Altered video claims to show CNN report about purported Robert Downey Jr. app

CNN anchor Abby Phillip appears in what looks like a segment about actor Robert Downey Jr. in a recent video shared May 6 on Facebook. 

But it’s quickly clear that this video isn’t authentic, from a typo in the chyron to audio that doesn’t sync with Phillip’s mouth. 

"Sensational news," the chyron says. "The actor Robert Downey Jr has released a new mobile app that allows to earn money!" 

"The most famous and recognizable actor and one of the richest man of the planet, Robert Downey Jr., decided to open his own online casino where everyone can win," Phillip appears to say. "In an interview, he talked about the creation of this application and how people of our country can earn a lot of money in it." 

The video then cuts to what looks like podcast host Joe Rogan interviewing Downey about the app. But again, the audio doesn’t sync with their mouths’ movements. 

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

The Rogan interview happened in 2020, when Downey was promoting his movie "Doolittle." 

Featured Fact-check

Instagram posts

stated on November 12, 2024 in an Instagram post

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are “part of the World Economic Forum.”

In 2023, Downey became an investor, board member and spokesperson for the security and privacy company Aura, which has an online safety app. 

But we found no evidence that he’s promoting an app that lets people earn money, as the post claims. 

We rate it False.