Source: YouTube

Rami Malek and Robert Downey Jr. - both of whom star in Dolittle - recently gave their fans a bit of background context on how the two became friends. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't as smooth as you'd think. 

Last week, the two actors appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and as it turns out, Iron Man was rejected by Malek upon approaching him for the first time. (His iron shield couldn't even protect him from being left on read.) 

After tuning in to Elliot Alderson (aka Mr. Robot), Robert Downey Jr. sent Malek an email in hopes of befriending the dude. Little did he know he would be ignored. 

In Malek's defense, he didn't actually believe it was Iron Man who was attempting to reach out to him so much so that he thought it was a prank. 

"I was such a fan of Mr. Robot, I basically emailed you, and I was serial texting you and I was trying to FaceTime you and you didn't let me weird you out and now we're friends," the Marvel alum explained.

Malek then explained that he just "couldn't even believe it was you." 

"For a second, I got the email from Robert and I thought, 'Okay, somebody’s playing tricks on me.' And then they kept coming and they were so witty," the Egyptian-American actor said. 

"It got to the point where I thought it could be no one else but you. This friendship has continued, you came to visit me on set, I couldn't believe that," he added. 

Robert Downey Jr. then cracked a joke, saying he had hired writers to help him draft the emails that eventually secured his friendship with Malek. It was that friendship that eventually led to them being co-stars in Dolittle as Robert reached out to Malek directly because agents are too mainstream. 

In the film, RDJ plays the role of a doctor who can talk to animals; Malek plays the voice of the gorilla in the film.  

"You called me. Of course, this usually goes through a number of agents and whatnot, but when RDJ calls you, it's like, 'Yeah, sure, I'll come do it,'" Malek revealed.

RDJ might have been explicit about his eagerness to befriend Malek, but that doesn't mean the bromance isn't mutual. 

"I have a big crush on you. Thank you for everything you've done for film and cinema," the Oscar-winning actor concluded.