Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. has evolved into one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. With an amazing list of credits to his name, he has managed to stay new and fresh even after over four decades in the business.

Downey was born April 4, 1965 in Manhattan, New York, the son of writer, director and filmographerRobert Downey Sr.and actressElsie Downey(née Elsie Ann Ford). Robert's father is of half Lithuanian Jewish, one quarter Hungarian Jewish, and one quarter Irish, descent, while Robert's mother was of English, Scottish, German, and Swiss-German ancestry. Robert and his sister,Allyson Downey,were immersed in film and the performing arts from a very young age, leading Downey Jr. to study at the Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center in upstate New York, before moving to California with his father following his parents' 1978 divorce. In 1982, he dropped out of Santa Monica High School to pursue acting full time. Downey Sr., himself a drug addict, exposed his son to drugs at a very early age, and Downey Jr. would go on to struggle with abuse for decades.

Downey Jr. made his debut as an actor at the age of five in the filmPound (1970),written and directed by his father,Robert Downey Sr..He built his film repertoire throughout the 1980s and 1990s with roles inTuff Turf (1985),Weird Science (1985),True Believer (1989),andWonder Boys (2000)among many others. In 1992, Downey received an Academy Award nomination and won the BAFTA (British Academy Award) for Best Actor for his performance in the title role ofChaplin (1992).

InRobert Altman'sShort Cuts (1993),he appeared as an aspiring film make-up artist whose best friend commits murder. InOliver Stone'sNatural Born Killers (1994),withWoody HarrelsonandJuliette Lewis,Downey starred as a tabloid TV journalist who exploits a murderous couple's killing spree to boost his ratings. For the comedyHeart and Souls (1993),Downey starred as a young man with a special relationship with four ghosts. In 1995, Downey starred inRestoration (1995),withHugh Grant,Meg RyanandIan McKellen,directed byMichael Hoffman.Also that year, he starred inRichard III (1995),in which he appears opposite hisRestoration (1995)co-star McKellen.

In 1997, Downey was seen inRobert Altman'sThe Gingerbread Man (1998),alongsideKenneth Branagh,Daryl HannahandEmbeth Davidtz;inOne Night Stand (1997),directed byMike Figgisand starringWesley SnipesandNastassja Kinski;and inHugo Pool (1997),directed by his father,Robert Downey Sr.and starringSean PennandPatrick Dempsey.In September of 1999, Downey appeared inBlack and White (1999),written and directed byJames Toback,along withBen Stiller,Elijah Wood,Gaby Hoffmann,Brooke ShieldsandClaudia Schiffer.In January of 1999, he starred withAnnette BeningandAidan QuinninIn Dreams (1999),directed byNeil Jordan.

In 2000, Downey co-starred withMichael DouglasandTobey MaguireinWonder Boys (2000),directed byCurtis Hanson.In this dramatic comedy, Downey played the role of a bisexual literary agent. In 2001, Downey made his prime-time television debut when he joined the cast of the Fox-TV seriesAlly McBeal (1997)as attorney "Larry Paul". For this role, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, as well as the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Comedy Series. In addition, Downey was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

The actor's drug-related problems escalated from 1996 to 2001, leading to arrests, rehab visits and incarcerations, and he was eventually fired fromAlly McBeal (1997).Emerging clean and sober in 2003, Downey Jr. began to rebuild his career.

He marked his debut into music with his debut album, titled "The Futurist", on the Sony Classics Label on November 23rd, 2004. The album's eight original songs, that Downey wrote, and his two musical numbers debuting as cover songs revealed his sultry singing voice and his musical talents. Downey displayed his versatility in two different films in October 2003: the musical/dramaThe Singing Detective (2003),a remake of the BBC hit of the same name, and the thrillerGothika (2003)starringHalle BerryandPenélope Cruz.Downey starred in powerful yet humbling roles inspired by real-life accounts of some of history's most precious kept secrets, includingRichard Linklater'sA Scanner Darkly (2006)in 2006 co-starringKeanu Reeves,Winona RyderandWoody Harrelson,andFur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)co-starringNicole Kidman,a film inspired by the life of Diane Arbus, the revered photographer whose images captured attention in the early 1960s. These roles exhibited Downey's momentum from the previous year of 2005, in which he starred in the Academy Award®-nominated feature filmGood Night, and Good Luck. (2005),directed byGeorge Clooneyand inShane Black's action comedyKiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)co-starringVal Kilmer.In 2007, he co-starred inDavid Fincher's suspensefulZodiac (2007),alongsideJake GyllenhaalandMark Ruffalo,about the notorious serial killer who haunted San Francisco during the 1970s.

In May 2008, Downey achieved critical acclaim and worldwide box office success for his starring role inIron Man (2008),Jon Favreau's big-screen rendering of the Marvel comic book superhero. The film co-starredGwyneth Paltrow,Jeff BridgesandTerrence Howard.In August of 2008, Downey starred withBen StillerandJack Blackin the comedyTropic Thunder (2008),and went on to receive an Academy Award®-nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his, Kirk Lazarus.

In December 2009, Downey starred in the action-adventureSherlock Holmes (2009).The film, directed byGuy Ritchie,co-starredJude LawandRachel McAdamsand earned Downey a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical in January of 2010. In early Summer 2010, Downey re-teamed with directorJon Favreauand reprised his role as "Tony Stark/Iron Man" in the hugely successful sequel to the original film,Iron Man 2 (2010),starringGwyneth Paltrow,Scarlett Johansson,Samuel L. JacksonandMickey Rourke.

Downey next starred inDue Date (2010),a comedy directed byTodd Phillips,in which he plays the role of an expectant father on a road trip racing to get back in time for the birth of his first child.Due Date (2010),starringThe Hangover (2009)'sZach Galifianakis,was released in November 2010.

Downey was honored by Time Magazine's "Time 100" in 2008, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. His laurels include two Academy Award nominations, three Golden Globe wins, numerous other award nominations and wins, and tremendous popular and commercial success, particularly in his roles as Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark (the latter of which he has so far played inIron Man (2008),Iron Man 2 (2010),The Avengers (2012),Iron Man Three (2013),andAvengers: Age of Ultron (2015).For three consecutive years, from 2012 to 2015, Downey has topped the Forbes list of Hollywood's highest-paid actors, making an estimated $80 million in earnings between June 2014 and June 2015.

In 2005, Downey Jr. marriedSusan Downey,with whom he has two children. Downey also has another son,Indio Falconer Downey,born 1993, from his first marriage toDeborah Falconer,from whom he was officially divorced in 2004.

Robert has jump-started the Team Downey Production Company with wifeSusan Downey.