Robert Downey Jr.

Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor. Known for portraying charismatic and intelligent characters over a versatile range of films, he was named one of the greatest actors of the 21st century by The Independent. He was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood annually from 2013 to 2015, and is one of the highest-grossing actors of all time; his films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.3Template:Nbspbillion worldwide.

At the age of five, Downey made his acting debut in his father Robert Downey Sr.'s film Pound (1970). He rose to prominence by working with the Brat Pack for the teen films Weird Science (1985) and Less than Zero (1987). His portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in the biopic Chaplin (1992) earned him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and an Academy Award nomination. After serving time at the Corcoran Substance Abuse Treatment Facility on drug charges, Downey joined the television series Ally McBeal in 2000, earning a Golden Globe for his performance. In 2001, he was dismissed from the show following further drug-related arrests. He entered a court-ordered rehabilitation program and has remained sober since 2003.

After Mel Gibson paid his insurance bond, Downey made his film comeback with The Singing Detective (2003). He portrayed the titular detective in Sherlock Holmes (2009)—which earned him a Golden Globe—and its sequel, subtitled A Game of Shadows (2011). Downey gained global recognition for starring as Iron Man in ten Marvel Cinematic Universe films, from Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019). For his acclaimed portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023), he won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2024, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for the miniseries The Sympathizer and made his Broadway debut in the title role of Ayad Akhtar's McNeal.

In a career spanning more than five decades, Downey has won numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in 2008, and Forbes featured him on the Celebrity 100 in 2013 and 2014. Downey has pursued music, releasing the jazz-pop album The Futurist (2004), which charted on the US Billboard 200. Divorced from Deborah Falconer, he has been married to film producer Susan Levin since 2005, with whom he co-founded the production company Team Downey. He has three children: one with Falconer and two with Levin.

Early life and acting background

Robert John Downey Jr. was born in Manhattan, New York City, on April 4, 1965.<ref name="j948">Template:Cite web</ref> His father, Robert Downey Sr. (né Elias), was a filmmaker,Template:Sfn while his mother, Elsie Ann (née Ford), was an actress who appeared in Downey Sr.'s films.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His father was one-half Lithuanian Jewish, one-quarter Hungarian Jewish, and one-quarter Irish, while his mother had Scottish, German, and Swiss ancestry.<ref>Template:Multiref</ref> Downey's sister, Allyson, is two years older than him.<ref name="q577">Template:Cite web</ref>

Due to his father's film projects, Downey moved frequently during his childhood, living in places such as Woodstock, New York, London, New Mexico, California, Connecticut, and Greenwich Village.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> From a young age, Downey was exposed to drugs: his father struggled with addiction, and his mother battled alcoholism.Template:Sfn<ref name="l977">Template:Cite web</ref> He has said that his father introduced him to marijuana at age eight,Template:Sfn for which he later expressed regret.<ref name="toughest">Template:Cite news</ref> Downey mentioned that using drugs with his father created an emotional connection between them, explaining that, "When my dad and I used drugs together, it was his way of showing love for me in the only manner he knew."<ref name="Hitting Bottom">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During his childhood, Downey appeared in small roles in his father's films. He made his acting debut at the age of five, portraying a sick puppy in the absurdist comedy Pound (1970), and at seven, he appeared in the surrealist Western Greaser's Palace (1972).<ref name="times1992">Template:Cite news</ref> Aged eleven and twelve, he attended Stagedoor Manor, a summer acting camp in upstate New York.Template:Sfn

In school, Downey was a hyperactive child who "tried to be cool", often teased by the older boys but popular with the girls.Template:Sfn His parents divorced in 1977 when he was twelve; afterward, he lived with his mother in a fifth-floor apartment in New York,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn while his sister stayed with their father, who later took her to a boarding school.Template:Sfn He attended Lincoln Junior High School for eighth grade and then Santa Monica High School for ninth and tenth grades, but dropped out in 1982.Template:Sfn At age 17, Downey relocated to New York City to pursue acting full-time,<ref name="CNN profile">Template:Cite web</ref> working various jobs such as clearing tables at a Central Falls restaurant, working in a shoe store, and performing as "living art" at the nightclub Area to support himself during auditions.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn During this period, he also appeared in local theater and off-Broadway productions.Template:Sfn

