Robert Downey Jr.

Early life and acting background

Robert John Downey Jr. was born in Manhattan, New York City, on April 4, 1965. His father, Robert Downey Sr. (né Elias), was a filmmaker, while his mother, Elsie Ann (née Ford), was an actress who appeared in Downey Sr.'s films. Downey Sr. had Lithuanian Jewish and Irish ancestry, while Elsie had Scottish, German, and Swiss ancestry. Downey's sister, Allyson, is two years older than him.

Due to his father's film projects, Downey moved frequently during his childhood, living in places such as Woodstock, New York; London; New Mexico; California; Connecticut; and Greenwich Village in New York City. From a young age, Downey was exposed to drugs: his father struggled with addiction, and his mother battled alcoholism. He has said that his father introduced him to marijuana at age eight, for which he later expressed regret. Downey mentioned that using drugs with his father created an emotional connection between them, explaining that, "When my dad and I used drugs together, it was his way of showing love for me in the only manner he knew." During his childhood, Downey appeared in small roles in his father's films. He made his acting debut at the age of five, portraying a sick puppy in the absurdist comedy Pound (1970), and at seven, he appeared in the surrealist Western Greaser's Palace (1972). At ages eleven and twelve, he attended Stagedoor Manor, a summer acting camp in upstate New York.

In school, Downey was a hyperactive child who "tried to be cool", often teased by the older boys but popular with the girls. His parents divorced when he was twelve; afterward, he lived with his mother in a fifth-floor apartment in New York City, while his sister stayed with their father, who later took her to a boarding school. He attended Lincoln Junior High School for eighth grade and then Santa Monica High School for ninth and tenth grades, but dropped out in 1982. At age 17, Downey relocated to his home town to pursue acting full-time, working various jobs such as clearing tables at a Central Falls restaurant, working in a shoe store, and performing as "living art" at the nightclub Area to support himself during auditions. During this period, he also appeared in local theater and off-Broadway productions.

Career

1983–1995: Early work and critical acclaim

Downey made his stage debut in 1983 with a three-week run in Alms for the Middle Class at the Geva Theatre Center. He then appeared in the short-lived off-Broadway musical American Passion at the Joyce Theater, produced by Norman Lear. Downey's first credited film role was in Baby It's You (1983), though most of his scenes were cut. In his early film roles, he frequently portrayed misfit characters, and his portrayals of punk-like figures in several 1980s coming-of-age films led to his occasional association with the Brat Pack. In the drama film Firstborn (1984), he played a supporting role as the teenage friend of the protagonist. Downey then traveled to Los Angeles to film James Spader's Tuff Turf (1985), in which he played Spader's sidekick and a punk drummer. Later that year, his role as a bully in John Hughes's Weird Science (1985) marked his breakthrough. Downey starred as a more likeable radical socialist in the Alan Metter comedy film Back to School (1987).

In 1985, Downey joined the new, younger cast of Saturday Night Live, securing the audition with help from his Weird Science co-star and friend Anthony Michael Hall. After a season of poor ratings and criticism of the cast's comedic ability, he and most of the new members were dismissed. Downey's first leading role came in The Pick-up Artist (1987), which faced criticism for being "sexually irresponsible" because of its portrayal of promiscuous sex during a period of heightened AIDS awareness. He earned critical acclaim for his role as Julian Wells in the drama film Less than Zero (1987), the film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's 1985 novel. For portraying a drug-addicted rich boy whose life rapidly spirals out of control, Critic Roger Ebert called his performance "so real, so subtle and so observant that it's scary", while Janet Maslin, writing for The New York Times, deemed it "desperately moving". Downey said that the role felt like "the ghost of Christmas Future" for him, as his drug habit led him to become an "exaggeration of the character" in real life.

Shortly after completing Less than Zero, Downey entered rehab for the first time, beginning a decade-long cycle of interventions and treatment stints that culminated in his 1996 arrest. He starred alongside Kiefer Sutherland and Winona Ryder in the teen drama 1969 (1988). The film saw mixed reviews, though his performance garnered good reviews from writers at Variety and Deseret News. Downey went on to star in the films Chances Are (1989) with Cybill Shepherd and Ryan O'Neal, Air America (1990) with Mel Gibson, and Soapdish (1991) with Sally Field, Kevin Kline, Cathy Moriarty, and Whoopi Goldberg; each saw varying critical success. To prepare for his portrayal of comic actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin in the biopic Chaplin (1992), Downey trained extensively, learning to play the violin and tennis left-handed, and working with a coach to replicate Chaplin's accent and mannerisms. Although the film was a box-office bomb, critics praised Downey's performance, for which he earned the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations.

In 1993, Downey starred in Heart and Souls, playing a man possessed by multiple characters—a performance that critic Peter Travers praised as revealing his "explosive talent for physical comedy". In Only You (1994), co-starring Marisa Tomei and Billy Zane, Downey played Peter Wright, a professional dancer who poses as the soulmate for Tomei's character Faith. Norman Jewison—the film's director—cast him because he reminded him of Tony Curtis: "charming with great comedic timing". In preparation for his role of reporter Wayne Gale in Natural Born Killers (1994), Downey shadowed Australian television shock journalist Steve Dunleavy, which helped him develop an Australian accent. The film proved successful at the box office, grossing $110million on a $34million budget. Throughout 1995, he took on a string of diverse roles, appearing in the period drama Restoration, the Shakespearean adaptation Richard III, and the family ensemble Home for the Holidays.

