I welcome guests and regular readers of the site website. This article will focus on the popular actor, best known for his role as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert John Downey Jr saw the world on April 4, 1965. in New York and became the last of two offspring in an acting family.
In addition to the fact that his father is an actor, he was a director, thanks to which he filmed his five-year-old son in his own movie, "Zagon".
Downey Jr. in The Pound as Puppy (1970)
At the age of 7, Downey Jr. played in the film "Greaser's Palace".
Ten-year-old Robert lived in England, where he studied classical ballet. During his teenage years, he attended a performing arts training center.
When the son was 13 years old, his parents divorced. Both Roberts - the eldest and the youngest - move to California. Although already in 1982, Downey Jr. left the general educational institution and returned to New York to pursue an acting profession.
At 20, Robert Downey Jr. goes to work on television. The guy is briefly part of the group that produces the popular show "Saturday Night Live". However, this work does not impress him, he is aimed at acting, so he leaves for Hollywood.
Aspiring film actor in 1987. gets the main role in the comedy "The Pickup Specialist".
This is followed by a series of works in films on the school theme. In 1992 Robert brilliantly plays the leading film role in the film "Chaplin". This work is appreciated with dignity, the performer is nominated for the Golden Globe and Oscar, he receives the BAFTA award for the excellent performance of a male actor.
Recognition takes a toll on the celebrity. Robert Downey Jr.'s addiction to drugs and alcohol progresses, he is excluded from all film studios. For possession of drugs and weapons, the court sentences the actor to a 16-month stay in prison and a course of treatment.
In 2002, Downey Jr. returns to normal life and receives job offers. He starred in the films "Gothic", "Blow Kiss", "Zodiac" and others.
The real breakthrough is 2008 and the film "Iron Man".
This work is called the rebirth of the actor, after which he is literally flooded with various invitations to highly paid roles.
Childhood
Robert is the son of independent director Robert Downey Sr. His film debut was the role of a puppy in his father's film. Having matured, Downey Jr. finally got stronger in his desire to become an actor and moved to Hollywood.
At first, Robert starred in teen films. The film "Less than zero" brought the actor popularity, producers and directors became interested in him. In 1992, when the film "Chaplin" was released, Robert received high marks from well-known critics, and was nominated for an Oscar. Robert became one of the most promising young actors of the time.
Filmography of Robert Downey Jr.
But at the height of his career, Robert became addicted to drugs. The habit dragged on Downey Jr., the actor was fired from the studios. Robert spent 16 months in a cell for drug possession. Downey Jr. later admitted that he tried marijuana for the first time at the age of 8 at the suggestion of his father. Later, the actor will cope with his habits and will speak philosophically about his mistakes: “I am not ashamed of my past. You know, it's like meeting an ex-girlfriend. You look at her and think: "She's not that bad!"
In 2003, Robert became interested in music and released the album The Futurist. The record turned out to be successful, Robert proved that he is also a talented musician. And the film "Fur" filmed at this time received enthusiastic responses from critics.
Not the most serious, but perhaps the most important for a career, was the main role in the fantastic blockbuster Iron Man. After the release of the film, the film companies literally flooded the actor with offers, and Downey himself said that Iron Man divided his life into two parts.
For the sake of a new role in Kirk Lazarus' film Tropic Troopers, Downey even agreed to change the skin pigment. For a brilliant game, he was again nominated for an Oscar.
Actor Robert Downey Jr. starred in Sherlock Holmes, which broke the box office record in its opening weekend, and the actor himself received a second Golden Globe Award. The role of Dr. Watson brilliantly played. The actor received his first Golden Globe award back in 2001 for his role in the television series Ally McBeal. No less successful project with the participation of Robert were the films Iron Man 2 (2010) and The Avengers, followed by Iron Man 3 (2013) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
By the way, the height of Robert Downey Jr. is 174 cm.
Personal life of Robert Downey Jr.
In 1991, after a seven-year romance, Robert broke up with the actress.
Almost immediately after the breakup, Robert married model and actress Deborah Falconer, in 1993 the couple had a boy, Indio. The marriage lasted 12 years and broke up due to Downey's drug addiction.
In 2003, Downey met producer Susan Levin and for her sake underwent drug treatment in a clinic in Los Angeles. They later got married. A close friend of the actor told Downey: "In your life, man, after long winters, summer has finally come." In February 2012, the couple had a child - Exton Elias Downey.
In 2015, Robert Downey Jr. topped the list of the highest paid actors in Hollywood.
Robert was born to Robert Downey Sr. and Elsie Downey. His father was an actor, director and producer and his mother was an actress. The actor's parents divorced in 1978.
Since childhood, Robert has been involved in his father's projects. Already at the age of five, he made his debut in the film by Downey Sr. "The Corral". This was followed by small roles in the films "Griser's Palace", "Fuck the Academy" and others.