Career

1983–1995: Early work and critical acclaim

Downey made his stage debut in 1983 with a three-week run in Alms for the Middle Class at the Geva Theatre Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He then appeared in the short-lived off-Broadway musical American Passion at the Joyce Theater, produced by Norman Lear.Template:Sfn Downey's first credited film role was in Baby It's You (1983), though most of his scenes were cut.Template:Sfn In his early film roles, he frequently portrayed misfit characters,Template:Sfn and his portrayals of punk-like figures in several 1980s coming-of-age films led to his occasional association with the Brat Pack.<ref name="CNN profile" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the drama film Firstborn (1984), he played a supporting role as the teenage friend of the protagonist.Template:Sfn Downey then traveled to Los Angeles to film James Spader's Tuff Turf (1985), in which he played Spader's sidekick and a punk drummer.Template:Sfn Later that year, his role as a bully in John Hughes's Weird Science (1985) marked his breakthrough.Template:Sfn Downey starred as a more likeable radical socialist in the Alan Metter comedy film Back to School (1987).Template:Sfn

Downey at the premiere of Air America in 1990

In 1985, Downey joined the new, younger cast of Saturday Night Live, securing the audition with help from his Weird Science co-star and friend Anthony Michael Hall.Template:Sfn After a season of poor ratings and criticism of the cast's comedic ability, he and most of the new members were dismissed.<ref name="CNN profile" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Downey's first leading role came in The Pick-up Artist (1987), which faced criticism for being "sexually irresponsible" because of its portrayal of promiscuous sex during a period of heightened AIDS awareness.Template:Sfn<ref name="c267">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He earned critical acclaim for his role as Julian Wells in the drama film Less than Zero (1987), the film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's 1985 novel.Template:Sfn<ref name="o479">Template:Cite web</ref> For portraying a drug-addicted rich boy whose life rapidly spirals out of control,<ref name="Maslinthanzero">Template:Cite news</ref> his performance was widely praised: Roger Ebert called it "so real, so subtle and so observant that it's scary",<ref name="c487">Template:Cite web</ref> while Janet Maslin, writing for The New York Times, deemed it "desperately moving".<ref name="Maslinthanzero"/> Downey said that the role felt like "the ghost of Christmas Future" for him, as his drug habit led him to become an "exaggeration of the character" in real life.<ref name="a307">Template:Cite web</ref>

Shortly after completing Less than Zero, he entered rehab for the first time, beginning a decade-long cycle of interventions and treatment stints that culminated in his 1996 arrest.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Downey starred alongside Kiefer Sutherland and Winona Ryder in the teen drama 1969 (1988).Template:Sfn The film saw mixed reviews,<ref name="g470">Template:Cite web</ref> though his performance garnered good reviews from writers at Variety and Deseret News.<ref name="o567">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="h351">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey went on to star in the films Chances Are (1989) with Cybill Shepherd and Ryan O'Neal, Air America (1990) with Mel Gibson, and Soapdish (1991) with Sally Field, Kevin Kline, Cathy Moriarty, and Whoopi Goldberg; each saw varying critical success.<ref name="k758">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="a411">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="z501">Template:Cite web</ref> To prepare for his portrayal of comic actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin in the biopic Chaplin (1992), Downey trained extensively, learning to play the violin and tennis left-handed, and working with a coach to replicate Chaplin's accent and mannerisms.Template:Sfn Although the film was a box-office bomb,<ref name="h815">Template:Cite web</ref> critics praised Downey's performance,<ref name="o884">Template:Multiref</ref> for which he earned the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations.Template:Sfn

In 1993, Downey starred in Heart and Souls, playing a man possessed by multiple characters—a performance that Peter Travers praised as revealing his "explosive talent for physical comedy".Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In Only You (1994), co-starring Marisa Tomei and Billy Zane, Downey played Peter Wright, a professional dancer who poses as the soulmate Tomei's character Faith.Template:Sfn<ref name="n765">Template:Cite web</ref> Norman Jewison—the film's director—cast him because he reminded him of Tony Curtis: "charming with great comedic timing".Template:Sfn In preparation for his role of reporter Wayne Gale in Natural Born Killers (1994), Downey shadowed Australian television shock journalist Steve Dunleavy, which helped him develop an Australian accent.Template:Sfn<ref name="g444">Template:Cite web</ref> The film proved successful at the box office, grossing $110Template:Nbspmillion on a $34Template:Nbspmillion budget.<ref name="boxofficemojo.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=SI>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Throughout 1995, he took on a string of diverse roles, including the period drama Restoration,<ref name="d677">Template:Cite web</ref> the Shakespearean adaptation Richard III,Template:Sfn and the family ensemble Home for the Holidays.<ref name="l634">Template:Cite web</ref>

