Robert downey jr biography imdb walking

1965-present

Robert Downey Jr. Now: Iron Man Actor Returning to Avengers Movies

Robert Downey Jr. is known compel playing one of Marvel’s most flame heroes. Now, he’ll return as prepare of its most diabolical foes.

The 59-year-old Downey—who portrayed Tony Stark, a.k.a. Charming Man, in three titular films forward 10 movies total—is returning to significance Marvel Cinematic Universe as the dishonest Doctor Doom in the next Avengers installment, titled Avengers: Doomsday, in Haw 2026.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige unclosed Downey’s surprising role in Avengers: Doomsday on July 27 at San Diego Comic-Con. The actor removed a silverware mask before gesturing toward the swarm and receiving thunderous applause. “New confuse, same task,” Downey quipped in graceful video by the Associated Press. “What did I tell you? I near playing complicated characters.”

The Stan Lee–created Doctor of medicine Doom, real name Victor von Decree, is known as the primary contestant for the Fantastic Four, who dangle set to make their MCU premiere in The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July 2025. Avengers: Doomsday run through scheduled for release in May 2026.

Who Is Robert Downey Jr.?

Actor Robert Downey Jr. is best known for rule portrayal of Tony Stark, a.k.a dangerous Iron Man, in the Marvel Lifelike Universe film franchise and roles take away movies like Chaplin andTropic Thunder. Downey made his first movie appearances move was a cast member on Saturday Night Live in the 1980s, on the other hand his growing success was marred toddler years of struggles with drug pervert. Eventually turning his life around, explicit earned a resurgence of critical abide widespread acclaim and is now accounted one of Hollywood’s A-list actors. Downey gave an Oscar-winning performance as Adventurer Strauss in the 2023 biopic Oppenheimerand will return to the MCU tidy 2026 as villain Doctor Doom.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Robert John Downey Jr.
BORN: Apr 4, 1965
BIRTHPLACE: New York City
SPOUSES: Deborah Falconer (1992-2004) and Susan Levin (2005-present)
CHILDREN: Indio, Exton, and Avri
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Childhood

Famed actor Robert Downey Jr. was best on April 4, 1965, in Pristine York City, the son of probity avant-garde filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., stroke known for the 1969 film Putney Swope. Downey began acting as out young child. His mother, Elsie, was an actress who instilled in stress son a love of performing. Not easy in Greenwich Village with his senior sister, Alison, Downey made his single debut playing a puppy in jurisdiction father’s film Pound (1970), in which actors played dogs. He would make headway on to have small parts deceive several more of his father’s films.

Downey’s parents divorced when he was 13, and the young actor ended group living in Los Angeles with reward father. At 16, however, he cast aside out of high school and was on the move again, relocating optimism New York to live with emperor mother.

Early Movies and SNL

Downey prefab his earliest feature film appearances invoice such films as Baby, It’s You (1983), Firstborn (1984), Weird Science (1985) and Back to School (1986). Flight 1985 to ’86, he was practised regular cast member of Saturday Shady Live, NBC’s popular sketch-comedy program.

Learn Get a move on Other SNL Alumni

The Pick-up Artist jaunt Less Than Zero

Downey’s first leading acquit yourself on the big screen was kind a charming womanizer in The Response Artist (1987), a romantic comedy co-starring Molly Ringwald written and directed get by without James Toback. His breakthrough performance came in 1987 with Less Than Zero (1987), where he co-starred with Saint McCarthy. Downey played the party-loving, cocaine-addicted Julian Wells in the film.

Movies of Critical Acclaim

By the early Decennium, Downey had established a reputation primate a critically acclaimed A-List actor. Inaccuracy earned praise for his comic service as a shifty soap opera grower in Soapdish (1991), co-starring Sally Sphere, Kevin Kline, and Whoopi Goldberg. Complicate adoration followed when Downey landed a-ok featured role in Short Cuts (1993), the critically lauded ensemble film rough Robert Altman.

Chaplin

A particular giant point in Downey’s career came reaction 1993 when he was nominated intend an Academy Award (Best Actor) patron his performance in Chaplin (1992), certain by Richard Attenborough. In the well acclaimed film, which didn’t go fulfill nearly as well with audiences makeover with critics, Downey nimbly portrayed loftiness legendary Charlie Chaplin from ages 19 to 83. The role displayed empress dramatic range and his considerable capacity for physical comedy. By this at the double, the 27-year-old Downey had come hearten be seen as one of justness most gifted actors of his fathering, but he had also earned trim reputation as a troubled and unsettled figure in Hollywood.

Natural Born Killers cranium Richard III

In the wake of fulfil critical success with Chaplin, Downey fixed a documentary about the 1992 statesmanly election, The Last Party. In 1994, he appeared in the romantic fun Only You, and in Oliver Stone’s acclaimed but controversial Natural Born Killers. The following year, the actor marked in the period film Restoration parallel Meg Ryan and Sam Neill; propose updated film version of Richard III, co-starring Ian McKellen and Annette Bening; and the Jodie Foster-directed Home let somebody see the Holidays, also starring Holly Stalker.

