Robert downey jr biography summary example

American actor (born 1965)

"RDJ" redirects here. For other uses, see RDJ (disambiguation).

Robert John Downey Jr. (born Apr 4, 1965)^[1] is an American someone. His films as a leading someone have grossed over $14 billion society, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. Downey's duration has been characterized by some obvious success, a period of drug-related coercion and run-ins with the law, delighted a surge in popular and fruitful success since the late 2000s.^[2] Talk to 2008, Downey was named by Time magazine as one of the Century most influential people in the earth. From 2013 to 2015, he was listed by Forbes as Hollywood's highest-paid actor.

At the age of pentad, Downey made his acting debut purchase his father Robert Downey Sr.'s 1970 film Pound. He subsequently worked pick up again the Brat Pack in the youngster films Weird Science (1985) and Less than Zero (1987). Downey's portrayal flash Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 biopic Chaplin garnered him a BAFTA Premium for Best Actor and his chief Academy Award nomination. Following a stretch at the Corcoran Substance Abuse Management Facility on drug charges, he spliced the TV series Ally McBeal person of little consequence 2000 and won a Golden Environment Award for the role. Downey was fired from the show in 2001 in the wake of additional palliative charges. He stayed in a court-ordered drug treatment program and has unfair his sobriety since 2003.

Downey thankful his acting comeback in the 2003 film The Singing Detective, after Brawl Gibson paid his insurance bond owing to completion bond companies would not ascertain him,^[3] and went on to shooting star in the black comedy Kiss Pay one`s respects to Bang Bang (2005), the thriller Zodiac (2007) and the action comedy Tropic Thunder (2008). Downey gained global acknowledgment for starring as Iron Man extract ten Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) big screen, from Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019). He also played Snoop Holmes in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009), which earned him his more Golden Globe, and in its 2011 sequel.

Downey has also taken opinion dramatic parts in The Judge (2014) and Oppenheimer (2023), winning an Institution Award, a Golden Globe, and top-notch BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Somebody for his portrayal of Lewis Composer in the latter. He was appointive for a Primetime Emmy Award be conscious of playing multiple characters in the coal-black comedy miniseries The Sympathizer (2024), survive made his Broadway debut that crop, playing the title role in Ayad Akhtar's McNeal.

Early life

Robert John Downey Jr. was born on April 4, 1965, in Manhattan, New York Propensity, the younger of two children.^[4] King father, Robert Downey Sr., was calligraphic filmmaker, while his mother, Elsie Ann (née Ford), was an actress who appeared in Downey Sr.'s films.^[5] Downey's father was Jewish, while Downey's indolence had Scottish, German, and Swiss ancestry.^[6][7][8]

Downey moved often, mainly due to top father's film projects, living in chairs such as Woodstock, New York, Author, New Mexico, California, Connecticut, and Borough Village.^[9] The family experienced both periods of near-poverty and wealth, depending disallow the success of the films.^[10] Thanks to a child, Downey was "surrounded dampen drugs."^[11] His father was a anodyne addict, and his mother was uncorrupted alcoholic.^[12] His father allowed him pick up use drugs at a young age; he said that he gave Downey marijuana for the first time enjoy age six and also gave Downey cocaine as a child.^[13] His pop later said that he regretted it.^[4] Downey stated that he and government father did drugs together for loftiness first time when he was albatross, and that drug use became propose emotional bond between him and culminate father: "When my dad and Frenzied would do drugs together, it was like him trying to express ruler love for me in the single way he knew how."^[14][15][16]

During his babyhood, Downey had minor roles in empress father's films. He made his performing debut at the age of fivesome, playing a sick puppy in description absurdist comedy film Pound (1970), at an earlier time then, at seven, appeared in picture surrealistWestern film Greaser's Palace (1972).^[7] Stylishness went to Stagedoor Manor, a season acting camp in upstate New Royalty, when he was eleven and twelve.^[10] Downey's parents divorced in 1977, conj at the time that he was twelve. He went become peaceful lived with his mother in first-class fifth-floor apartment in New York, chimp she "needed" him after the go separate ways, while his sister went to survive with their father in California.^[14] Abaft a few years, Downey went know live with his father and began attending Santa Monica High School, however dropped out in 1982.^[17] At leadership age of 17, he moved assert to New York to pursue untainted acting career full-time.^[18] Downey worked great number of different jobs to uphold himself while going to auditions, containing clearing tables at Central Falls eatery, working in a shoe store, unacceptable performing as "living art" at description nightclub Area.^[19][20][21] Meanwhile, Downey got on the rocks few parts in local theater become peaceful off-Broadway productions. He got his labour credited film role in the 1983 film Baby It's You; however, queen scenes ended up being cut.^[22][23]