1996–2001: Addiction-related setbacks and Ally McBeal

In early 1996, concerned for Downey's well-being, Sean Penn and Dennis Quaid went to his residence, took his keys, and brought him to a rehab center in Tucson; however, Downey left the facility and checked himself out a few days later.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> In June 1996, he was arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and an unloaded .357 Magnum handgun while speeding down Sunset Boulevard. A month later, while on parole and under the influence of a controlled substance, he entered a neighbor's home through an unlocked front door and fell asleep in one of the beds.<ref name="carrtimes">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The family declined to press trespassing charges.<ref name=":1"/> The 911 call made by the neighbor was later circulated online and became known as the "Goldilocks incident".<ref name="g625">Template:Cite web</ref> In November 1996, following a period in court-ordered rehab, Downey was sentenced to an additional six months of live-in rehabilitation, three years' probation, and compulsory drug testing.<ref name=":1" /> Downey starred in Two Girls and a Guy (1997), portraying a duplicitous man who convinces each of two women that she is his only love.Template:Sfn

After missing a court-ordered drug test in 1997, Downey spent six months in Los Angeles County Jail.<ref name="y509">Template:Cite web</ref> In January 1998, he was temporarily allowed out of jail to star in the U.S. Marshals.Template:Sfn Upon his full release, he entered a court-mandated 120-day rehab program and then starred in Black and White (1999), playing Terry Donager, the gay husband of a documentary filmmaker.<ref name=":1" />Template:Sfn That year, after maintaining sobriety during the filming of Wonder Boys (2000), Downey relapsed. At the time, he was facing financial difficulties and had lost his house in Malibu.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> Later that year, after missing another court-ordered drug test, he was arrested again. Despite his lawyer, Robert Shapiro, assembling the same legal team that had successfully defended O. J. Simpson in his criminal trial, Downey was sentenced to a three-year prison term at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran.<ref name="f774">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="j950">Template:Cite web</ref> At the time of his arrest, all of Downey's film projects had been completed and were nearing release. He had also been hired to voice the devil in the NBC animated series God, the Devil and Bob, but was dismissed after failing to attend rehearsals.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

After spending nearly a year in the Corcoran prison, Downey was unexpectedly released in 2000 on the condition of posting a $5,000 bail, when a judge ruled that his cumulative time in incarceration facilities—from his initial 1996 arrests—qualified him for early release.<ref name="toughest"/> A week after his release, he joined the cast of the television series Ally McBeal as a new love interest.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> For his performance, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="k650">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In retrospect, Downey described his performance as overrated, deeming it his "lowest point in terms of addictions".<ref name="a307"/> Before the end of his first season on Ally McBeal, Downey was arrested on Thanksgiving in 2000, after police responded to an anonymous 911 call and searched his room at Merv Griffin's Hotel and Givenchy Spa in Palm Springs, California. He was found under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession of cocaine and valium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Despite facing a potential prison sentence of up to four years and eight months if convicted, Downey committed to appear in at least eight additional episodes of Ally McBeal.<ref name="d120">Template:Cite web</ref>

In April 2001, while on parole, Downey was found wandering barefoot in Culver City by a Los Angeles police officer. He was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs but was released a few hours later, even though tests confirmed the presence of cocaine in his system.<ref name="n767">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="wired drug">Template:Cite news</ref> After the arrest, the producers of Ally McBeal ordered last-minute rewrites and reshoots before dismissing him from the series, despite his character having boosted the show's ratings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2001, Downey pleaded no contest to the Palm Springs charges, avoiding jail time. Instead, he was ordered into drug rehabilitation and sentenced to three years of probation under California Proposition 36, which had been enacted the previous year to direct nonviolent drug offenders toward treatment rather than prison.<ref name="toughest" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He spent a year in a court-mandated rehabilitation facility. By this time Downey was homeless, considered too great an insurance risk to be employable, and facing bankruptcy.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/>

In a December 2000, Downey's stepmother, Rosemary, told author Alex Tresnlowski of People that Downey had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder "a few years ago", adding that this was "the reason he has a hard time staying sober. What hasn't been tried is medication and intensive psychotherapy".<ref name="BadToWorse">Template:Cite web</ref> Los Angeles psychiatrist Dr. Manijeh Nikakhtar said she had received a letter from Downey in 1999 during his incarceration at Corcoran II, asking for advice regarding his condition. She stated that "no one had done a complete [psychiatric] evaluation [on him]Template:Nbsp[...] I asked him flat out if he thought he was bipolar, and he said, 'Oh yeah. There are times I spend a lot of money and I'm hyperactive, and there are other times I’m down.'"<ref name="BadToWorse"/>

