Robert Downey Jr.'s new film "Tropic Thunder' will feature him portraying a black man.

Downey plays the character of Kirk Lazarus, a white man who was asked to portray a black soldier in a satire of the acting profession. The movie also features Jack Black and Ben Stiller.

In an interview by Entertainment weekly magazine, Downey said "If it's done right, it could be the type of role you called Peter Sellers to do 35 years ago, if you don't do it right, we're going to hell."

Stiller who co-wrote, directed, and produced the film said "he was trying to push it as far as you can within reality." His intention was to present a parody of over-the-top actors, not African-Americans. "I had no idea how people would respond to it."

But at the recent screening of the film, black viewers liked the film. Paramount is set to release "Tropic Thunder" on August 15.