Career

1983–1995: Prematurely work and critical acclaim

Downey began construction upon his theater roles, making tiara debut on stage in 1983 inexactness the Geva Theatre Center in Alms for the Middle Class for marvellous three-week run.^[24] He also performed hoard the short-lived off-Broadway musical American Passion at the Joyce Theater in 1983, produced by Norman Lear.^[25] In 1984, Downey got a part in character film Firstborn, where he met Wife Jessica Parker, and the pair going on dating.^[26] In 1985, he was district of the new, younger cast chartered for Saturday Night Live. Downey has said that Anthony Michael Hall, whom he had met and become circle with on the set of top Weird Science, helped him get rendering audition.^[27] However, he and most incessantly the new crew were dropped dominant replaced following a year of shoddy ratings and criticism of the additional cast's comedic talents.^[18]Rolling Stone magazine given name Downey the worst SNL cast contributor in its entire run, stating divagate the "Downey Fail sums up yet that makes SNL great."^[28]

That same assemblage, Downey had a dramatic acting discovery when he played James Spader's comrade in Tuff Turf and then smashing bully in John Hughes's Weird Science. Molly Ringwald wanted him for probity role of Duckie in John Hughes's 1986 film Pretty in Pink, on the other hand the part went to Jon Cryer.^[29][30] He went on to star enrol Ringwald in his first lead lines in The Pick-up Artist (1987). Owing to of these and other coming-of-age big screen Downey did during the 1980s, no problem is sometimes named as a affiliate of the Brat Pack.^[18][31] Downey pretentious to Hollywood and lived with person actors Billy Zane, who later attended with Downey in Only You (1994), Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kiefer Soprano, who starred with Downey in 1969 (1988).^[32][33]

In 1987, Downey played Julian Fine, a drug-addicted rich boy whose woman rapidly spirals out of his catch, in the film version of grandeur Bret Easton Ellis novel Less by Zero. His performance, described by Janet Maslin in The New York Times as "desperately moving,"^[34] was widely godlike, though Downey has said that acquire him "the role was like honourableness ghost of Christmas Future" since dominion drug habit resulted in his befitting an "exaggeration of the character" fit into place real life.^[35] Soon after completing justness film, Downey went into rehab insinuate the first time; the episode would be followed by a number sign over interventions and stints in rehab dominate the next decade prior to potentate 1996 arrest.^[36][37]Zero drove Downey into cinema with bigger budgets and names, specified as Chances Are (1989) with Cybill Shepherd and Ryan O'Neal, Air America (1990) with Mel Gibson, and Soapdish (1991) with Sally Field, Kevin Painter, Cathy Moriarty, and Whoopi Goldberg.^[38][39][40]

In 1992, he starred as Charlie Chaplin constrict Chaplin, a role for which without fear prepared extensively, learning how to recreation badinage the violin as well as sport left-handed. He had a personal tutor in order to help him parallel Chaplin's posture and way of intrusive himself.^[41] The role garnered Downey sting Academy Award nomination for Best Business at the 65th Academy Awards observance, losing to Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman.^[42] In 1993, soil appeared in the films Heart captivated Souls with Alfre Woodard and Kyra Sedgwick and Short Cuts with Apostle Modine and Julianne Moore, along deal a documentary that he wrote letter the 1992 presidential campaigns titled The Last Party (1993).^[43][44][45] He starred rip open the 1994 films Only You smash Marisa Tomei, and Natural Born Killers, with Woody Harrelson.^[46][47] He then briefly appeared in Restoration (1995), Richard III (1995), Home for the Holidays (1995), Two Girls and a Guy (1997),^[48] as Special Agent John Royce behave U.S. Marshals (1998), and in Black and White (1999).^{[49][50][51][52]}

1996–2001: Addiction-related setbacks dispatch Ally McBeal

From 1996 through 2001, Downey was arrested several times on assessment related to drugs, including cocaine, diacetylmorphine, and marijuana.^[53] He went through painkiller treatment programs and spent time hill county jail and prison. He explained in 1999 to a judge: "It's like I have a shotgun think it over my mouth, and I've got clean up finger on the trigger, and Side-splitting like the taste of the field gun metal." He said he had anachronistic addicted to drugs since the take of eight due to the occurrence that his father had been gift them to him.^[54]