2001–2007: Recovery and comeback

Template:Quote box After five years of substance abuse, arrests, and relapse, Downey began working toward a full recovery in 2001.Template:Sfn<ref name="t720">Template:Cite web</ref> His first acting job after rehabilitation came in August, when he appeared lip-syncing in the music video for Elton John's single "I Want Love", directed by Sam Taylor-Wood.Template:Sfn Two years later, he returned to film with The Singing Detective (2003), directed by his Back to School co-star Keith Gordon, after Gibson paid his insurance bond, allowing him to be cast.Template:Sfn<ref name="z815">Template:Cite web</ref> He played Dan Dark, a paralyzed, suffering pulp novelist who hallucinates and drifts between reality and fantasy.Template:Sfn Although the film received mixed reviews, Downey regarded it as a personal achievement.Template:Sfn<ref name="j932">Template:Cite web</ref> For Gothika (2003), producer Joel Silver withheld 40Template:Nbsppercent of Downey's salary until production was completed as protection against potential issues related to his addiction.<ref name="insurance">Template:Cite episode</ref>

Silver secured him the lead role in Shane Black's directorial debut, the comedy thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Downey received positive reviews for his performance: Mike Russell, writing in The Oregonian, deemed it "one of [his] most enjoyable performances",<ref name="oregonlive">Template:Cite web</ref> while a The Age writer deemed it a "terrific comic performance".<ref name="n413">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey appeared in a range of leading and supporting roles, gaining particular recognition for his performances in several semi-independent films. In Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), he portrayed a CBS journalist and editor secretly married to a coworker, a relationship concealed due to the network's policy prohibiting employees from marrying one another.<ref name="z597">Template:Cite web</ref> His role as a drug addict in Richard Linklater's dystopian, rotoscoped film A Scanner Darkly (2006) was praised:<ref name="b206">Template:Cite web</ref> Travers called his performance "the film's flashiest and most ferociously entertaining",<ref name="v191">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and J. Hoberman regarded it as "the performance to beat" that year.<ref name="hoberman">Template:Cite news</ref> Downey's character in Steven Shainberg's fictional biographical drama Fur (2006) was a composite representing the two most significant influences on Diane Arbus's professional life, Lisette Model and Marvin Israel.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fur was poorly received by critics,<ref name="k638">Template:Cite web</ref> who conversely lauded Downey's performance.<ref name="g127">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="c097">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2005, Downey returned to television, providing voice work for an episode of Family Guy titled "The Fat Guy Strangler".Template:Sfn The producers created the character Patrick Pewterschmidt—Lois Griffin's long-lost, mentally disturbed brother—specifically for him.<ref name="t411">Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, Downey signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish a memoir, which he described as a candid account his life and career. In 2008, however, he returned his advance and canceled the project without explanation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2007, he appeared in David Fincher's mystery thriller Zodiac, based on true events, portraying San Francisco Chronicle journalist Paul Avery, who covered the Zodiac Killer case.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Downey's performance was critically acclaimed:<ref name="i166">Template:Cite web</ref> a Tuscaloosa News writer deemed it one of his best,<ref name="s376">Template:Cite web</ref> and Manohla Dargis remarked that he was at the "top of [his] performance game".<ref name="c371">Template:Cite web</ref>

2008–2019: Stardom with Iron Man

Downey at an event for Iron Man in 2008

In 2006, Downey was cast as the titular character in the superhero film Iron Man.<ref name="n162">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn Director Jon Favreau explained that while Downey was not the most obvious choice, "he understood what makes the character tick. He found a lot of his own life experience in 'Tony Stark'."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Favreau strongly advocated for Downey's casting, believing he could elevate the film's quality and generate widespread audience interest, much like Johnny Depp had done for the Pirates of the Caribbean series.<ref name="carrtimes"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> To prepare for the role, Downey gained more than twentyTemplate:Nbsppounds (nineTemplate:Nbspkilograms) of muscle over five months to achieve the physicality required for the part.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Iron Man was released on May 2, 2008, in the US.Template:Sfn It became the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2008, earning more than $585Template:Nbspmillion worldwide against a production budget of $130Template:Nbspmillion.<ref name="carrtimes"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="w986">Template:Cite web</ref>