1996–2001: Addiction-related setbacks and ''Ally McBeal''

In early 1996, concerned for Downey's well-being, Sean Penn and Dennis Quaid went to his residence, took his keys, and brought him to a rehab center in Tucson; however, Downey left the facility and checked himself out a few days later. In June 1996, he was arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and an unloaded .357 Magnum handgun while speeding down Sunset Boulevard. A month later, while under the influence of a controlled substance, he entered a neighbor's home through an unlocked front door and fell asleep on their child's bed. The family declined to press trespassing charges. The 911 call made by the neighbor was later circulated online and became known as the "Goldilocks incident". In September 1996, he plead no contest; two months later, following a period in court-ordered rehab, he was sentenced to an additional six months of live-in rehabilitation, three years' probation, and compulsory drug testing. Downey starred in Two Girls and a Guy (1997), portraying a duplicitous man who convinces each of two women that she is his only love.

After missing a court-ordered drug test in 1997, Downey spent six months in Los Angeles County Jail. In January 1998, he was temporarily allowed out of jail to star in the U.S. Marshals. Upon his full release, he entered a court-mandated 120-day rehab program and then starred in Black and White (1999), playing Terry Donager, the gay husband of a documentary filmmaker. That year, after maintaining sobriety during the filming of Wonder Boys (2000), Downey relapsed. At the time, he was facing financial difficulties and had lost his house in Malibu. Later that year, after missing another court-ordered drug test, he was arrested again. Despite his lawyer Robert Shapiro assembling the same legal team that had successfully defended O. J. Simpson in his criminal trial, Downey was sentenced to a three-year prison term at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran. At the time of his arrest, all of Downey's film projects had been completed and were nearing release. He had also been hired to voice the devil in the NBC animated series God, the Devil and Bob, but was dismissed after failing to attend rehearsals.

After spending nearly a year in the Corcoran prison, Downey was unexpectedly released in 2000 on the condition of posting a $5,000 bail, when a judge ruled that his cumulative time in incarceration facilities—from his initial 1996 arrests—qualified him for early release. A week after his release, he joined the cast of the television series Ally McBeal as a new love interest. For his performance, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film. In retrospect, Downey described his performance as overrated, deeming it his "lowest point in terms of addictions". Before the end of his first season on Ally McBeal, Downey was arrested on Thanksgiving in 2000, after police responded to an anonymous 911 call and searched his room at Merv Griffin's Hotel and Givenchy Spa in Palm Springs, California. He was found under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession of cocaine and valium. Despite facing a potential prison sentence of up to four years and eight months if convicted, Downey committed to appear in at least eight additional episodes of Ally McBeal.

In April 2001, while on parole, Downey was found wandering barefoot in Culver City by a Los Angeles police officer. He was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs but was released a few hours later, even though tests confirmed the presence of cocaine in his system. After the arrest, the producers of Ally McBeal ordered last-minute rewrites and reshoots before dismissing him from the series, despite his character having boosted the show's ratings. In July 2001, Downey pleaded no contest to the Palm Springs charges, avoiding jail time. Instead, he was ordered into drug rehabilitation and sentenced to three years of probation under California Proposition 36, which had been enacted the previous year to direct nonviolent drug offenders toward treatment rather than prison. He spent a year in a court-mandated rehabilitation facility. By this time Downey was homeless, considered too great an insurance risk to be employable, and facing bankruptcy.

In December 2000, Downey's stepmother, Rosemary, told author Alex Tresnlowski of People that Downey had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder "a few years ago", adding that this was "the reason he has a hard time staying sober. What hasn't been tried is medication and intensive psychotherapy". Los Angeles psychiatrist Manijeh Nikakhtar said she had received a letter from Downey in 1999 during his incarceration at Corcoran II, asking for advice regarding his condition. She stated that "no one had done a complete [psychiatric] evaluation [on him][...] I asked him flat out if he thought he was bipolar, and he said, 'Oh yeah. There are times I spend a lot of money and I'm hyperactive, and there are other times I’m down.'"

2001–2007: Recovery and comeback

After five years of substance abuse, arrests, and relapse, Downey began working toward a full recovery in 2001. His first acting job after rehabilitation came in August, when he appeared lip-syncing in the music video for Elton John's single "I Want Love", directed by Sam Taylor-Wood. Two years later, he returned to film with The Singing Detective (2003), directed by his Back to School co-star Keith Gordon, after Gibson paid his insurance bond, allowing him to be cast. He played Dan Dark, a paralyzed, suffering pulp novelist who hallucinates and drifts between reality and fantasy. Although the film received mixed reviews, Downey regarded it as a personal achievement. For Gothika (2003), producer Joel Silver withheld 40percent of Downey's salary until production was completed as protection against potential issues related to his addiction.

Silver secured Downey the lead role in Shane Black's directorial debut, the comedy thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). Downey received positive reviews for his performance: Mike Russell, writing in The Oregonian, deemed it "one of [his] most enjoyable performances", while a writer for The Age deemed it a "terrific comic performance". Downey appeared in a range of leading and supporting roles, gaining particular recognition for his performances in several semi-independent films. In Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), he portrayed a CBS journalist and editor secretly married to a coworker, a relationship concealed due to the network's policy prohibiting employees from marrying one another. His role as a drug addict in Richard Linklater's dystopian, rotoscoped film A Scanner Darkly (2006) was praised; Travers called his performance "the film's flashiest and most ferociously entertaining", and critic J. Hoberman regarded it as "the performance to beat" that year. Downey's character in Steven Shainberg's fictional biographical drama Fur (2006) was a composite representing the two most significant influences on Diane Arbus's professional life, Lisette Model and Marvin Israel. Fur was poorly received by critics, who conversely lauded Downey's performance.