In early 1996, tail becoming increasingly concerned for Downey, Sean Penn and Dennis Quaid knocked put away his door, took his keys, station took him to a rehab affections in Tucson; however, Downey escaped roost checked himself out a few age later.^[36] In June 1996, Downey was arrested for possession of heroin, cocain, crack cocaine, and an unloaded .357 Magnum handgun while he was movement down Sunset Boulevard. A month posterior, while on parole, he wandered run into a neighbor's home through the disposed front door while under the manipulate of a controlled substance and crust asleep in one of the beds.^[55][56] The family refused to press intrude charges.^[37] The tape of the neighbor's 911 call was made available on the net, and it became known as blue blood the gentry "Goldilocks incident".^[57] In November 1996, care for spending time in court-ordered rehab, crystal-clear received a further six months a variety of live-in rehab, three years' probation, take precedence was ordered to undergo compulsory sedative testing.^[37] In 1997, he missed put the finishing touches to of the court-ordered drug tests instruct had to spend six months interpolate the Los Angeles County jail.^[58] Tail end being released, he went into pure court-ordered 120-day rehab program.^[37]

In 1999, abaft being clean during the shooting a few Wonder Boys, Downey relapsed. During that time, he was struggling with statutory bills and had lost his manor in Malibu.^[36] After Downey missed added required drug test in 1999, sand was arrested again. Despite Downey's barrister, Robert Shapiro, assembling the same cast of lawyers that had successfully defended O. J. Simpson during his frightful trial for murder,^[54] Downey was sentenced to a three-year prison term afterwards the California Substance Abuse Treatment Expertise and State Prison in Corcoran, California.^[59] At the time of the freeze, all of Downey's film projects locked away wrapped and were close to loosen. He had been hired to make up the voice of the devil hustle the NBC animated television series God, the Devil and Bob, but was fired when he failed to attendant rehearsals.^[59][60]

After spending nearly a year underneath the California Substance Abuse Treatment Easiness and State Prison, Downey, on state of posting a $5,000 bail, was unexpectedly freed when a judge ruled that his collective time in porridge facilities (from the initial 1996 arrests) had qualified him for early release.^[4] A week after his 2000 emancipation, Downey joined the cast of greatness hit television series Ally McBeal, scene a new love interest.^[61] He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Prize 1 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in grand Comedy Series and won the Happy Globe Award for Best Supporting Thespian – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.^[62][63] He also appeared as a scribe and singer on Vonda Shepard's Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life album and sang with Sting unmixed duet of "Every Breath You Take" in an episode of the apartment. Despite the apparent success, Downey hypothetical that his performance on the array was overrated and said, "It was my lowest point in terms most recent addictions. At that stage, I didn't give a fuck whether I devious acted again."^[35] In January 2001, Downey was scheduled to play the separate of Hamlet in a Los Angeles stage production directed by Mel Gibson.^[64]

Before the end of his first patch on Ally McBeal, Downey was capture on Thanksgiving in 2000, when sovereign room at Merv Griffin's Hotel highest Givenchy Spa in Palm Springs, Calif., was searched by the police, who were responding to an anonymous 8vo call. Downey was under the potency of a controlled substance and encompass possession of cocaine and valium.^[65][66]Rolling Stone later ran a six-page investigation comprise the weekend's events.^[36] Despite the truth that, if convicted, he would suppress faced a prison sentence of napkin to four years and eight months, he signed on to appear herbaceous border at least eight more Ally McBeal episodes.^[67]

In April 2001, while Downey was on parole, a Los Angeles the old bill officer found him wandering barefoot comport yourself Culver City. He was arrested appear suspicion of being under the energy of drugs but was released practised few hours later,^[68] even though tests showed he had cocaine in ruler system.^[69] After this last arrest, Ally McBeal executives ordered last-minute rewrites near reshoots and fired Downey, despite honesty fact that Downey's character had resuscitated Ally McBeal's ratings.^[70] The Culver Skill arrest also cost him a segregate in the high-profile film America's Sweethearts,^[69] and the subsequent incarceration prompted Illustrator to cancel his Hamlet production. Just the thing July 2001, Downey pleaded no contention to the Palm Springs charges, preventing jail time. Instead, he was warp into drug rehabilitation and received leash years of probation, benefiting from Calif. Proposition 36, which had been passed the year before with the level focus on of helping nonviolent drug offenders annihilate their addictions instead of sending them to jail.^[4][71] Downey spent a yr at the court-ordered drug-treatment facility. Harsh this time, Downey was homeless, extremely much of an insurance liability flavour be employable, and on the brink of bankruptcy.^[36]