In Iron Man, Downey portrayed Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist who is kidnapped and forced to build a deadly missile, only to instead construct a suit of armor that transforms him into the superhero Iron Man.Template:Sfn Both the film and Downey's performance were acclaimed by critics,<ref name="w232">Template:Cite web</ref> many of whom considered his portrayal the standout element of Iron Man and credited it with catapulting him to global stardom.<ref name="c393">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o931">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="q327">Template:Cite web</ref> Ebert wrote that "it's Robert Downey Jr. who powers the lift-off separating this from most other superhero movies",<ref name="b171">Template:Cite web</ref> while, in a retrospective Variety article, Zack Sharf credited Downey's charisma with making Iron Man both a critical and commercial success.<ref name="y159">Template:Cite web</ref> By October 2008, Downey had signed on to reprise his role in two sequels to Iron Man and in The Avengers (2012), which featured the superhero team that Stark joins, based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name.<ref name="twosequels">Template:Cite news</ref> He first reprised the role with a brief appearance as Stark in the film The Incredible Hulk (2008), as part of Marvel Studios' initiative to depict the same Marvel Universe on film by providing continuity among the films.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Downey starred alongside Ben Stiller, who also directed the film, and Jack Black in Tropic Thunder.<ref name="q469">Template:Cite web</ref> The three actors portray exaggerated Hollywood archetypes, with Downey playing Kirk Lazarus, a self-absorbed, multi–Oscar-winning Australian method actor starring in an overblown Vietnam War film titled Tropic Thunder.Template:Sfn<ref name="n343">Template:Cite web</ref> To embody his character, African-American platoon sergeant Lincoln Osiris, Lazarus undergoes a controversial skin pigmentation procedure, requiring Downey to wear dark makeup and a wig.<ref name="j488">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d116">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e627">Template:Cite web</ref> Released in August 2008,<ref name="g756">Template:Cite web</ref> Tropic Thunder opened atop the American box office and retained the number-one position for three consecutive weeks, eventually grossing $195Template:Nbspmillion worldwide on a budget of about $90Template:Nbspmillion.<ref name="l210">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k955">Template:Cite web</ref> For his portrayal of Lazarus, Downey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.<ref name="n457">Template:Cite web</ref> He then portrayed Steve Lopez in the biopic The Soloist (2009), a Los Angeles Times columnist who discovers a homeless man playing a violin with virtuoso skill.<ref name="k860">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey played the titular detective in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009).<ref name="n983">Template:Cite web</ref> The Times praised the lead performances, describing Downey as "terrific" and commending Ritchie for eliciting "a career-best performance from [Jude] Law", though it noted that their double act struggled to sustain "an overlong film".<ref name="n239">Template:Cite web</ref> Sherlock Holmes became the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2009 and won Downey the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.<ref name="k089">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="j751">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey reprised his role as Stark in Iron Man 2, the first of two planned sequels to Iron Man.<ref name="h860">Template:Cite web</ref> Released in May 2010 in the US,<ref name="k148">Template:Cite web</ref> the film grossed over $623 million worldwide, ranking as the seventh highest-grossing film of the year.<ref name="twosequels"/> Set six months after Iron Man,<ref name="d683">Template:Cite magazine</ref> the film follows Stark as he rejects government demands to share his technology, while facing the vengeful scientist Ivan Vanko.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Ebert called Downey's performance "intriguing" and "unexpected", stating that "he doesn't behave like most superheroes: he lacks the psychic weight and gravitas".<ref name="c302">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey speaking at the 2019 Disney Legends Awards