In 2005, Downey voiced the character of Patrick Pewterschmidt for an episode of Family Guy titled "The Fat Guy Strangler". That same year, Downey signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish a memoir, which he described as a candid account of his life and career. In 2008, however, he returned his advance and canceled the project without explanation. In 2007, he appeared in David Fincher's mystery thriller Zodiac, based on true events, portraying San Francisco Chronicle journalist Paul Avery, who covered the Zodiac Killer case. Downey's performance was critically acclaimed; a Tuscaloosa News writer deemed it one of his best, and critic Manohla Dargis remarked that he was at the "top of [his] performance game".

2008–2019: Stardom with Iron Man

In 2006, Downey was cast as the titular character in the superhero film Iron Man. Director Jon Favreau explained that while Downey was not the most obvious choice, "he understood what makes the character tick. He found a lot of his own life experience in 'Tony Stark'." Favreau strongly advocated for Downey's casting, believing he could elevate the film's quality and generate widespread audience interest, much like Johnny Depp had done for the Pirates of the Caribbean series. To prepare for the role, Downey gained more than twentypounds (ninekilograms) of muscle over five months to achieve the physicality required for the part. Iron Man was released on May 2, 2008, in the US. It became the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2008, earning more than $585million worldwide against a production budget of $130million.

In Iron Man, Downey portrayed Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist who is kidnapped and forced to build a deadly missile, only to instead construct a suit of armor that transforms him into the superhero Iron Man. Both the film and Downey's performance were acclaimed by critics, many of whom considered his portrayal the standout element of Iron Man and credited it with catapulting him to global stardom. Ebert wrote that "it's Robert Downey Jr. who powers the lift-off separating this from most other superhero movies", while, in a retrospective Variety article, Zack Sharf credited Downey's charisma with making Iron Man both a critical and commercial success. By October 2008, Downey had signed on to reprise his role in two sequels to Iron Man and in The Avengers (2012), which featured the superhero team that Stark joins, based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. He first reprised the role with a brief appearance as Stark in the film The Incredible Hulk (2008), as part of Marvel Studios' initiative to depict the same Marvel Universe on film by providing continuity among the films.

Downey starred alongside Ben Stiller, who also directed the film, and Jack Black in Tropic Thunder. The three actors portray exaggerated Hollywood archetypes, with Downey playing Kirk Lazarus, a self-absorbed, multi–Oscar-winning Australian method actor starring in an overblown Vietnam War film titled Tropic Thunder. To embody his character, African-American platoon sergeant Lincoln Osiris, Lazarus undergoes a controversial skin pigmentation procedure, requiring Downey to wear dark makeup and a wig. Released in August 2008, Tropic Thunder opened atop the American box office and retained the number-one position for three consecutive weeks, eventually grossing $195million worldwide on a budget of about $90million. For his portrayal of Lazarus, Downey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He then portrayed Steve Lopez in the biopic The Soloist (2009), a Los Angeles Times columnist who discovers a homeless man playing a violin with virtuoso skill.

Downey played the titular detective in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009). The Times praised the lead performances, describing Downey as "terrific" and commending Ritchie for eliciting "a career-best performance from [Jude] Law", though it noted that their double act struggled to sustain "an overlong film". Sherlock Holmes became the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2009 and won Downey the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Downey reprised his role as Stark in Iron Man 2, the first of two planned sequels to Iron Man. Released in May 2010 in the US, the film grossed over $623 million worldwide, ranking as the seventh highest-grossing film of the year. Set six months after Iron Man, the film follows Stark as he rejects government demands to share his technology, while facing the vengeful scientist Ivan Vanko. Ebert called Downey's performance "intriguing" and "unexpected", stating that "he doesn't behave like most superheroes: he lacks the psychic weight and gravitas".

Downey's other film role of 2010 was in Due Date, which was filmed across various locations in the US, including Georgia, New Mexico, Arizona, and Los Angeles. In it, he played an architect trying to get from Atlanta to Los Angeles in time for his wife's scheduled cesarean section. The film was a box-office success, earning over $211million on a budget of $65million. That same year, Downey and his wife Susan opened their own production company called Team Downey. Downey reprised his role as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), the sequel to the 2009 film. In A Game of Shadows, he investigates a conspiracy led by his nemesis, Professor Moriarty, and works to prevent an impending world war. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter lauded the film's "more mannered shenanigans", whose action-oriented antics "play straight to modern audiences' tastes".

Downey reprised the role of Stark in The Avengers (2012). In the film, the Avengers assemble to stop Loki from conquering Earth using the Tesseract to open a portal for an alien invasion. The film was both a critical and commercial success; grossing over $1.52billion, it became the third-highest-grossing film of all time. In Iron Man 3 (2013), Stark faces threats from a terrorist known as the Mandarin while dealing with the aftermath of previous events and developing new technology to confront his enemies. Iron Man 3 grossed $1.215 billion, making it the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time upon release. He then portrayed a Chicago lawyer in The Judge—the first production by Team Downey. He reprised the role as Tony Stark in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), in which Stark creates Ultron as a flawed global defense artificial intelligence and then leads the Avengers in their efforts to stop it, ultimately helping to bring Vision to life and defeat Ultron. Age of Ultron garnered $1.405 billion in revenue to become the fifth-highest-grossing film in history.