In 1978, he moved to California with his father, but left school in 1982 and returned to New York to pursue an acting career.
In 1985, he joined the team of the popular American television show Saturday Night Live, where he worked for a year.
After moving to Hollywood, Robert Downey landed the lead role in the 1987 comedy The Pickup Specialist. This was followed by roles in such films as "Less Than Zero", "Believing in the Truth", "Air America".
In 1992, he played the title role in the film Chaplin. For his work in this film, the actor received the first Golden Globe and Oscar nominations in his career.
In subsequent years, he starred in such films as "Short Stories", "Ave Caesar", "Only You", "Royal Grace", "Love Triangle", "Black and White", "Gothic", "Fur" and many others. .
A new round in the career of Robert Downey Jr. was the role of Tony Stark in the film "Iron Man", released in 2008. In the same year, the actor starred in the film Tropic Soldiers, for which he received another Oscar and Golden Globe nomination.
In 2010, Robert won the Golden Globe Award for his lead role in the film Sherlock Holmes.
Currently, he continues to act in films. Among his recent works are roles in films such as The Avengers, The Judge, Iron Man 3, The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Hobbies : Wushu, music, painting
Personal life : From 1984 to 1991, he dated actress Sarah Jessica Parker.
In 1992, Robert married singer and model Deborah Falconer. In September 1993, the couple had a son, Indio. The couple broke up in 2004 due to the actor's drug addiction.
In 2003, on the set of the thriller Gothic, he met producer Susan Levin. A romantic relationship arose between Robert and Susan, which led to the fact that in August 2005 the lovers got married. On November 4, 2014, the couple became parents: the couple had a daughter, Avri Roel.
Scandals\interesting facts\charity
In the mid-1990s, the actor suffered from drug addiction. At that time, as a result of a series of high-profile scandals, he was fired from the studios where he was busy filming. In addition, in 1996, Robert was sentenced to 16 months in prison and compulsory treatment for possession of drugs and weapons. His current wife, Susan Levin, helped him cope with addiction: before proposing to her, the actor underwent treatment in a Los Angeles clinic and completely got rid of addiction.
According to Robert Downey Jr., his father taught him drugs, in particular marijuana, when the actor was only eight years old.
Robert Downey Jr. was a notorious brawler. At one time, the actor managed to turn the whole of Hollywood on his ears. He played pranks on his colleagues, staged his own scenes on set, and disrupted performances. But in recent years, he got on the right track and became the highest paid actor. Geeks found 15 curious facts about the life and career of an actor.
1 He wears high heels
Robert may be the highest paid actor in Hollywood, but he's definitely not the highest. His height is 173 cm.
During the start of filming for Sherlock Holmes, Guy Ritchie was unhappy with the height difference between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law and forced Robert to wear platform shoes. While getting used to new shoes, the actor was not always able to keep his balance during filming.
Being forced to wear heels in almost every Iron Man scene because Gwyneth Paltrow is taller than him has made the actor much more comfortable walking in them. Robert also borrowed the idea of heels for his daily wardrobe.
2 Tried marijuana at age 6
The actor's relationship with drugs has a long history, and acquaintance with them took place under unusual conditions. When Robert was 6 years old, his father suggested smoking marijuana together. Downey later stated that drug use became an emotional bond between him and his father. He claims that this is how the father tried to show his love. He just didn't know how to do it right.
3 Burger King saved his life
Once in 2003, Robert Downey Jr. was driving a car while intoxicated. Seeing a Burger King diner, I decided to buy myself a burger. But it tasted so disgusting that Downey saw the light and realized that it was necessary to change his life. The first point of a new life was the rejection of drugs.
4 Threw the last drug I bought into the ocean
After the incident with Burger King, Robert Downey Jr. canceled a drug trip with friends and instead drove towards the sea. When he arrived at the place, breathing clean air and listening to the roar of the waves, he realized that he was ready to give up drugs. He collected all the drugs that were with him and threw them into the water. Since then, he has been completely clean.
5 He was released for a day from a rehabilitation center to shoot in the video of Elton John
The script for the video was simple: a man walks through an empty house, singing the lines of a song. The only problem was that the director wanted to see Robert in the video, who was then in a rehabilitation center.
The entire clip consists of one continuous take. A total of 16 takes were made.
6 He was supposed to play Hamlet in Mel Gibson's stage adaptation.
Downey was supposed to play the Danish prince, but ended up in prison because of drugs. Gibson, however, was not offended and years later paid for the insurance, without which Robert would not have received any more roles in Hollywood.
7 He studied classical ballet in England
Because of his father's work schedule, Robert spent most of his childhood and adolescence moving. During this time, he managed to live in California, New York, Connecticut, Paris and the small town of Chelsea. Where in 1977 he studied at the Peri House School and studied classical ballet.
8 When he was in school, he hated comics.
In high school, he was suspended for disorderly conduct: Downey insulted a classmate for his love of graphic novels, tore a comic book out of his hands and tore it apart. And by the way, it was an Iron Man comic.