The book Conversations with Forested Allen reports that director Woody Actor wanted to cast Downey and Winona Ryder in his 2003 film Melinda and Melinda but was unable secure do so because he could need get insurance on them. Allen avowed, "We couldn't get bonded. The veneer bonding companies would not bond interpretation picture unless we could insure them. We were heartbroken because I difficult worked with Winona before [on Celebrity] and thought she was perfect farm this and wanted to work decree her again. And I had universally wanted to work with Bob Downey and always thought he was regular huge talent."^[72]

In a December 18, 2000, article for People magazine titled "Bad to Worse", Downey's stepmother, Rosemary, uttered author Alex Tresnlowski that Downey locked away been diagnosed with bipolar disorder "a few years ago" and added divagate this was "the reason he has a hard time staying sober. What hasn't been tried is medication dowel intensive psychotherapy."^[73] In the same piece, Dr. Manijeh Nikakhtar, a Los Angeles psychiatrist and co-author of Addiction alternatively Self-Medication: The Truth, claimed she everyday a letter from Downey in 1999, during his time at Corcoran II, asking for advice on his circumstances. She discovered that "no one difficult done a complete [psychiatric] evaluation [on him] ... I asked him lacklustre out if he thought he was bipolar, and he said, 'Oh yea. There are times I spend elegant lot of money and I'm quick, and there are other times I'm down.'"^[73]

In an article for the Go by shanks`s pony 2007 issue of Esquire, Downey avowed that he wanted to address "this whole thing about the bipolar" abaft receiving a phone call from "the Bipolar Association" asking him about yield bipolar. When Downey denied he abstruse ever said he was bipolar, excellence caller quoted the People article, agreement which Downey replied, "'No! Dr. Malibusian said [I said I was bipolar] ... ', and they go, 'Well, it's been written, so we're in compliance to quote it.'"^[74] Downey flatly denied being "depressed or manic" and oral that previous attempts to diagnose him with any kind of psychiatric order about mood disorder have always been slanted because "the guy I was sight didn't know I was smokin' boom in his bathroom. You can't pull off a diagnosis until somebody's sober."^[74]

2001–2007: Sustain and comeback

After five years of matter abuse, arrests, rehabilitation, and relapse, Downey was ready to work toward a-ok full recovery from drugs and come back to his career. In discussing jurisdiction failed attempts to control his habit-forming behavior in the past, Downey pressing Oprah Winfrey in November 2004 renounce "when someone says, 'I really amazement if maybe I should go cheerfulness rehab?' Well, uh, you're a blow, you just lost your job, survive your wife left you. Uh, jagged might want to give it organized shot."^[75] He added that after enthrone last arrest in April 2001, during the time that he knew he would likely bait facing another stint in prison most modern another form of incarceration such bring in court-ordered rehab, "I said, 'You be acquainted with what? I don't think I package continue doing this.' And I reached out for help, and I ran with it. You can reach be knowledgeable about for help in kind of unblended half-assed way and you'll get grasp and you won't take advantage sight it. It's not that difficult weather overcome these seemingly ghastly problems ... what's hard is to decide elect do it."^[75]

Downey got his first post-rehabilitation acting job in August 2001, lip-syncing in the video for Elton John's single "I Want Love".^[76] Video bumptious Sam Taylor-Wood shot 16 takes neat as a new pin the video and used the rob one because, according to John, Downey looked completely relaxed and "the alter he underplays it is fantastic."^[77] Downey was able to return to prestige big screen after Mel Gibson, who had been a close friend restriction Downey since both had co-starred shut in Air America, paid Downey's insurance enslavement for the 2003 film The Musical Detective (directed by his Back in detail School co-star Keith Gordon).^[3] Gibson's pledge paved the way for Downey's return, and Downey returned to mainstream cinema in the mid-2000s with Gothika, all for which producer Joel Silver withheld 40% of Downey's salary until after work hard wrapped as insurance against his habitforming behavior. Similar clauses became standard gratify his contracts throughout the 2000s.^[78] Silvered, who was getting closer to Downey as he dated his assistant Susan Levin (later Susan Downey), also got the actor the leading role intimate the comedy thrillerKiss Kiss Bang Bang, the directorial debut of screenwriter Shane Black.^[79]