In Captain America: Civil War (2016), Stark backs government control of the Avengers, recruits Spider-Man, and ends up fighting Captain America and Bucky after discovering the latter killed his parents. Stark continues mentoring Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), and the two team up in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) alongside Doctor Strange to fight Thanos on Titan, where Stark devises a plan to remove the Infinity Gauntlet, survives a brutal stabbing, and witnesses half his allies disintegrate in the Snap. Endgame became the first superhero film to gross over $2billion worldwide. He helps invent time travel to retrieve the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame (2019), ultimately sacrificing his life by snapping his fingers to destroy Thanos and his army, saving the universe. Endgame was the highest-grossing film of all time until it was surpassed by Avatar (2009) due to its 2021 re-release in China. Three of his scenes from The Avengers and Avengers: Endgame were used as archive footage in the first episode of the Disney+ series Loki.

2020–present: ''Oppenheimer'' and expansion

In 2020, Downey starred in Stephen Gaghan's Dolittle, portraying the titular 19th-century Welsh veterinarian who can communicate with animals. The film, the second produced by Team Downey, was a box-office disappointment and received largely negative reviews, with critics citing its excessive length and lackluster execution. In 2023, Downey portrayed the antagonistic bureaucrat Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. He accepted a pay cut for the role, earning $4 million instead of his usual $10–20million upfront salary. Downey later called Oppenheimer "the best film" he had appeared in. Both the biopic and his performance received widespread critical acclaim. For his role, he won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild, Critics' Choice, and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. That same year, Downey hosted the television series Downey's Dream Cars, in which he and his team converted several of his vehicles from gas to electric. The show won Downey the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Program.

Downey next starred in a 2024 television adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen's historical satire novel The Sympathizer on HBO, portraying five supporting antagonistic roles representing the American establishment. His multi-role performance earned him an Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Downey made his Broadway debut in McNeal, from playwright Ayad Akhtar, playing Jacob McNeal, a gifted novelist with a difficult family life and a potentially problematic interest in artificial intelligence. Previews began on September 5, 2024, and opened on September 30 at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, playing a strictly limited engagement through November 24. In July 2024 at San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Downey would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom in the upcoming films Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).

Other ventures

Music

Downey has ventured into music. He has sung on several soundtracks for his films, including Chaplin, Too Much Sun, Two Girls and a Guy, Friends and Lovers, and The Singing Detective. On November 23, 2004, he released his only studio album, The Futurist. A jazz-pop-infused record, The Futurist was produced by Jonathan Elias and Mark Hudson; Downey played the piano on some of the tracks. The album debuted at number 121 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 16,000 copies in its first week. A USA Today critic opined that the album could be perceived as "pretentious" or "simply dull" after a while, but "there is a moody musicality to tracks such as 'Man Like Me' and 'Details'".

While promoting Tropic Thunder, Downey and his co-stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black were back-up singers for the Pips to Gladys Knight singing "Midnight Train to Georgia" for the season 7 finale of American Idol in 2008. Downey has repeatedly collaborated with the English musician Sting. In addition to their 2001 duet of the Police's "Every Breath You Take" on an episode of Ally McBeal, the two performed "Driven to Tears" together live at Sting's 60th birthday concert in October 2011. That same year, both appeared on Jonathan Elias's Prayer Cycle 2: Path to Zero, a benefit album supporting the anti-nuclear organization Global Zero.

Social activism

In a 2008 interview by The New York Times, Downey said that his time in prison had shifted his political perspective, explaining: "I have a really interesting political point of view[...] [the time in prison] was very, very, very educational for me and has informed my proclivities and politics ever since". When asked about the quote in a 2015 interview promoting Avengers: Age of Ultron, he denied that his previous statement reflected any longstanding beliefs on his part, explaining that he does not identify as either a Republican, liberal, or Democrat.

Downey has expressed support for the Democratic Party throughout his career. He donated to Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign, and, four years later, appeared in an online video encouraging Americans to vote against Donald Trump in the then-upcoming presidential election. Four years later, he joined fellow Avengers cast members and Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris for a virtual fundraiser supporting Joe Biden's 2020 campaign. In 2024, Downey and his Avengers castmates once again came together to endorse Harris in her presidential bid that year.

Downey serves on the board of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a nonprofit organization that advocates for criminal justice reform to reduce incarceration, improve the outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals, and build healthier communities. In 2020, he founded the organization Footprint Coalition, which aims to use advanced technologies like robotics and nanotechnology to help clean up and restore the environment. The coalition supports and promotes environmentally sustainable technologies, including the French insect-farming company Ÿnsect, bio-based plastic alternative manufacturer RWDC, and bamboo toilet paper producer Cloud Paper. Downey co-wrote the book Cool Food with climate advocate Thomas Kostigen providing guidance on making climate-friendly food choices.

Personal life

Downey started dating actress Sarah Jessica Parker in 1984 after meeting her on the set of Firstborn. Their relationship ended in 1991, after eight years, largely due to Downey's drug addiction. On May 29, 1992, he married singer and actress Deborah Falconer following a six-week courtship. Falconer gave birth to their only son in September 1993. Downey's repeated stints in rehab and jail placed significant strain on their marriage. Falconer left him in 1996 and filed for divorce in early 2001, citing "irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized in 2004, with Falconer receiving custody of their son.

In 2003, Downey met producer Susan Levin, then the executive vice president of production at Silver Pictures, while filming Gothika. Although Levin was initially hesitant about the relationship, the two began dating during production and remained together after filming ended. Downey proposed the night before her thirtieth birthday, and they married on August 27, 2005, in a Jewish ceremony in Amagansett, New York. The couple have two children together, a son born in February 2012 and a daughter born in November 2014.