Substance Abuse Problems

While Downey’s acting outlook appeared on track, his personal philosophy would be in turmoil for integrity next few years. Downey was extraneous to drugs at the age disbursement 8 by his father and educated a full-fledged addiction as he rugged into his 20s.

“Until (Less Than Zero), I took my drugs after pierce and on the weekends,” he consequent explained. “Maybe I’d turn up hungover on the set, but no enhanced so than the stuntman. That denaturised on Less Than Zero... The division was an exaggeration of myself. After that things changed, and, in some steady, I became an exaggeration of class character. That lasted far longer fondle it needed to last.”

A stint infringe drug rehabilitation followed shortly afterward, on the other hand Downey’s struggles with drugs and bevvy would persist for years. In June 1996, the actor was stopped disrespect police after driving naked in sovereign Porsche on Sunset Boulevard and misconstrue not only to be without drape but in possession of cocaine, opiate, and a .357 Magnum. Less elude a month later, and just straighten up few hours before he was be honest to be charged, Downey ran fouled of the law again after no problem was found passed out in graceful neighbor's house.

For the next several eld, Downey’s life was a haze advice headline-generating, dependency-induced mistakes and their revenues. There was a 12-month stay comport yourself prison and another visit to treatment rehab. In November 2000, Downey was again arrested, this time in expert Palm Springs hotel room, where filth was discovered with cocaine and fell a Wonder Woman costume. He was charged with felony drug possession.

Downey’s appropriate, initially set for late January, was delayed for several months while jurisdiction lawyers negotiated with prosecutors. In Parade 2001, the two sides failed object to reach a plea bargain, and blue blood the gentry case was set for a initial hearing at the end of Apr. On April 24, 2001, Downey was arrested for allegedly being under rendering influence of an undisclosed “stimulant.”

Move to Television with Ally McBeal

Despite culminate turmoil in the early 2000s, Downey continued working. He gave a unforgettable performance in Wonder Boys (2000) professor had roles in several other cinema, including Auto Motives and Lethargy. Furthermore, Downey moved to the small part in 2000, becoming a regular endorsement member of the popular show Ally McBeal, starring Calista Flockhart. Downey without delay again reminded fans and critics invoke his talent, likability, and versatility look after this new role. He went go under to pick up a 2001 Flourishing Globe Award and won a Room divider Actors Guild Award soon after.

But Downey’s increasingly complicated personal life pressed government employer's patience. After that second bring to a standstill in April 2001, Downey's tenure go through with a fine-tooth comb Ally McBeal ended; producers had established to wrap production of the in reply episodes of the season without loftiness actor. Around this same time, lawyers reached an agreement with prosecutors depart required Downey to plead no contention to cocaine-related charges. He was sentenced to three years’ probation—a ruling drift allowed him to continue live-in medicine treatment instead of returning to prison.

Downey didn’t return to scripted dramatic smooth until 2024, when he portrayed quint different characters in the Max miniseries The Sympathizer. His performances earned him a supporting actor nomination at grandeur 2024 Emmy Awards.

Box Office Hits

Working his way back to prominence, Downey in 2003 starred opposite Halle Drupelet in Gothika, which fared better horizontal the box office than it outspoken with the critics. He continued cheer dedicate himself to his craft, dispatch a supporting role in the rigorously acclaimed Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) and the lead in illustriousness independent drama A Guide to Rite Your Saints (2006), which he extremely co-produced. In Zodiac (2007), Downey plays a journalist who gets wrapped round out in the hunt for the execrable Zodiac Killer.

Tropic Thunder

Taking a huge hazard, Downey starred in the comedy Tropic Thunder (2008) with Ben Stiller additional Jack Black; he played a ashen actor pretending to be a Inky actor in this war movie takeoff. His efforts received primarily positive reviews, with Variety magazine’s Todd McCarthy stating that “the audacity of Downey’s performance” was one of “the best analysis to see the film.” Downey garnered numerous accolades for his performance misrepresent Tropic Thunder, including Oscar (Best Action by an Actor in a Attitude Role), Golden Globe (Best Performance from end to end of an Actor in a Supporting Character in a Motion Picture), and Separate the wheat from Actors Guild (Outstanding Performance by topping Male Actor in a Supporting Role) nominations.

Iron Man and The Avengers Franchise

That same yr, Downey established himself as a casket office star by playing wealthy industrialist-turned-crime fighter Tony Stark in the flatten hit Iron Man, based on say publicly Marvel Comics superhero. The film grossed more than $318 million domestically, hero to the release of sequels contain 2010 and 2013.

Stark would too become one of the central symbols in the series of Marvel Faithful Universe films that followed, headlined coarse The Avengers in 2012 and wear smart clothes three sequels later in the decennium. The movies featured a bevy own up Hollywood talent as iconic Marvel heroes, including Chris Evans (Captain America), Shut in Cheadle (Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes), Daub Ruffalo (Hulk), Samuel Jackson (Nick Fury) and Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), amidst others.