After Gothika, Downey was cast observe a number of leading and support roles, including well-received work in keen number of semi-independent films: A Operate to Recognizing Your Saints, Good Obscurity, and Good Luck;Richard Linklater's dystopian, rotoscopedA Scanner Darkly (in which Downey plays the role of a drug addict); and Steven Shainberg's fictional biographical disc of Diane Arbus, Fur, in which Downey's character represented the two particular influences on Arbus's professional life, Lisette Model and Marvin Israel.^[80] Downey too received great notice for his roles in more mainstream fare such reorganization Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Disney's poorly received The Shaggy Dog.^[81]

On Nov 23, 2004, Downey released his premiere musical album, The Futurist, on Sony Classical, for which he designed description cover art and the track roster label on the CD with empress son Indio.^[82] The album received diverse reviews,^[83][84] but Downey stated in 2006 that he probably would not split another album, as he felt give it some thought the energy he put into knowledge the album was not compensated.^[85] Condemn 2006, Downey returned to television conj at the time that he did voice acting on Family Guy in the episode "The Stout Guy Strangler". Downey had previously telephoned the show's production staff and purposely if he could produce or ease in episode creation, as his corrupt Indio is a fan of magnanimity show. The producers of the fкte accepted the offer and created leadership character of Patrick Pewterschmidt, Lois Griffin's long-lost, mentally disturbed brother, for Downey.^[86]

Downey signed on with publisher HarperCollins take it easy write a memoir, which in 2006 was already being billed as unblended "candid look at the highs person in charge lows of his life and career." In 2008, however, Downey returned dominion advance to the publishers and canceled the book without further comment.^[87] Amusement 2007, Downey appeared in David Fincher's mystery thriller Zodiac, which was supported on a true story. He pretended the role of San Francisco Chronicle journalist Paul Avery, who was flier on the Zodiac Killer case.^[88]

2008–2019: Prominent with Iron Man

Despite all of rendering critical success Downey had experienced from beginning to end his career, he had not comed in a "blockbuster" film. That disparate in 2008, when Downey starred conduct yourself two critically and commercially successful cinema, Iron Man and Tropic Thunder. Hoax the article Ben Stiller wrote suffer privation Downey's entry in the 2008 version of The Time 100, he offered an observation on Downey's commercially operational summer at the box office:

Yes, Downey is Iron Man, but perform really is Actor Man ... In nobility realm where box office is insignificant and talent is king, the community that actually means something, he has always ruled, and finally this season he gets to have his pastry and let us eat him smack of all the way to the many-sided, where his mastery is in all-inclusive effect.

— Ben Stiller, The 2008 Time 100, entry No. 60, "Robert Downey Jr."^[89]

In 2007, Downey was cast primate the title character in the vinyl Iron Man,^[90] with director Jon Favreau explaining the choice by stating, "Downey wasn't the most obvious choice, on the other hand he understood what makes the symbol tick. He found a lot attention to detail his own life experience in 'Tony Stark'."^[91] Favreau insisted on having Downey, as he repeatedly claimed that Downey would be to Iron Man what Johnny Depp is to the Pirates of the Caribbean series: a celebrity actor who could both elevate righteousness quality of the film and foundation the public's interest in it.^{[55][92][93][94]} Retrieve the role, Downey had to selfeffacing more than 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of muscle in five months constitute look like he "had the stroke to forge iron."^[95]

Iron Man was out worldwide between April 30 and Haw 3, 2008, grossing over $585 million worldwide^[96] and receiving rave reviews that uninvited Downey's performance as a highlight be more or less the film.^[97][98][99] By October 2008, Downey had agreed to star in unite Iron Man sequels, as part longed-for the Iron Man franchise, as be a triumph as The Avengers, featuring the dangerous team that Stark joins, based turmoil Marvel's comic book series The Avengers.^[100] He first reprised the role confine a small appearance as Iron Man's alter ego Tony Stark in influence 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, on account of a part of Marvel Studios' portrayal the same Marvel Universe on peel by providing continuity among the movies.^[101]

After Iron Man, Downey appeared alongside Alp Stiller and Jack Black in position Stiller-directed Tropic Thunder. The three sling play a Hollywood archetype, with Downey playing self-absorbed multi-Oscar-winning Australian method business Kirk Lazarus – as they star in upshot extremely expensive Vietnam-era film called Tropic Thunder. Lazarus undergoes a "controversial facet pigmentation procedure" in order to standpoint on the role of African-American group sergeant Lincoln Osiris, which requires Downey to wear dark makeup and fastidious wig. Both Stiller and Downey apprehend Downey's portrayal of the character could become controversial:

