Robert Downey Jr. talks new book ‘Cool Foods’

If one follows Robert Downey Jr. on Instagram, they know he’s been talking up his new book with environmental activist and author Thomas Kostigen, Cool Foods.

The Oppenheimer actor has been rapid-firing “Fast Facts” from the book, which offers ways to “help save the planet through food.”

In an interview that ran on Good Morning America on Monday, Downey and Kostigen chatted with ABC News’ Kayna Whitworth to discuss the book, which was 10 years in the making, and which hits stores Tuesday, January 23. 

“The choices you make with what your meals are can really affect the longevity of the planet,” Downey says. “I felt overwhelmed by … the climate crisis, and being a fan of Tom’s for a long time, the idea of doing something as simple as a book, where you can flip open and … [insert] this data into our meal plans.”

Kostigen calls it “empowering” for people to learn what they eat can have a positive environmental impact.

Downey adds that the book highlights swaps you can make in your meals that do good for the planet without sacrificing taste, including a switch for calamari using hearts of palm, which works for his vegan wife Susan.

Downey also chatted about his awards season run for Oppenheimer, which many prognosticators believe will earn him his first Academy Award.

He called the Oppenheimer experience “amazing,” adding, “I have been doing this a long time. I think that there’s something about this year where I’m just feeling a lot of kind of joy.”

He adds, “I’m happy all this kind of energy is around us right now because it’s synergistic.”

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