Downey has maintained a close friendship with Mel Gibson since they co-starred in Air America (1990). He publicly defended Gibson amidst the controversy surrounding his 2006 DUI, saying that he was "caught in the act of being an imperfect human being". Gibson, in turn, spoke fondly of Downey, recalling that he was "one of the first people to call and offer the hand of friendship. He just said, 'Hey, welcome to the club. Let's go see what we can do to work on ourselves.'"

According to Downey, he has remained drug-free since July 2003 and credits his wife with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol habits, along with his family, therapy, meditation, twelve-step recovery programs, yoga, and the practice of Wing Chun kung fu. In December 2015, he was among 91 individuals pardoned by California governor Jerry Brown for prior drug offenses.

In 2014, Downey described his religious beliefs as "Jewish Buddhist". Earlier in his life, he had also explored Christianity and the Hare Krishna movement. After initially adopting a vegan diet to address concerns about the climate crisis, Downey revealed in 2024 that he had transitioned to a pescetarian diet after experiencing low levels of vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.

Artistry and public image

Downey is known for taking on an eclectic range of roles spanning drama, comedy, and action films. He typically plays characters who are intelligent, charismatic, complicated, and often flawed, with Roger Ebert observing that his most common screen personas are "irreverent, quirky, self-deprecating, wise-cracking". Critics have noted his ability to fully embody a role, making the character seem real. Early in his career, Downey's acting style differed from many of his contemporaries as noted by Rolling Stones Lynn Hirschberg, who described it as "not brooding or intolerably self-absorbed" but in "a semiconstant state of amusement". Analyzing his roles in Mussolini (1985) and Less than Zero (1987), Stephen Schiff wrote in Vanity Fair that he managed to "shrug and bubble his way past every obstacle".

Downey has described himself as an "incredibly gifted faker" who knows "very little about acting". His preparation for specific roles has included intensive rehearsal and character immersion, such as spending months training with experts to perfectly mimic Chaplin's movements in Chaplin (1992), and remaining in character off-set to prepare for his portrayal of Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder (2008). In 2010, Walter Kirn, writing for Rolling Stone, stated that Downey "refuse[s] to follow any kind of script, never quite coming into focus, always in thrall to another idea", which the journalist described as the "essence of [Downey's] mind and spirit, and, arguably, of his genius as an actor". Downey has described his approach to acting as intuitive and improvisational rather than methodical, stating that "the goal is to make a well-written scene seem like it's improvised" and "try to improve things as you go along".

Downey's films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.3billion worldwide, making him the third-highest-grossing actor of all time, according to The Numbers. Downey was named Hollywood's highest-paid actor by Forbes from 2013 to 2015. The publication has included him in its annual Celebrity 100 list, which ranks the most powerful people in the world, placing him twentieth in 2013 and tenth in 2014. Time magazine featured him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. In 2025, The Independent named Downey the forty-fourth-greatest film actor of the 21st century.

Acting credits and accolades

Main article: Robert Downey Jr. filmography, List of awards and nominations received by Robert Downey Jr.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, Downey's most critically acclaimed films include "Sr.", True Believer, Richard III, Short Cuts, Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man, Oppenheimer, Good Night, and Good Luck, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and The Avengers. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Daytime Emmy Award, as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Discography

Studio album

• The Futurist (2004)

