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Robert Downey Jr.

Acting

Biography

Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.3 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. Downey was the highest-paid actor in the world annually from 2013 to 2015. Known for his versatility across roles, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two British Academy Film Awards.

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 spending less than a year at a treatment facility on drug charges, Downey joined the television series Ally McBeal in 2000, earning a Golden Globe for his performance. Dismissed from the show in 2001 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 gained global recognition for starring as Iron Man in ten Marvel Cinematic Universe films, from Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019). Downey starred as the titular detective in Sherlock Holmes (2009), which earned him a Golden Globe. His portrayal of bureaucrat Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023) won him the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2024, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for the miniseries The Sympathizer. He made his Broadway debut in the title role of Ayad Akhtar's McNeal.

Time named Downey one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008, and Forbes featured him on the Celebrity 100 in 2013 and 2014. He has pursued music, releasing the jazz-pop album The Futurist (2004), which charted on the US Billboard 200. Divorced from singer Deborah Falconer, Downey has been married to film producer Susan Levin since 2005; they co-founded the production company Team Downey. Downey has three children: one with Falconer and two with Levin. In 2025, he was named one of the greatest film actors of the 21st century by The Independent.

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