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Robert Downey Jr.
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Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965), also known as RDJ, is an American actor. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $14 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. In 2008, Downey was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. From 2013 to 2015, Forbes listed him as Hollywood's highest-paid actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, Academy Award, and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. At age five, Downey made his acting debut in his father Robert Downey Sr.'s 1970 film Pound. He subsequently worked with the Brat Pack in Weird Science (1985) and Less than Zero (1987) teen films. Downey's portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 biopic Chaplin garnered him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor and his first Academy Award nomination. Following a stint at the Corcoran Substance Abuse Treatment Facility on drug charges, he joined the TV series Ally McBeal in 2000 and won a Golden Globe Award for the role. Downey was fired from the show in 2001 in the wake of additional drug charges. He stayed in a court-ordered drug treatment program and has maintained his sobriety since 2003. Downey made his acting comeback in the 2003 film The Singing Detective, after Mel Gibson paid his insurance bond because completion bond companies would not insure him, and went on to star in the black comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), the thriller Zodiac (2007) and the action comedy Tropic Thunder (2008). Downey gained global recognition for starring as Iron Man in ten Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, from Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019). He also played Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009), which earned him his second Golden Globe, and in its 2011 sequel. Downey has also taken on dramatic parts in The Judge (2014) and Oppenheimer (2023), winning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in the latter. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for playing multiple characters in the black comedy miniseries The Sympathizer (2024). He debuted on Broadway that year, playing the title role in Ayad Akhtar's McNeal.
Overview
Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965), also known as RDJ, is an American actor. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $14 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. In 2008, Downey was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. From 2013 to 2015, Forbes listed him as Hollywood's highest-paid actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, Academy Award, and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. At age five, Downey made his acting debut in his father Robert Downey Sr.'s 1970 film Pound. He subsequently worked with the Brat Pack in Weird Science (1985) and Less than Zero (1987) teen films. Downey's portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 biopic Chaplin garnered him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor and his first Academy Award nomination. Following a stint at the Corcoran Substance Abuse Treatment Facility on drug charges, he joined the TV series Ally McBeal in 2000 and won a Golden Globe Award for the role. Downey was fired from the show in 2001 in the wake of additional drug charges. He stayed in a court-ordered drug treatment program and has maintained his sobriety since 2003. Downey made his acting comeback in the 2003 film The Singing Detective, after Mel Gibson paid his insurance bond because completion bond companies would not insure him, and went on to star in the black comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), the thriller Zodiac (2007) and the action comedy Tropic Thunder (2008). Downey gained global recognition for starring as Iron Man in ten Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, from Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019). He also played Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009), which earned him his second Golden Globe, and in its 2011 sequel. Downey has also taken on dramatic parts in The Judge (2014) and Oppenheimer (2023), winning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in the latter. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for playing multiple characters in the black comedy miniseries The Sympathizer (2024). He debuted on Broadway that year, playing the title role in Ayad Akhtar's McNeal.
Known For
Saturday Night Live
The Oscars
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Raw
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The Graham Norton Show
Entertainment Tonight
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
GMTV
Late Night with Seth Meyers
The Early Show
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Honest Trailers
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Frank Skinner Show
Family Guy
Kids' Choice Awards
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Late Night with David Letterman
Finding Your Roots
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
Loki
Marvel Studios Assembled
Marvel Studios Legends
Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways
The Chef Show
Spider-Man: Far From Home
The Incredible Hulk
The Nice Guys
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Avengers: Doomsday
Baby It's You
Val
Marvel: 75 Years, from Pulp to Pop!
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Deadpool & Wolverine
Ally McBeal
Pound
Oppenheimer
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Chef
Weird Science
Mussolini: The Untold Story
Firstborn
The Shaggy Dog
Wonder Boys
Zodiac
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Soapdish
Natural Born Killers
Less Than Zero
U.S. Marshals
Gothika
Tropic Thunder
Captain America: Civil War
The Outsider
The Sympathizer
Home for the Holidays
Due Date
Iron Man 3
The Judge
Dolittle
Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Iron Man
Avengers: Infinity War
The Singing Detective
Avengers: Endgame
Downey's Dream Cars
Take a seat.
Sherlock Holmes
I Am Iron Man
Avengers: Secret Wars
Vertigo
1969
The Avengers
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Iron Man 2
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Production Credits
Helltown
Sweet Tooth
Perry Mason
The Judge
Downey's Dream Cars
Vertigo
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
The Twilight Zone
The Sympathizer
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