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Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning American actor and musician. He became known during the late 1980s and early 1990s, after a series of well-reviewed performances in Hollywood films. After a period of drug addiction during the late 1990s, Downey Jr. resumed his acting career, appearing on the television series Ally McBeal as well as in a number of supporting and lead film roles, including the upcoming Iron Man.
Early life and career
Downey Jr. was born in New York City, New York to Elsie Ford, a dancer and singer, and Robert Downey Sr., a director of underground films. He has a sister, Alison. Downey, Jr. is Jewish on his father's side, the original family name being "Elias"; he also has Irish ancestry.
During his childhood, he had a minor role playing a puppy in his father's film Pound (1970). Downey Jr. grew up in California with his father. At the age of twenty, he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, but was a cast member for only one season. He went on to star in The Pick-up Artist in 1987. The same year, he portrayed the drug-addicted rich boy in Less Than Zero. In 1992, he starred as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, a role which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His other films in the 1990s included Heart and Souls, Only You, Natural Born Killers, and Restoration.]
Drug addiction
On June 23, 1996, Downey Jr. was arrested for driving drunk and being in possession of heroin and cocaine and an unloaded .357 Magnum revolver. On November 6, Malibu Municipal Judge Lawrence Mira sentenced Downey to three years probation for weapons and drugs charges. However, just over one year later, on December 8, 1997, Judge Mira sentenced Downey to six months in jail for violating parole. Eighteen months later, Downey returned to Corcoran State Prison to serve a three-year sentence for a parole violation again on July 16, 1999. A California state appellate court ordered Downey released from his term in state prison due to a sentencing error made by his trial judge in August 1999. An appeals court panel ordered his immediate release. The appeals court said Superior Court Judge Lawrence Mira did not take into account time Downey had spent in court-ordered rehab and ruled that the actor ended up serving more than enough time to fulfill his sentence. Downey was arrested again in a Palm Springs, California hotel for cocaine and Valium possession and being under the influence of a controlled substance on November 25, 2000. However, those charges were dismissed in July 2002 due to Proposition 36. The judge had determined that Downey had been drug free for 14 months. Around this time, Downey was also arrested for climbing into the bed of his next door neighbor's child late one night while under the influence of alcohol, but was never convicted.
On April 24, 2001, he was arrested in Culver City, California, for being under the influence of a controlled substance after he was found wandering in an alley. He was not charged. Downey has not had any more public incidents since that time and has allegedly remained clean and sober. He has stated that his father introduced him to drugs by offering him a marijuana joint when he was eight years old. Downey also has revealed he suffers from bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. Having been the butt of numerous jokes over the years regarding his addictions, Downey himself willingly poked fun at his own substance abuse problems and jail time on Saturday Night Live when he hosted. During his opening monologue, he showed slides of his "summer vacation", during which he spent time in jail. He got the biggest laughs of the monologue when he said "And what summer would be complete without a little romance" and he reveals a shot of him with his thumbs up- and a big burly man with his arm around Downey.
Later career
In 2000, Downey Jr. became a regular on the television series Ally McBeal. He won a Golden Globe award and was also nominated for an Emmy. He also appeared as a writer and singer on Vonda Shephard's "Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life" album and sang in a duet with Sting on The Police's "Every Breath You Take" hit dating from 1983. Downey also appeared in Elton John video "I Want Love" in 2001. On November 23, 2004, he released his debut musical album "The Futurist" on Sony Classical, for which he designed the cover art. He was invited to open for Duran Duran in 2005, but declined due to film commitments.
He returned to film in the mid 2000s, with three roles in 2005 and seven roles in 2006. Among them are the already-released Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Good Night, and Good Luck., The Shaggy Dog, A Scanner Darkly, and Zodiac as well as the upcoming Fur. On September 28, 2006, it was announced that Downey would star in the film Iron Man as the titular character; the film is scheduled for release on May 2, 2008.
Personal life
Downey Jr. dated actress Sarah Jessica Parker in the 1980s. He married actress Deborah Falconer on May 29, 1992 and had a son named Indio. They divorced on April 26, 2004. On August 27, 2005, Downey Jr. married producer Susan Levin, (whom he met on the set of Gothika) in a Jewish ceremony at Amagansett, New York.
Downey practices Wing Chun Kung Fu, which he has credited with helping him beat his addiction.
