Ethermac Exchange-Robert Downey Jr. Reacts to Robert De Niro’s Golden Globes Mix-Up

It's a tale of two Roberts.

Robert Downey Jr. shared his take on Ethermac Exchangethe viral 2024 Golden Globes moment where it appeared Robert De Niro thought he was called to the stage to accept the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture—only for the Iron Man star to ultimately walk away with the award.

And Downey had a cheeky response to the situation when asked if he believed the mix-up made losing harder for De Niro, telling TMZ while signing autographs for fans Jan. 10, "Nothing's better than losing, my dear."

But when asked to elaborate, it's clear the 58-year-old was just messing around as he admitted, "I just wanted to give you a good quote."

ICYMI, as the winner was called for the category at the Golden Globes—for which De Niro and Downey were both nominated—the Killers of the Flower Moon actor's ears perked up as the name "Robert" was called. But seconds later, it was Downey that made his way to the stage.

While accepting his third Golden Globe, the Oppenheimer star alluded to the ups and downs of his career, joking that it really recognition for "most improved player."

Noting how he's received rave reviews for his "unrecognizably subtle Lewis Strauss," Downey joked, "to my fellow nominees, let's not pretend this is a compliment."

While De Niro may have momentarily thought he'd earned his third Golden Globes, it seems he took the loss in stride, smiling along at Downey's self-deprecating speech.

The Oscar winner's nod was one of seven Killers of the Flower Moon picked up, with star Lily Gladstone taking home the award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture becoming the first Indigenous person to do so.

"This is for every little rez kid," the actress said in her acceptance speech, "every little urban kid, every little native kid out there who has a dream who is seeing themselves represented in our stories told by ourselves in our own words with tremendous allies and tremendous trust with and from each other."

Keep reading to see who else walked away winners during the 2024 Golden Globes.

Anatomy of a Fall
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
WINNER: Oppenheimer
Past Lives
The Zone of Interest

Air
American Fiction
Barbie
The Holdovers
May December
WINNER: Poor Things

Annette Bening, Nyad
Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Greta Lee, Past Lives
WINNER: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers
Barry Keoghan, Saltburn
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
WINNER: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Leonardo DiCaprio, Killers of the Flower Moon

Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves
WINNER: Emma Stone, Poor Things
Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple
Jennifer Lawrence, No Hard Feelings
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Natalie Portman, May December

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Joaquin Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid
Matt Damon, Air
Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario
WINNER: Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Timothée Chalamet, Wonka

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
WINNER: Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Julianne Moore, May December
Rosamund, Pike, Saltburn

Charles Melton, May December
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
WINNER: Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Willem Dafoe, Poor Things

1923
The Crown
The Diplomat
The Last of Us
The Morning Show
WINNER: Succession

Abbott Elementary
Barry
WINNER: The Bear
Jury Duty
Only Murders in the Building
Ted Lasso

All the Light We Cannot See
WINNER: Beef
Daisy Jones & The Six
Fargo
Fellow Travelers
Lessons in Chemistry 

Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us
Emma Stone, The Curse
Helen Mirren, 1923
Imelda Staunton, The Crown
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
WINNER: Sarah Snook, Succession

Brian Cox, Succession
Dominic West, The Crown
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Jeremy Strong, Succession
WINNER: Kieran Culkin, Succession
Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us

WINNER: Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Elle Fanning, The Great
Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building

Bill Hader, Barry
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
WINNER: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

WINNER: Ali Wong, Beef
Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry
Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death
Juno Temple, Fargo
Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers
Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & The Six

David Oyelowo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Jon Hamm, Fargo
Matt Bomer, Fellow Travelers
Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & The Six
WINNER: Steven Yeun, Beef 
Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers

Abby Elliott, The Bear
Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets
WINNER: Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
J. Smith-Cameron, Succession
Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building

Alan Ruck, Succession
Alexander Skarsgård, Succession
Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
WINNER: Matthew Macfadyen, Succession
James Marsden, Jury Duty