DJ AM Cameo Set for ‘Iron Man 2’
The late Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein will get a fitting tribute in one of the summer’s most anticipated blockbuster films as the legendary DJ’s cameo in Iron Man 2 was, after much deliberation, left in the film. According to the LA Times , director Jon Favreau, an amateur turntable man in his free time, recruited Goldstein to play the DJ during a party scene in which Robert Downey Jr., as Iron Man, dances with his suit of armor on. AM first spins Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” before Iron Man says aloud, “Adam, I need a fat beat…,” calling the late DJ by name.
“I was just a fan of his, just an admirer of his work, and it was supposed to be a one-day bit,” Favreau said. “But Robert [Downey Jr.] took a real shine to him, as we all did. His energy was amazing, he was such a inspiring guy and there was a lot of depth to him and this positive energy. He ended up staying on with us for about a week and it was just great, we set up this turntable and between takes he would give me pointers.” The film will also feature a dedication to DJ AM during the end credits.
As Rolling Stone reported last year, Goldstein passed away from a drug overdose after relapsing into addiction following a decade of being sober. It’s been reported that AM’s need for pain killers after surviving a deadly plane crash with Travis Barker in September 2008 were the catalyst for Goldstein’s relapse. Like MTV, who wrestled with whether to air Goldstein’s drug addiction series Gone Too Soon after the DJ’s death, Favreau and his editors deliberated whether or not to include the Goldstein cameo. However, after Favreau discussed the cameo with people close to Goldstein, the director opted to show Goldstein entertaining the crowd — and an audience that will likely include $200 million worth of moviegoers — one last time.
“When he passed it was very difficult for a lot of us,” Favreau told the LA Times. “Our heart goes out to his family and friends and we hope what we’ve done is pleasing to them and to the many, many people who held Adam in high regard.”