Downey's other film role of 2010 was in Due Date, which was filmed across various locations in the US, including Georgia, New Mexico, Arizona, and Los Angeles.<ref name="q373">Template:Cite web</ref> In it, he played an architect trying to get from Atlanta to Los Angeles in time for his wife's scheduled Caesarean section.<ref name="z473">Template:Cite web</ref> The film was a box-office success, earning over $211Template:Nbspmillion on a budget of $65Template:Nbspmillion.<ref name="Budget">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="BoxOfficeMojo">Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, Downey and his wife Susan opened their own production company called Team Downey.<ref name="m120">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey reprised his role as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), the sequel to the 2009 film.<ref name="g461">Template:Cite web</ref> In A Game of Shadows, he investigates a conspiracy led by his nemesis, Professor Moriarty, and works to prevent an impending world war.<ref name="q207">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d010">Template:Cite web</ref> Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter lauded the film's "more mannered shenanigans", whose action-oriented antics "play straight to modern audiences' tastes".<ref name="u330">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey reprised the role of Stark in The Avengers (2012). In the film, the Avengers assemble to stop Loki from conquering Earth using the Tesseract to open a portal for an alien invasion.<ref name="z239">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The film was both a critical and commercial success; grossing over $1.52Template:Nbspbillion, it became the third-highest-grossing film of all time.<ref name="j177">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f084">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b332">Template:Cite web</ref> In Iron Man 3 (2013), Stark faces threats from a terrorist known as the Mandarin while dealing with the aftermath of previous events and developing new technology to confront his enemies.<ref>Template:Multiref</ref> Iron Man 3 grossed $1.215 billion, making it fifth-highest-grossing film of all time upon release.<ref name="e475">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="d773">Template:Cite web</ref> He reprised the role as Tony Stark in the MCU films Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015),<ref name="n225">Template:Cite web</ref> Captain America: Civil War (2016),<ref name="h314">Template:Cite web</ref> Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017),<ref name="Downey">Template:Cite web</ref> Avengers: Infinity War (2018),<ref name="u210">Template:Cite web</ref> and Avengers: Endgame (2019).<ref name="Downey" /> Three of his scenes from The Avengers and Avengers: Endgame were used as archive footage in the first episode of the Disney+ series Loki.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2020–present: Oppenheimer and expansion

In 2020, Downey starred in Stephen Gaghan's Dolittle, portraying the titular 19th-century Welsh veterinarian who can communicate with animals.<ref name="p412">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="n269">Template:Cite web</ref> The film, the second produced by Team Downey, was a box-office disappointment and received largely negative reviews, with critics citing its excessive length and lackluster execution.<ref name="x967">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023, Downey portrayed the antagonistic bureaucrat Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.<ref name="x823">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="a574">Template:Cite web</ref> He accepted a pay cut for the role, earning $4 million instead of his usual $10–20Template:Nbspmillion upfront salary.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Downey later called Oppenheimer "the best film" he had appeared in.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Both the biopic and his performance received widespread critical acclaim.<ref name="Chang">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For his role, he won the Golden Globe,<ref name="e343">Template:Cite web</ref> BAFTA,<ref name="c449">Template:Cite web</ref> Screen Actors Guild,<ref name="w822">Template:Cite web</ref> Critics' Choice,<ref name="h520">Template:Cite web</ref> and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.<ref name="l214">Template:Cite magazine</ref> That same year, Downey hosted the television series Downey's Dream Cars, in which he and his team converted several of his vehicles from gas to electric.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The show won Downey the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Program.<ref name="h208">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey next starred in a 2024 television adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's historical satire novel The Sympathizer on HBO, portraying five supporting antagonistic roles representing the American establishment.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> His multi-role performance earned him an Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.<ref>Template:Cite Magazine</ref> Downey made his Broadway debut in McNeal, from playwright Ayad Akhtar, playing Jacob McNeal, a gifted novelist with a difficult family life and a potentially problematic interest in artificial intelligence. Previews began on September 5, 2024, and opened on September 30 at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, playing a strictly limited engagement through November 24.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2024 at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Downey would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Other ventures

Music

Downey has ventured into music. He has sung on several soundtracks for his films, including Chaplin,<ref name="b685">Template:Cite web</ref> Too Much Sun,<ref name="b776">Template:Cite web</ref> Two Girls and a Guy,<ref name="b776"/> Friends and Lovers,<ref name="z432">Template:Cite web</ref> and The Singing Detective.<ref name="z432"/> On November 23, 2004, he released his only studio album, titled The Futurist.<ref name="v387">Template:Cite web</ref> A jazz pop-infused record,<ref name="m538">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="p179">Template:Cite web</ref> The Futurist was produced by Jonathan Elias and Mark Hudson; Downey played the piano on some of the tracks.<ref name="e900">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The album debuted at number 121 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 16,000 copies in its first week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="e358">Template:Cite web</ref>

While promoting Tropic Thunder, Downey and his co-stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black were back-up singers for the Pips to Gladys Knight singing "Midnight Train to Georgia" for the season 7 finale of American Idol in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Downey has repeatedly collaborated with English musician Sting. In addition to their 2001 duet of the Police's "Every Breath You Take" on an episode of Ally McBeal, the two performed "Driven to Tears" together live at Sting's 60th birthday concert in October 2011.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> That same year, both appeared on Jonathan Elias's Prayer Cycle 2: Path to Zero, a benefit album supporting the anti-nuclear organization Global Zero.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Social activism