9 He is the first and last member of SNL to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor.
List of Notable Members of Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live) is very extensive, among them: Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Steve Martin, Dan Ackroyd, Billy Crystal, Chris Rock and even Rob Schneider.
However, it was Downey Jr. who was the first nominee for an Oscar for Best Actor. It happened in 1993, when he was nominated for his role in the biopic Chaplin.
10 He buried all the clothes from the movie "Less than Zero" in the backyard
Robert Downey Jr., wanting to draw a line on his past life, took all the clothes he wore during the filming of the film Less Than Zero, which tells about the disintegration of the personality of rich children, and buried them in the backyard of the house. Thus, he symbolically ended the old life and began a new stage.
11 Broke Halle Berry's arm
While filming Gothic with Halle Berry, Downey accidentally broke her arm. Robert then pulled the actress too sharply. After that, Downey was immediately taken away from the site and checked for alcohol and drugs - but nothing was found and released.
12 The way to Japan is ordered for the actor
In 2008, during the promotional tour of the film "Iron Man", Downey flew to Japan, but at the airport he was almost denied entry due to numerous legal problems and a bad reputation. The organizers managed to settle the hitch on parole that the actor would never come to the Land of the Rising Sun again.
It may surprise you, but any actor's place is not exotic beaches or noisy movie premieres, but an international comic book conference.
Appearing on Late Night with Seth Myers, Downey Jr talked about his many visits to Comic-Con after he became Iron Man. " I feel like the mayor of Comic-Con. My normal life outside of him seems incredibly boring. But when I'm at Comic-Con, I'm a god".
actor, producer, screenwriter
Robert Downey Jr. - a man of difficult fate and an outstanding actor with a motley list of diverse roles - was born in Manhattan (New York) in the family of director Robert Downey and actress Elsie Ford on April 4, 1965. From childhood, he was destined for acting fate - Robert Jr.'s film debut was his father's film Pound, where the boy played at the age of five.
At the age of ten, he lived and studied ballet in England, then studied in the performing arts at Stagedore Manor (Greenwich Village). In 1978 - after the divorce of his parents - he moved with his father to California, but for real acting experience he returned to New York in 1982.
After working in television, he decided to forever connect his life with cinema: the first serious roles of Robert Downey Jr. receives after the comedy Filmmaker James Toback. A few more successful teen films - and the actor gets his most important role in the twentieth century - the legendary comedian in the biopic of Richard Attenborough Chaplin (1992). The film brings the young actor Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, BAFTA awards and worldwide recognition. Around the same time, he plays the memorable eccentric reporter in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. But success and a promising career fade into oblivion in the face of problems with drugs and the law. Robert Downey Jr. gets a 16-month sentence for possession of cocaine, heroin and weapons and compulsory treatment for addiction in a Los Angeles prison.
This could be the final point in the career of a great actor. But acquaintance with Susan Levin - a Hollywood producer - changed his attitude to life: the actor gives up bad habits and makes Susan a marriage proposal. Thus begins the second stage of the ascent to the title of one of the highest paid and most sought-after actors according to Forbes. Downey Jr. records a solo album "The Futurist", in which he opens up new facets of his talent, starred in the films Kiss Bang Bang and Fur - both films are highly appreciated by the audience and film critics. Approved for the main role in the film adaptation of the Marvel comics series Iron Man and the Avengers. And, in the end, receives a second Oscar nomination in Ben Stiller's Soldiers of Misfortune (2008). After that, he signs a contract for cooperation with Guy Ritchie in his adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, together with which he becomes one of the most recognizable actors in the world. Robert Downey Jr. filmography includes more than 70 films.
He is a happy family man in a ten-year marriage to Susan Levin. He has a son, Indio, from his first marriage to Debra Falconer, and a son and daughter from his second.
Robert Downey Jr. brown eyes, naturally dark hair color, light skin and medium lips. The shape of the face is oval, the forehead is medium, the hair is straight, thick. Robert Downey Jr. does not change hair color, giving preference to natural. The actor has a medium straight nose and a rounded chin. Robert Downey Jr. sometimes grows a mustache and beard. The actor's height is 174 cm, there are tattoos.
Zodiac sign - Aries (04/04/1965)
Robert Downey Jr. - a man of difficult fate and an outstanding actor with a motley list of diverse roles - was born in Manhattan (New York) in the family of director Robert Downey and actress Elsie Ford on April 4, 1965. From childhood, he was destined for acting fate - Robert Jr.'s film debut was his father's film Pound, where the boy played at the age of five. At the age of ten, he lived and studied ballet in England, then studied in the performing arts at Stagedore Manor (Greenwich Village). In 1978 - after the divorce of his parents - he moved with his father to California, but returned to New York in 1982 for real acting experience. receives after the comedy Specialist...