Soundtrack appearances

Notes

References

Printed sources

References

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38. Smith, David. (August 23, 2008). "The star who came back from the depths: Robert Downey Jr".
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41. (August 6, 1999). "Addicted Downey Jnr jailed". [[BBC News]].
42. (August 6, 1999). "Downey gets 3 yr. prison term for parole violations".
43. (July 23, 1999). "Downey Jr back in jail". [[BBC News]].
44. (August 11, 2000). "Downey Jr lands McBeal role". [[BBC News]].
45. Johnson, Steve. (October 7, 2001). "A look at top contests in a more somber Emmys". [[Chicago Tribune]].
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47. Baron, James. (July 17, 2001). "Boldface Names". [[The New York Times]].
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51. (May 31, 2001). "Robert Downey Jr.'s Drug 'Deal'". [[Wired (website).
52. Carter, Bill. (April 18, 2002). "This Season to Be Last for 'Ally McBeal'". [[The New York Times]].
53. (July 16, 2001). "Robert Downey Jr. to Enter Plea Agreement on Drug Charges". [[CNN]].
54. Tresnlowski, Alex. (December 18, 2000). "Bad to Worse". People.
55. Duck, Charlotte. (October 14, 2009). "Life After Rehab".
56. Makinen, Julie. (October 15, 2011). "Mel Gibson gets a boost from Robert Downey Jr.".
57. Scott, A. O.. (October 24, 2003). "Film Review; A Pulp Novelist's Dreams Invade a Distressing Reality".
58. Gonzalez, Umberto. (August 28, 2018). "Ben Affleck Could Lose His ''Batman'' Role Due to Post-Rehab Insurance Costs, Experts Say".
59. Lowman, Rob. (December 14, 2011). "Unlikely Trio Bring to Life Sherlock Holmes Sequel".
60. Svetkey, Benjamin. (May 13, 2016). "'Lethal Weapon' Wunderkind (and Former Party Boy) Shane Black Is Back ... and Still Looking for Action". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
61. Russell, Mike. (October 20, 2005). "Don't miss the 'Kiss'". [[The Oregonian]].
62. Hawker, Philippa. (November 9, 2005). "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang".
63. Niccum, Jon. (December 23, 2005). "'Good Night' a dramatic retelling of journalistic war".
64. Levine, Robert. (July 7, 2006). "A long way from Disney".
65. Travers, Peter. (June 23, 2006). "''A Scanner Darkly''".
66. Hoberman, J.. (June 27, 2006). "Brain Candy". [[The Village Voice]].
67. Frey, Jennifer. (November 12, 2006). "A ''Fur''-Fetched Portrait of Arbus? Precisely! Says the Filmmaker". [[The Washington Post]].
68. (November 10, 2006). "Fur: ''An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus''". [[Rotten Tomatoes]].
69. Turan, Kenneth. (November 10, 2006). "'Fur' flies fancifully".
70. Honeycutt, Kirk. (August 9, 2007). "Kidman, Downey cough up a 'Fur'-ball". [[Reuters]].
71. Barone, Matt. (June 25, 2012). "The 50 Best 'Family Guy' Episodes".
72. Italie, Hillel. (July 30, 2008). "Robert Downey Jr. postpones memoir". [[NBC News]].
73. Harris, Paul. (April 14, 2007). "So Who Was the Zodiac Killer?". [[The Guardian]].
74. (May 17, 2007). "Day two at Cannes brings 'Zodiac,' with Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr.".
75. Sawaya, George. (March 9, 2007). "Zodiac's Less Exciting Than Reading Your Horoscope".
76. Dargis, Manohla. (March 2, 2007). "Zodiac".
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78. O'Loughlin, Lucy. (May 2, 2008). "Robert Downey Jr.'s heroic comeback". [[The List (magazine).
79. Hartlaub, Peter. (May 5, 2008). "Indie cred gave 'Iron Man' filmmaker his shot". [[SFGate]].
80. Anderson, John. (May 1, 2008). "Nerve of Steel". [[The Washington Post]].
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82. "2008 Worldwide Box Office".
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85. Kit, Zorianna. (April 23, 2013). "''Iron Man 3'' goes back to basics in a quest to save the U.S.".
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87. Alexander, Bryan. (May 1, 2013). "Robert Downey Jr. is avenging alone in ''Iron Man 3''".
88. Riesman, Abraham. (May 7, 2019). "What Will Marvel Be Without Robert Downey Jr.?".
89. Sharf, Zack. (June 5, 2023). "Former Marvel Studios Boss Says Board 'Thought I Was Crazy' for Casting 'Addict' Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man Over Timothy Olyphant".
90. Graser, Marc. (October 28, 2008). "Downey Jr. extends Marvel deal, Actor to star in 'Avengers,' 'Iron Man 3'". [[Variety (magazine).
91. Carroll, Larry. "William Hurt says new Hulk is more heroic, reveals Iron Man crossover scene". [[MTV News]].
92. Thomas, Carly. (November 27, 2024). "Ben Stiller on Why He Doubts ''Tropic Thunder'' Could Get Made Today: 'Edgier Comedy Is Just Harder to Do'".
93. (July 21, 2008). "''Tropic Thunder'' pushes envelope and then some". [[CNN]].
94. Ocho, Alex. (November 28, 2024). "Ben Stiller Reflects on Robert Downey Jr.'s Role in ''Tropic Thunder'': 'Edgier Comedy Is Just Harder to Do'".
95. Griffith, Janelle. (January 22, 2020). "Robert Downey Jr. says most of his Black friends supported his blackface in ''Tropic Thunder''". [[NBC News]].
96. Patterson, John. (August 22, 2008). "John Patterson explains why racial comedy is a grey area".
97. McClintock, Pamela. (August 8, 2008). "Studios shuffle 2009 summer sked".
98. McClintock, Pamela. (August 31, 2008). "''Thunder'' stays on top at box office".
99. (August 13, 2008). "Tropic Thunder".
100. Lee, Michelle. (March 12, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. Pulls the Ultimate Style Flex by Dressing Up Like His Oscar Statuette: 'Oh Happy Day'".
101. Fleming, Michael. (August 28, 2007). "Downey Jr. joins Wright's ''Soloist''".
102. Steinberg, Jacques. (July 11, 2008). "Robert Downey Jr. to Play Sherlock Holmes".