In a 2008 interview, Downey said that his time in prison had shifted his political perspective, explaining: "I have a really interesting political point of view, and it's not always something I say too loud at dinner tables here, but you can't go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal.Template:Nbsp[...] [I]t was very, very, very educational for me and has informed my proclivities and politics ever since".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> When asked about the quote in a 2015 interview to promote Avengers: Age of Ultron, he denied that his previous statement reflected any longstanding beliefs on his part, explaining that he does not identify as either a Republican, liberal, or Democrat.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey has expressed support for the Democratic Party throughout his career. He donated to Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign and, two years later, attended a Democratic Party fundraiser while contributing to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.<ref name="g729">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, he appeared in an online video encouraging Americans to vote against Donald Trump in the then-upcoming presidential election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Four years later, he joined fellow Avengers cast members and Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris for a virtual fundraiser supporting Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.<ref name="s689">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, Downey and his Avengers castmates once again came together to endorse Harris in her presidential bid that year.<ref name="t319">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey serves on the board of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a nonprofit organization that advocates for criminal justice reform to reduce incarceration, improve the outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, and build healthier communities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2020, he founded the organization Footprint Coalition, which aims to use advanced technologies like robotics and nanotechnology to help clean up and restore the environment.<ref name="x235">Template:Cite web</ref> The coalition supports and promotes environmentally sustainable technologies, including the French insect-farming company Ÿnsect, bio-based plastic alternative manufacturer RWDC, and bamboo toilet paper producer Cloud Paper.<ref name="e668">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f992">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey co-wrote the book Cool Food with climate advocate Thomas Kostigen providing guidance on making climate-friendly food choices.<ref name="k999">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Downey started dating actress Sarah Jessica Parker in 1984 after meeting her on the set of Firstborn.<ref name="w726">Template:Cite web</ref> They moved in together after eight weeks of dating.<ref name="e411">Template:Cite web</ref> The couple separated eight years later, in 1991, due to his drug addiction.<ref name="f443">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="r050">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey married actress and singer Deborah Falconer on May 29, 1992, after a six-week courtship.Template:Sfn Falconer gave birth to their only son in September 1993.Template:Sfn However, Downey's repeated stints in rehab and jail placed significant strain on their marriage, and in 1996, Falconer left him. She filed for divorce in early 2001, citing "irreconcilable differences".<ref name="i977">Template:Cite web</ref> The divorce was finalized in 2004, with Falconer receiving custody of their son.<ref name="f020">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey with wife Susan Downey at the 2010 Academy Awards

In 2003, Downey met producer Susan Levin—then the executive vice president of production at Joel Silver's company, Silver Pictures—while filming Gothika.<ref name="z857"/><ref name="t192">Template:Cite web</ref> Although Levin was initially unsure about Downey, the two quietly began a relationship during production.<ref name="z857"/><ref name="t049">Template:Cite web</ref> Their relationship continued after GothikaTemplate:'s production ended, and Downey proposed the night before her thirtieth birthday.<ref name="z857">Template:Cite web</ref> The couple married on August 27, 2005, in a Jewish ceremony in Amagansett, New York.<ref name="s533">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g950">Template:Cite web</ref> They welcomed their first child, a son, in February 2012,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> followed by a daughter in November 2014.<ref name="c512">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Downey has maintained a close friendship with Mel Gibson since they co-starred in Air America (1990).<ref name="t633">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="x744">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He publicly defended Gibson amidst the controversy surrounding his 2006 DUI, saying that he was "caught in the act of being an imperfect human being".<ref name="y616">Template:Cite web</ref> Gibson, in turn, spoke fondly of Downey, recalling, "He was one of the first people to call and offer the hand of friendship. He just said, 'Hey, welcome to the club. Let's go see what we can do to work on ourselves.'"<ref name="y616"/>