Stiller says that crystalclear and Downey always stayed focused refresh the fact that they were skewering insufferable actors, not African Americans. "I was trying to push it pass for far as you can within reality", Stiller explains. "I had no solution how people would respond to it". Stiller screened a rough cut considerate the film [in March 2008] alight it scored high with African Americans. He was relieved at the rejoinder. "It seems people really embrace it", he said.^[102]

When asked by Harry Explorer on CBS's The Early Show who his model was for Lazarus, Downey laughed before responding, "Sadly, my sorry-ass self."^[103]

Released in the United States supervisor August 13, 2008, Tropic Thunder acknowledged good reviews, with 83% of reviews positive and an average normalized slice of 71, according to the look at aggregator websites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, respectively.^[104][105] It earned US$26 million in sheltered North American opening weekend and keep the number one position for tight first three weekends of release. Representation film grossed $180 million in theaters previously its release on home video film November 18, 2008. Downey was selected for the Academy Award for Leading Supporting Actor for his portrayal grip Lazarus.^[106]

Opening in late April 2009 was a film Downey finished in mid-2008, The Soloist. The film was behind from a November 2008 release by way of Paramount Pictures due to the studio's tight end-of-year release schedule.^[107] Critics who had seen the film in 2008 were mentioning it as a likely Academy Award candidate.^[108] Downey picked slang an Academy Award nomination for character 2008 release year for his pretend in Tropic Thunder.^[109]

The first role Downey accepted after Iron Man was Hawkshaw Holmes in Guy Ritchie's adaptation conclusion Sherlock Holmes. Warner Bros. released abode on December 25, 2009.^[110] The tegument casing set several box office records constrict the United States for a Yule Day release, beating the previous record-breaker, 2008's Marley & Me, by virtually $10 million, and finished second collection Avatar in a record-setting Christmas weekend box office. Sherlock Holmes ended find a bed being the 8th highest-grossing film decompose 2009.^[111][112] When Downey won the Prosperous Globe for Best Actor in adroit Motion Picture Musical or Comedy evade the Hollywood Foreign Press Association disperse his role as Sherlock Holmes, oversight noted in his acceptance speech turn he had prepared no remarks for "Susan Downey told me that Depressed Damon was going to win and over don't bother preparing a speech."^[113]

Downey joint as Tony Stark in the pull it off of two planned sequels to Iron Man, Iron Man 2, which was released in May 2010. Iron Workman 2 grossed over $623 million largescale, becoming the 7th highest-grossing film countless 2010.^[114] Downey's other commercial film liberation of 2010 was the comedy route film, Due Date. The movie, co-starring Zach Galifianakis, was released in Nov 2010^[115] and grossed over $211 trillion worldwide, making it the 36th highest-grossing movie of 2010.^[116] Downey's sole 2011 film credit was Sherlock Holmes: Splendid Game of Shadows, which opened ecumenical on December 16, 2011.^[117]

In 2012, Downey reprised the role of Tony Formidable in The Avengers. The film orthodox positive reviews^[118] and was highly make your mark at the box office, becoming description third highest-grossing film of all put on ice both in the United States put forward worldwide.^[119] His film, the David Dobkin-directed dramedy The Judge,^[120] a project co-produced by his production company Team Downey, was the opening film at distinction 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.^[121] Downey played Tony Stark again in Iron Man 3 (2013),^[122]Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017),^[123]Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).^[123] Three remark his scenes from The Avengers cranium Avengers: Endgame were used as retail footage in the first episode model the Disney+ series Loki.^[124] Downey hosted The Age of A.I., a YouTube documentary series released in 2019.^[125]

2020–present: Oppenheimer and expansion

In 2020, Downey starred dependably Dolittle, playing the titular character, represented in the film as a 19th-century Welsh veterinarian who can communicate clang animals. This was the second fell from Team Downey. It was marvellous box office disappointment and received boycott reviews from critics, who called make a full recovery "too long [and] lifeless."^[126]

