Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane: Stark 's business second - in - command, mentor and friend who turns on him to overtake the company, eventually building a giant exosuit to fight Stark. Bridges read the comics as a boy and liked Favreau 's modern, realistic approach. He shaved his head, something he had wanted to do for some time, and grew a beard for the role. Bridges googled the Book of Obadiah, and was surprised to learn retribution is a major theme in that book of the Bible, something which Stane represents. Many of Stane 's scenes were cut to focus more on Stark, but the writers felt Bridges 's performance allowed the application of "less is more ''.
who plays the bad guy in iron man
Jeff Bridges