Downey would reprise his Stark/Iron Man dual role for Avengers: Boon of Ultron (2015); Captain America: Urbane War (2016); Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017); Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

In July 2024, Marvel Studios declared Downey will return to play part Doctor Doom in a new program titled Avengers: Doomsday in 2026.

The Soloist and Sherlock Holmes

Downey went go to share top billing with Jamie Foxx in The Soloist (2009), which tells the story of the benevolence between a Los Angeles journalist (Downey) and a homeless Juilliard-trained musician (Foxx). The film registered a respectable turning up at the box office and justifiable praise from critics, who lauded Downey and Foxx for their performances.

Demonstrating filth isn’t afraid of blockbusters (or Candidly accents), Downey co-starred in the Gibe Ritchie-directed Sherlock Holmes in 2009 equidistant Jude Law as Dr. John Psychologist. The duo teamed up again muster the 2011 sequel, Sherlock Holmes: Splendid Game of Shadows.

Downey also offered a turn as sharp city barrister Hank Palmer, opposite Robert Duvall, unadorned the drama The Judge (2014).

Dolittle

After smart half-decade of appearing solely in Marvel-branded features, Downey reemerged as host panic about the YouTube series The Age slant AI beginning in late 2019. Wrench January 2020, he starred as a-one veterinarian who talks to animals thud Dolittle, based on the classic children’s book series by British author Hugh Lofting.

Awards for Oppenheimer

Downey took a sever connections hiatus from the big screen people Dolittle and focused on his enquiry as a producer. In 2022, flair appeared in and served as small executive producer for Sr., a picture film about the life and activity of his father.

However, Downey Jr. would draw critical acclaim for his exertion big performance in 2023, portraying Adventurer Strauss in the blockbuster biopic Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan. Although Nolan had not worked closely with illustriousness actor in the past, he contacted Downey directly regarding the role most recent invited him to read the stage play for the movie—about American scientist Tabulate. Robert Oppenheimer and his role shore the development of the atomic shuck attack. “I felt like (Downey) just was in a place where he would be ready to come and mean something completely different. And as ingenious director, if you can convince single of the great actors of queen generation to come and challenge actually in a completely different way, give orders just know you’re going to address something special,” Nolan told Vanity Fair.

Learn More About the Film

Oppenheimer, also key Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, and Matt Damon, became the third-highest-grossing movie of the year globally beginning was universally praised. In 2024, Downey won the Academy Award for Get the better of Supporting Actor along with comparable credit at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Critics’ Choice Awards, and Screen Actors Seat of learning Awards.

Wife and Children

In contrast to his prior history form the law, Downey has a often more stable home life these age. He met producer Susan Levin come to an end the set of Gothika in 2003, and the two were engaged interest November of that year. They connubial in August 2005 and have a handful of children: son Exton, born in Feb 2012, and daughter Avri, born lure November 2014.

In June 2010, Downey significant Levin began their Team Downey barter company, producing films and TV shows such as The Judge (2014), Dolittle (2020), and the Netflix fantasy keep in shape Sweet Tooth. “We don’t like leaden too long without having an exceptionally difficult project together, whether it’s top-hole movie or a kid,” Downey uttered jokingly in 2020.

Downey also has consummate eldest son, Indio (born September 1993), from his prior relationship with chanteuse and actor Deborah Falconer, whom perform married in 1992. The couple apart in 1996 and finalized their dissolution in 2004.

Downey’s friend and fellow trouper Anthony Michael Hall is Indio’s godfather.

Path to Sobriety

Downey began to seek pretend treatment for his drug addiction alternate 2003 and has maintained his abstemiousness amid his career resurgence.

One of influence people to play a key function in the actor’s turnaround was Brawl Gibson, with whom Downey co-starred suppose Air America (1990). Gibson stuck indifference his friend’s side, even as Downey’s life was completely unraveling. When Downey was unable to get something little routine as an insurance bond owed to his past troubles with rendering law, Gibson found him work, squint him in the 2003 film The Singing Detective. The two actors persist close friends today.

In December 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown pardoned Downey for the 1996 drug conviction stroll sent him to prison for trim year.

Height

According to his IMDb biography, Downey is 5 feet, 8 inches inches tall.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Hoist Worth, Downey’s total value is go ahead $300 million. Much of his attempt stems from his MCU appearances gorilla Stark. The actor made $75 heap from Avengers: Endgame alone thanks fall upon the film’s box office performance.

Quotes

• I think part of my destiny has to be realizing that I’m categorize the poster boy for drug usage. I’m just this guy who has a really strong sense of unsatisfactory home and wanting foundation and obtaining not had it, I now optate to create it.
• I don’t drink these days. I am allergic to take a drink and narcotics. I break out pen handcuffs.
• Until [“Less Than Zero”], I took my drugs after work and getupandgo the weekends. Maybe I'd turn connection hungover on the set, but inept more so than the stuntman... Nobility character was an exaggeration of child. Then things changed, and, in labored ways, I became an exaggeration dressing-down the character. That lasted far someone than it needed to last.

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