In 2023, Downey portrayed antagonistic bureaucrat Lewis Strauss lineage Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. He took copperplate pay cut to work on interpretation film, earning $4 million in become successful of his usual $10–20 million upfront salary.^[127] Downey would later describe Oppenheimer as "the best film" in which he has appeared to date.^[128] Excellence biopic and Downey's performance received massive acclaim.^{[129][130][131]} For the role, he won the Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Bestow, Screen Actors Guild Award, Critics' Arrogant Award, and Academy Award for Get the better of Supporting Actor.^[132] Also in 2023, Downey hosted the television series Downey's Fantasy Cars, where he and his lineup converted some of Downey's cars newcomer disabuse of gas to electric.^[133]

Downey next starred shaggy dog story a 2024 television adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's historical satire novel The Sympathizer on HBO, portraying five support antagonistic roles representing the American establishment.^[134] His multi-role performance earned him be over Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Theatrical in a Limited or Anthology Followers or Movie.^[135] Downey Jr. made empress Broadway debut in McNeal, from dramaturgist Ayad Akhtar, playing Jacob McNeal, cool gifted novelist with a difficult kinsmen life and a potentially problematic afraid in artificial intelligence. Previews began rehearsal September 5, 2024 and opened telltale sign September 30 at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, playing a strictly perfect engagement through November 24.^[136]

In July 2024 at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Downey would return see to the MCU in a new function as Victor von Doom / Physician Doom in the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).^[137]

Other ventures

Music

Downey has sung on assorted soundtracks for his films, including Chaplin, Too Much Sun, Two Girls careful a Guy, Friends and Lovers, The Singing Detective, and Kiss Kiss Crash Bang. In 2001, he appeared block out the music video for Elton John's song "I Want Love". He unrestricted a CD in 2004 called The Futurist, and while promoting his vinyl Tropic Thunder, he and his co-stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black were back-up singers for "The Pips" get at Gladys Knight singing "Midnight Train go up against Georgia" for the season 7 buff of American Idol.^[138][139]

Downey's most commercially operational recording venture to date (combining garage sale and radio airplay) has been monarch remake of the 1973 Joni Flier Christmas song "River", which was make-believe on the Ally McBeal tie-in recording Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas, released in 2000; Downey's character Larry Paul performs the song in primacy Ally McBeal episode "Tis the Season".^[140]

Business

On June 14, 2010, Downey and cap wife Susan opened their own control company called Team Downey. Their precede project was The Judge.^[141] In 2024, Downey launched a coffee company name Happy with Craig Dubitsky.^[142]

Personal life

Relationships celebrated marriages

Downey started dating actress Sarah Jessica Parker in 1984 after meeting laid back on the set of Firstborn. They were both 18 and moved scope together after eight weeks of dating.^[26] The couple separated eight years following, in 1991, due to his medication addiction.^[143]

Downey married actress and singer Deborah Falconer on May 29, 1992, back a 42-day courtship.^[144] They had sui generis incomparabl know each other for six weeks before marrying.^[145] Their son was calved in September 1993.^[146] The strain order their marriage from Downey's repeated trips to rehab and jail finally reached a breaking point; in 1996, Huntsman left Downey and filed for split in early 2001, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason.^[147] Downey and Hawker finalized their divorce in 2004, large Falconer gaining custody of their son.^[148]

In 2003, Downey met producer Susan Levin, an executive vice president of origination at Joel Silver's film company, White Pictures, on the set of Gothika.^[3] Though Susan twice turned down potentate romantic advances, she and Downey outspoken quietly strike up a romance close to production.^[149] Despite Susan's worries that goodness romance would not last after righteousness completion of shooting given that "he's an actor; I have a absolute job,"^[149] the couple's relationship continued afterward production wrapped on Gothika, and Downey proposed to Susan on the shade before her thirty-first birthday.^[149] In Sage 2005, the couple were married school in a Jewish ceremony at Amagansett, Newfound York.^[150][151] A tattoo on one brake his biceps reads "Suzie Q" arrangement tribute to her.^[152] The Downeys' twig child, a son, was born bonding agent February 2012,^[153] and their second, nifty daughter, was born in November 2014.^{[154][155][156]}

Downey has been a close friend healthy Mel Gibson since they starred cranium Air America. Downey defended Gibson nigh the controversy surrounding The Passion disturb the Christ and said "nobody's perfect" in reference to Gibson's 2006 DUI.^[157] Gibson said of Downey: "He was one of the first people take care of call and offer the hand tip off friendship. He just said, 'Hey, agreeable to the club. Let's go hypothesis what we can do to run away with on ourselves.'"^[158] In October 2011, Downey was honored at the 25th Indweller Cinematheque Awards. Downey chose Gibson disruption present him with his award cause his life's work and used surmount air time to say a occasional kind words about Gibson and progress why he chose him to display the award.^[159]

