Robert John Downey is an American actor, producer, and musician.
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on April 4, 1965 in the family of independent filmmaker Robert Downey Sr.
The actor’s real name is Elias, but his father changed it to Downey.
When Downey Jr. was 11 years old, his parents divorced and he stayed with his father. During his school years, he did not like comics and once even tore up a classmate’s magazine – a comic book about Iron Man.
At the age of 17, he left school, deciding to become an actor.
Career
He got his first role in the film of his father – he appeared in the episode in the form of a puppy.
1985 – 2000
In 1985, he joined the team of the popular American TV show “Saturday Night Live” for one season.
In 1987, he got the main role in James Toback’s comedy “Girl Hunter”, after which he starred in several more minor films.
The turning point was 1992, when Richard Attenborough’s film “Chaplin” was released. For the role of the legendary comedian, Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category.
During this period, the actor developed drug addiction. After a series of scandals, he began to be fired from the sets, and the court ordered imprisonment and compulsory treatment. The actor himself later said that he first tried marijuana at the age of 8.
During the filming of the 1997 film Love Triangle, the actor was forced to undergo drug testing every day.
2000 – 2010
In 2001, he appeared in Elton John’s music video “I Want Love”.
After a course of treatment, he returned to cinema in 2004, starring in the film “Gothic” with Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz.
In the same year, he released the musical album “The Futurist” with original compositions, which received rave reviews from critics.
His acting work in the comedy detective story “Kiss Away” was also positively assessed.
In 2006, Downey Jr. played Lionel in the film “Fur”, where his character enters into a relationship with the heroine Nicole Kidman. This role received very high marks from film critics.
After that, he also recorded several compositions for the Christmas album “For Once In My Life”, which was released in 2007.
A real turning point in his career came after Downey was approved for the main role in the film “Iron Man”. After the premiere of the tape, the actor became one of the most sought-after in Hollywood.
In 2008, Ben Stiller’s film “Thunder in the Tropics” was released, where he played Kirk Lapis lazuli, a fictional multiple Oscar winner who changed skin pigmentation for the role. This work brought the actor the second Oscar nomination in his career, as well as nominations for the Golden Globe and the British Academy Award.
At the end of 2009, Guy Ritchie’s film “Sherlock Holmes” was released. There, the actor played Holmes in a duet with Jude Law, who played the role of Dr. Watson. Already in the first weekend, the tape set box office records, and Downey Jr. received the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.
2010 – tep. Time
In 2010, the film “Iron Man 2” was released. After that, the actor confirmed his participation in the third part of the franchise and the Avengers project.
A year later, a continuation of the story about Holmes was released – “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”, and in 2012 the premieres of “The Avengers” and the final part of the trilogy about Tony Stark – “Iron Man 3” took place.
In 2013, Downey Jr. received 2 People’s Choice Awards – as the best film actor and the most popular superhero.
In 2015, the film “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was released, and from 2018 to 2019, the premieres of the films “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” took place.
After that, the actor moved away from Marvel projects for a while and starred in the first film outside the cinematic universe in 6 years: he played the main role in the fantasy “The Journey of Dr. Dolittle”, where he played an eccentric doctor who can communicate with animals.
In 2023, he appeared in Christopher Nolan’s historical drama Oppenheimer. For the role of Chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission Lewis Strauss, he won his first Oscar, second BAFTA Award, third Golden Globe and 2 Critics’ Choice Awards.
Marital Status
In 1984, he met Sarah Jessica Parker during the filming of the film “Firstborn”. Their romance lasted about 7 years, but it did not come to marriage due to the actor’s drug problems.
In 1992, Downey Jr. married Deborah Falconer. The couple had a son, Indio, but the marriage also ended in divorce due to the actor’s addiction.
A turning point in his personal life occurred after meeting Susan Levine during the filming of the 2003 film Gothic. They got married in 2005. It was she who helped the actor finally cope with alcoholism and drug addiction. Subsequently, the couple founded their own production company. Two children were born in the marriage – son Exton and daughter Avery.