103. Hayles, David. (December 15, 2009). "Sherlock Holmes, at the Empire, Leicester Square".
104. "2009 Worldwide Box Office".
105. White, James. (January 18, 2010). "''Avatar'' Takes Globe Glory".
106. "Domestic Box Office For 2010".
107. Newby, Richard. (May 7, 2020). "Why ''Iron Man 2'' Is Stronger Than You May Remember".
108. Cornelius, Doug. (May 8, 2010). "10 Things Parents Should Know About Iron Man 2".
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110. (October 7, 2009). "Downey's ''Due Date'' Begins".
111. Stevens, Dana. (November 5, 2010). "A review of the road-trip comedy Due Date, with optional spoilers.".
112. Fritz, Ben. (November 4, 2010). "Movie projector: Hollywood looking for huge weekend as 'Megamind,' 'Due Date' and 'Colored Girls' open". [[Los Angeles Times]].
113. "''Due Date'' (2010)".
114. Barnard, Christopher. (October 17, 2024). "'A New But Not Entirely Different Language': Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. on Their First Broadway Production".
115. Bradshaw, Peter. (December 15, 2011). "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – review".
116. Blaustein, David. (April 14, 2020). "Review: ''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows''". [[ABC News (United States).
117. French, Philip. (December 18, 2011). "''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'' – review".
118. McCarthy, Todd. (December 8, 2011). "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Film Review".
119. Dockterman, Eliana. (March 8, 2019). "A Brief History of the Tesseract in the Marvel Cinematic Universe".
120. Dockterman, Eliana. (April 23, 2018). "The Marvel Cinematic Universe Timeline Is Super Confusing. So We Clarified It for You".
121. (May 4, 2012). "Marvel's the Avengers". [[Rotten Tomatoes]].
122. McClintock, Pamela. (June 2, 2012). "Box Office Milestone: ''The Avengers'' Becomes No. 3 Pic of All Time With $1.331 Billion".
123. (April 25, 2012). "''The Avengers''".
124. Wigler, Josh. (October 20, 2010). "''Iron Man 3'' has a release date, but what about a villain?". [[MTV News]].
125. (April 24, 2013). "Iron Man 3".
126. Levine, Nick. (May 28, 2013). "'Iron Man 3' becomes fifth highest-grossing movie ever".
127. Whipp, Glenn. (October 29, 2014). "Screening Series: 'The Judge': How Team Downey found its first movie".
128. (October 9, 2014). "Robert Downey Jr. movie ''The Judge'' struck personal chord for director, cast".
129. McCarthy, Todd. (April 21, 2015). "''Avengers: Age of Ultron'': Film Review".
130. Foundas, Scott. (April 21, 2015). "Film Review: ''Avengers: Age of Ultron''".
131. "Worldwide Grosses".
132. Giardina, Carolyn. (May 10, 2016). "How ''Captain America: Civil War'' Turned Robert Downey Jr. Back Into a Teen".
133. Child, Ben. (April 22, 2016). "Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man to appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming".
134. Parker, Ryan. (August 1, 2018). "Robert Downey Jr. Coached Tom Holland Through That Heartbreaking ''Infinity War'' Scene".
135. Kit, Borys. (April 21, 2016). "Robert Downey Jr. Joins 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
136. Dockterman, Eliana. (April 27, 2018). "A Complete List of Who Lives and Dies in ''Avengers: Infinity War''".
137. McNary, Dave. (June 12, 2018). "'Avengers: Infinity War' Soars to $2 Billion at Worldwide Box Office".
138. Mendelson, Scott. (June 12, 2018). "Box Office: 'Avengers: Infinity War' Tops $2 Billion Worldwide".
139. Travers, Peter. (April 24, 2019). "''Avengers: Endgame'' Review: The MCU's Long Goodbye Is an Emotional Wipeout".
140. Scott, A. O.. (April 23, 2019). "''Avengers: Endgame'' Review: The Real Heroes Were the Friends We Made Along the Way". [[The New York Times]].
141. Brody, Richard. (April 26, 2019). "Review: What ''Avengers: Endgame'' Could Have Been".
142. Whitten, Sarah. (March 13, 2021). "''Avatar'' Retakes Box Office Crown From ''Avengers: Endgame'' After China Rerelease". [[CNBC]].
143. Tartaglione, Nancy. (March 13, 2021). "''Avatar'' Overtakes ''Avengers: Endgame'' As All-Time Highest-Grossing Film Worldwide; Rises To $2.8B Amid China Reissue – Update".
144. Davids, Brian. (June 9, 2021). "'Loki' Director Kate Herron on Shooting New 'Avengers: Endgame'-Era Footage".
145. Kit, Borys. (January 31, 2020). "'I Have Some New Ideas': The Scramble Behind Robert Downey Jr.'s ''Dolittle'' Debacle".
146. Rottenberg, Josh. (January 16, 2020). "Robert Downey Jr. could've done anything after Marvel. Why he wanted to make 'Dolittle'".
147. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (January 20, 2020). "How Sony Built ''Bad Boys For Life'' Into a Success with $101M+ WW & $73M+ U.S.; ''Dolittle'' Poised For $50M+ Loss – Monday Update".
148. Diamond, Dan. (March 9, 2024). "The true, dramatic story of Robert Downey Jr.'s ''Oppenheimer'' villain". [[The Washington Post]].
149. Martin, Emily St.. (July 11, 2023). "Christopher Nolan cast Robert Downey Jr to show MCU fans that he's 'one of our great actors'".
150. Lang, Brent. (July 20, 2022). "Inside movie stars' salaries: Joaquin Phoenix nabs $20M for ''Joker 2,'' Tom Cruise heads to over $100M and more".
151. Lewis, George. (July 17, 2023). "Robert Downey Jr hails Oppenheimer as his "best film"". [[Digital Spy]].
152. (August 11, 2023). "'Oppenheimer' doesn't show us Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That's an act of rigor not erasure.". [[Los Angeles Times]].
153. Wong, Henry. (July 21, 2023). "'Oppenheimer' is Robert Downey Jr.'s Best Role in Years".
154. Moore, Sam. (July 24, 2023). "Robert Downey Jr. is at his best in ''Oppenheimer'', which could spark a new chapter for the actor". [[Yahoo! Entertainment]].