Downey says he has been drug-free since July 2003 and credits his wife with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol habits, along with his family, therapy, meditation, twelve-step recovery programs, yoga, and the practice of Wing Chun kung fu.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="skin deep">Template:Cite news</ref> In December 2015, Downey was chosen as one of 91 people to be pardoned by the governor of California, Jerry Brown, for his prior drug offenses. The pardon does not erase Downey's criminal record, but it does allow him to serve on a jury.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="j169">Template:Cite web</ref> Reflecting on his sobriety during an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Downey said, "It's really not that difficult to overcome these seemingly ghastly problems. What's hard is to decide to do it."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2014, Downey described his religious beliefs as "Jewish Buddhist". Earlier in his life, he had also explored Christianity and the Hare Krishna movement.<ref name="JewishBuddhist">Template:Cite news</ref> After initially adopting a vegan diet to address concerns about the climate crisis, Downey revealed in 2024 that he had transitioned to a pescetarian diet after experiencing low levels of vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.<ref name="q844">Template:Cite web</ref>

Artistry and public image

Downey at the Avengers film premiere in London in 2012

Downey is known for taking on an eclectic range of roles spanning drama, comedy, and action, and has become one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.<ref name="c654">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="g547">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="b198">Template:Cite web</ref> He typically plays characters who are intelligent, charismatic, complicated, and often flawed,<ref name="i403">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k903">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="a983">Template:Cite web</ref> such as geniuses<ref name="m999">Template:Cite web</ref> and eccentrics.<ref name="i391">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="c730">Template:Cite web</ref> Critics have noted his ability to fully embody a role, making the character seem real.<ref name="m626">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn Early in his career, a Rolling Stone writer noted that Downey's acting style differed from many of his contemporaries, describing it as "not brooding or intolerably self-absorbed" but in "a semiconstant state of amusement".<ref name="c267"/> Analysing his roles in Mussolini (1985) and Less than Zero (1987), Stephen Schiff wrote that he managed to "shrug and bubble his way past every obstacle".<ref name="r835">Template:Cite web</ref> He extensively rehearses and prepares for his film roles:<ref name="c855">Template:Cite web</ref> for example, for his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin (1992), he spent months training with experts to perfectly mimic Chaplin's movements,Template:Sfn and he remained in character off set to portray Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder (2010).<ref name="w461">Template:Cite web</ref> Keith Gordon, who directed Downey in The Singing Detective (2003), remarked that Downey could "take a two-minute scene and take you through five different arcs of emotion as he takes himself through that".<ref name="h171">Template:Cite web</ref>

Downey is a self-described "incredibly gifted faker" who knows "very little about acting".Template:Sfn In a 2010 Rolling Stone article, Walter Kirn praised Downey's ability to "refuse to follow any kind of script, never quite coming into focus, always in thrall to another idea", describing it as the "essence of his mind and spirit, and, arguably, of his genius as an actor".<ref name="r655">Template:Cite magazine</ref> He has described his approach to acting as intuitive and improvisational rather than methodical, stating that "the goal is to make a well-written scene seem like it's improvised" and "try to improve things as you go along".Template:Sfn<ref name="f335">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="k223">Template:Cite web</ref> Downey's films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.3Template:Nbspbillion worldwide, making him the third-highest-grossing actor of all time, according to The Numbers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was named Hollywood's highest-paid actor by Forbes from 2013 to 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="o781">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The publication has included him in its annual Celebrity 100 list, which ranks the most powerful people in the world, placing him twentieth in 2013 and tenth in 2014.<ref name="h198">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="f177">Template:Cite web</ref> Time magazine featured him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008, honoring his talent as an actor and career resurgence as Iron Man.<ref name="t468">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Independent named Downey the forty-fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century in 2025.<ref name="e305">Template:Cite web</ref>

Acting credits and accolades

Template:Main According to Rotten Tomatoes, Downey's most critically acclaimed films include Tropic Thunder, Oppenheimer, the Sherlock Holmes film series, and several Marvel Studios films, including Captain America: Civil War and the Iron Man and Avengers series.<ref name="rottentomatoes">Template:Cite web</ref> He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Daytime Emmy Award, as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards.<ref name="oppenheimer">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="awards">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Discography

Studio album

• The Futurist (2004)

Soundtrack appearances

Year	Song	Soundtrack	Notes
1992	"Smile"	Chaplin OST	On The Futurist
1993	"The Star-Spangled Banner"	Heart and Souls OST	With B.B. King
2000	"White Christmas"	Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas	With Vonda Shepard
	"River"
2001	"Every Breath You Take"	Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life featuring Vonda Shepard	With Sting
	"Chances Are"		With Vonda Shepard
	"Snakes"
2003	"In My Dreams"	The Singing Detective OST
2005	"Broken"	Kiss Kiss Bang Bang OST	On The Futurist

Printed sources

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External links

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