Filmography
* Pound (1970)
* Greaser's Palace (1972)
* Moment to Moment (1975)
* Up the Academy (1980)
* Baby It's You (1983)
* Firstborn (1984)
* Deadwait (1985) (short subject)
* Tuff Turf (1985)
* Weird Science (1985)
* Back to School (1986)
* America (1986)
* The Pick-up Artist (1987)
* Less Than Zero (1987)
* Johnny Be Good (1988)
* Rented Lips (1988)
* 1969 (1988)
* That's Adequate (1989)
* True Believer (1989)
* Chances Are (1989)
* Air America (1990)
* Too Much Sun (1991)
* Soapdish (1991)
* Chaplin (1992)
* Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country (1993) (documentary)
* Heart and Souls (1993)
* The Last Party (1993) (documentary)
* Short Cuts (1993)
* Hail Caesar (1994)
* A Century of Cinema (1994) (documentary)
* Natural Born Killers (1994)
* Only You (1994)
* Richard III (1995)
* Home for the Holidays (1995)
* Restoration (1995)
* Danger Zone (1997)
* One Night Stand (1997)
* Two Girls and a Guy (1997)
* Hugo Pool (1997)
* The Gingerbread Man (1998)
* U.S. Marshals (1998)
* In Dreams (1999)
* Friends & Lovers (1999)
* Bowfinger (1999)
* Black and White (1999)
* Wonder Boys (2000)
* Auto Motives (2000) (short subject)
* Last Party 2000 (2001) (documentary)
* Lethargy (2002) (short subject)
* Whatever We Do (2003) (short subject)
* The Singing Detective (2003)
* Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003) (documentary)
* Gothika (2003)
* Eros (2004)
* Game 6 (2005)
* The Outsider (2005) (documentary)
* Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
* Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
* Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow (2005) (documentary)
* The Shaggy Dog (2006)
* A Scanner Darkly (2006)
* A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)
* Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)
* Zodiac (2007)
Upcoming:
* Lucky You (2007)
* Charlie Bartlett (2007)
* Iron Man (2008)
| Latest news about Robert Downey Jr. |
Robert Downey Jr. Wants to Retire? - CinematicalRobert Downey Jr.? The ever popular actor has told Entertainment Weekly that he might quit acting. "I've never had it this good -- this is my day in the sun -- and I certainly don't want to look a gift horse in the molars. ... Continue reading
This Week's Cover: 'Sherlock Holmes' Exclusive: Is Downey quitting ...I have no set plans for my future,” says Robert Downey Jr., who plays the titular detective in the upcoming film Sherlock Holmes (due Dec. 25), ... Continue reading
Robert Downey Jr. ponders retirement...or not | Celebrity Buzz ...Robert Downey Jr. will consider retirement if his upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie flops. The actor is adamant that if his new detective movie doesn't do well as the box office on its release next month, he will think about winding down ... Continue reading
Perez Hilton: Robert Downey Jr. Quitting Acting?!Since 2004, Hollywood's most hated website has been delivering the juiciest celebrity gossip. The blog is The go-to source for daily happenings in Hollywood. Written by the internet's most notorious gossip columnist, Perez Hilton (Mario ... Continue reading
Cele|bitchy » Blog Archive » Is Robert Downey Jr. sexier than ...Here's Robert Downey Jr. doing yet another preview of Sherlock Holmes, this time on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. I find this “in character” image a little meh, but I've been spoiled. The last magazine cover we got of Robert's was ... Continue reading
Robert Downey, Jr.: Ive Never Had It This Good | MeotiveRobert Downey, Jr. covers the November 27 issue of EW, and he tells the magazine that while he's happy to have opportunities in the entertainment industry, like next month's Sherlock Holmes, he can. Continue reading
Robert Downey Jr. To Quit Acting???Damn, I love that Robert Downey Jr. can: 1) Cut a woman with the edges of a bottle & never be considered a WOMAN ABUSER! and 2) Can go in and out of drug rehab but continuously has an acting gig! Wow, I would love to be this man right ... Continue reading
Robert Downey, Jr. Contemplates Doing Nothing - Get The Big Picture -Perhaps it's because this is the most active and publicized part of his career, but Robert Downey, Jr. seems gassed. Talking to Entertainment Weekly for a Sherlock Holmes cover story, RDJ makes some comments that are being interpreted ... Continue reading
Robert Downey Jr. Might Be Ready to Retire -- VultureThe latest star to hint at retirement is Robert Downey Jr., who told Entertainment Weekly that he and his wife Susan "want to begin to be in our lives." Which means watching movies, reading books, painting, of course. ... Continue reading
Robert Downey Jr. to quit acting? | The SkinnyRobert Downey Jr. to quit acting? Posted by Cover Media, Fri 20 Nov 2009. Robert Downey Jr. is considering quitting acting. The Hollywood star isn't sure if he wants to continue working, or spend more quality time with his wife Susan ... Continue reading
Hollywood Actors Jessica alba Robert Downey Jr. pictures and Robert Downey Jr. biography
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