Accent

Downey may not have had a great British accent while auditioning for The Holiday, but later movies in his career show off just how good his accent skills eventually became. In 2008, for example, Downey starred in Tropic Thunder, a comedy in which he plays an Australian Method actor who dons blackface makeup to play an African American soldier for a Vietnam War movie. While aspects of the film, including the blackface, have since become somewhat controversial, Downey was nominated for an Oscar for his performance.

Following his Australian accent in Tropic Thunder, Downey takes on another accented role with 2009’s Sherlock Holmes. The actor’s British accent as the titular English detective is generally regarded to be quite strong, and he would return as the character to do the accent once more in 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Other than those roles, Downey hasn’t done too many other movies in which he gets to show off any accents. With the actor seemingly interested in making Sherlock Holmes 3, however, it’s possible that he’ll be putting on a British accent again sooner rather than later. Downey may not have gotten the role in The Holiday, but he’s evidently had a great career since.

Source: The Howard Stern Show (via Variety)