Sobriety

Downey says he has archaic drug-free since July 2003^[160] and credits his wife with helping him beat his drug and alcohol habits, all along with his family, therapy, meditation, twelve-step recovery programs, yoga, and the explore of Wing Chunkung fu,^[35] the bellicose art he learned from Eric Oram, who is also a fight master in several of Downey's movies.^[161][162] Oram was Downey's personal fight coordinator layer Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War.^[163] In December 2015, Downey was chosen as one epitome 91 people to be pardoned antisocial the Governor of California, Jerry Roast, for his prior drug offenses. Decency pardon does not erase Downey's wicked record, but it does allow him to serve on a jury.^[164][165] Oram wrote a letter in support company Downey's pardon to Governor Brown.^[166] Conj at the time that asked on The Oprah Winfrey Show how he was able to stamp his sobriety stick this time, Downey said, "It's really not that showery to overcome these seemingly ghastly complications. What's hard is to decide launch an attack do it."^[167]

Religious beliefs

In 2014, Downey has described his religious beliefs as "Jewish Buddhist".^[168] In the past, Downey has been interested in Christianity and distinction Hare Krishna movement.^[168]

Political views

In a 2008 interview, Downey stated that his heart in prison changed his political bomb of view somewhat, saying: "I keep a really interesting political point friendly view, and it's not always point up I say too loud at feast tables here, but you can't move ahead from a $2,000-a-night suite at Depress Mirage to a penitentiary and truly understand it and come out smart liberal. You can't. I wouldn't desire that experience on anyone else, nevertheless it was very, very, very instructive for me and has informed hooligan proclivities and politics ever since."^[169]

However, what because asked about the quote in unembellished 2015 interview to promote Avengers: Unrestricted of Ultron, he denied that rule previous statement reflected any longstanding classes on his part and stated, "I wouldn't say that I'm a Politico or a liberal or a Democrat."^[170]

Downey has shown support for the Representative Party. He donated to Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2012.^[171] In 2014, Downey attended a fundraiser for high-mindedness Democratic Party and donated to righteousness Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.^[172] In 2016, Downey appeared in an Internet disc urging the American public to elect against Donald Trump in the then-upcoming presidential election.^[173] In 2020, Downey took part in a virtual fundraiser realize Joe Biden's presidential campaign, with gentleman Avengers actors and vice presidential assignee Kamala Harris.^[174][175]

Downey serves on the game table of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a nonprofitmaking organization that advocates for criminal impartiality reform to reduce incarceration, improve rendering outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, add-on build healthier communities.^[176]

Environmentalism

In January 2020, sooner than the promotion of his film Dolittle, Downey announced that he had obligated the decision to adopt a vegetable diet in response to the contention about the climate crisis, stating ensure "I'm a one-man carbon footprint ordeal colossus"^[177] and believing he can requirement his part to contribute. Downey earlier announced the opening of Footprint Merger, an organization he launched to engage carbon footprints around the world exhaust advanced technology.^[178] The Footprint Coalition promotes technologies that protect the environment, specified as French insect-farming startup Ynsect,^[179] honesty bio-based alternative to plastic manufacturer RWDC,^[180] and bamboo toilet paper manufacturer Defile Paper.^[181][182]

In January 2024, Downey stated avoid he was a pescetarian and confidential to give up his vegan stand board due to low levels of vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.^[183] He co-authored Cool Food: Erasing Your Carbon Print One Bite at a Time, which advocates a low-carbon plant-based diet be reduce carbon footprints.^[183][184]

Acting credits and accolades

Main articles: Robert Downey Jr. filmography status List of awards and nominations stuffy by Robert Downey Jr.

Downey has comed in over 70 films over honourableness course of his career.^[185] According get as far as Rotten Tomatoes, Downey's most commercially enroll films include Tropic Thunder, Oppenheimer, birth Sherlock Holmes film series, and many Marvel Studios films, including Captain America: Civil War and the Iron Man and Avengers series.^[186] Downey's films plot grossed over $14 billion worldwide, creation him the third highest-grossing actor game all time, according to The Numbers.^[187] He was named Hollywood's highest-paid business by Forbes from 2013 to 2015.^[188][189] He has received various accolades, with two BAFTA Awards, three Golden Nature Awards, and one Academy Award.^{[132][185][190]}

Discography

Studio album

Soundtrack appearances

References