155. (January 7, 2024). "''Oppenheimer''{{'s}} Robert Downey Jr. calls himself 'most improved player' in Golden Globes 2024 acceptance speech".
156. (February 18, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. Jokes About His 'Dwindling Credibility' and Marvel Tenure in Supporting Actor BAFTA Acceptance Speech".
157. Verhoeven, Beatrice. (February 25, 2024). "SAG Awards: Robert Downey Jr. Jokes He'll 'Never Grow Tired' of His Own Voice After Supporting Actor Win".
158. Rosenbloom, Alli. (January 15, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. quotes his toughest critics in his Critics Choice Award speech". [[CNN]].
159. Jones, CT. (March 11, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. Jokingly Thanks His 'Terrible Childhood' for Supporting Actor Oscars Win".
160. Malkin, Marc. (June 22, 2023). "Robert Downey Jr.'s 'Dream Cars' Sees 'Iron Man' Star Using Technology to Convert His Cars to Electric — but He's Not Trying to Be Tony Stark".
161. Schneider, Michael. (September 12, 2024). "Variety's Awards Circuit Podcast Reveals Its Final Emmy Predictions for Big Wins and Potential Surprises".
162. (January 16, 2023). "Park Chan-wook Praises Robert Downey Jr. for Remembering Every Crew Member on 'Sympathizer' Set: "He Gives Them Each a Pat on the Back"".
163. (July 17, 2024). "Emmys 2024: List of Nominees".
164. (May 7, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. to Make Broadway Debut in Ayad Akhtar Play". [[The New York Times]].
165. (July 27, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. Back as Doctor Doom for Two 'Avengers' Movies".
166. de Vries, Hilary. (December 20, 1992). "Channeling Chaplin: It is the role of Robert Downey Jr.'s career—and he believes the Little Tramp is with him".
167. (February 9, 2011). "The record doctor: Robert Downey Jr".
168. Hopper, Alex. (July 15, 2023). "3 Songs You Didn't Know Robert Downey Jr. Wrote".
169. Henderson, Eric. (November 23, 2004). "Review: Robert Downey Jr., The Futurist".
170. Hodgkinson, Will. (May 5, 2005). "Robert Downey Jr".
171. Vries, Hilary De. (November 21, 2004). "Robert Downey Jr.: The Album".
172. (September 23, 2004). "Actor Downey Jr. Signs With Sony".
173. D'Angelo, Joe. (December 1, 2004). "U2's Atomic Bomb Explodes Onto Albums Chart, Taking #1 Spot". [[MTV News]].
174. Gallo, Phil. (December 1, 2004). "''Bomb'' bow a blast".
175. Gardner, Elysa. (November 22, 2004). "A solo Stefani is fun, No Doubt about it". [[USA Today]].
176. Hedegaard, Erik. (August 21, 2008). "To Hell and Back With Robert Downey Jr.".
177. (May 22, 2008). "The Pips: Jack Black, Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr.".
178. (January 15, 2014). "Robert Downey Jr Duets With Sting on 'Driven To Tears': Watch".
179. Graff, Gary. (January 20, 2011). "Sting, Robert Downey Jr. Team for 'Prayer Cycle 2' Benefit Album".
180. Carr, David. (April 20, 2008). "Been Up, Been Down. Now? Super.". [[The New York Times]].
181. (April 22, 2015). "Robert Downey Jr full interview: star walks out when asked about past". [[Channel 4 News]].
182. Finke, Nikki. (May 11, 2012). "President Obama Talks Gay Marriage At George Clooney's Record $15M Fundraiser".
183. Bradshaw, Peter. (September 22, 2016). "Save the Day review: Joss Whedon's anti-Trump celeb pile-up is amusing oddity". [[The Guardian]].
184. Maddaus, Gene. (October 21, 2020). "''Avengers'' stars encourage fans to vote blue during Biden fundraiser".
185. Earl, William. (October 31, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and More ''Avengers'' Stars Assemble to Endorse Kamala Harris".
186. O'Hara, Mara. (June 20, 2015). "Scott Budnick, Hollywood blockbuster producer, gave it all up to reform prisons". [[The Guardian]].
187. Roettgers, Janko. (June 5, 2019). "Robert Downey Jr. Announces Footprint Coalition to Clean Up the World With Advanced Tech".
188. Sousa, Agnieszka de. (October 6, 2020). "Insect Farm Lures Robert Downey Jr. in $224 Million Fundraising". [[Bloomberg News]].
189. Jarvey, Natalie. (January 27, 2021). "Robert Downey Jr. Launches Venture Fund for Sustainable Technology".
190. Moreau, Jordan. (April 18, 2024). "Craig's Teams Up With Robert Downey Jr.'s Book ''Cool Food'' for Earth Day".
191. Bryant, Kenzie. (October 14, 2016). "Sarah Jessica Parker Likens Dating Robert Downey Jr. to Parenting a Teenager".
192. Ng, Kate. (June 20, 2023). "Sarah Jessica Parker says she was angry at reaction to Robert Downey Jr relationship".
193. Ledbetter, Carly. (October 19, 2016). "Sarah Jessica Parker Says Reunion With This Ex Was 'Not Weird'".
194. (January 25, 2001). "Downey's Wife Asks for Divorce". [[ABC News (United States).
195. (April 28, 2004). "Downey Jr ends 12-year marriage". [[BBC News]].
196. Beck, Lia. (August 29, 2022). "Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey's Relationship Timeline".
197. Pulver, Andrew. (July 21, 2015). "Robert Downey Jr to open campaign on presidential debate movie".
198. Logan, Lia. (October 1, 2014). "Robert Downey Jr. and Wife Susan: Exclusive Portraits of the Couple in Their Offices". [[Digital Spy]].
199. "Robert Downey Jr. Welcomes Son Exton Elias". [[People (magazine).
200. Rhodan, Maya. (November 5, 2014). "Robert Downey Jr. Reveals Name of Baby Daughter".
201. Stenzel, Wesley. (April 8, 2024). "Mel Gibson calls Robert Downey Jr. 'generous and kind' for defending him".
202. Keegan, Rebecca Winters. (April 16, 2008). "Robert Downey Jr.: Back from the Brink".
203. West, Kevin. (March 1, 2007). "Robert Downey, Jr? Call him Mr. Clean".
204. Carr, David. (April 20, 2008). "With ''Iron Man,'' Robert Downey Jr. winks at his past and looks to transcend it". [[The New York Times]].
205. Wilde, Jon. (November 8, 2003). "More Than Skin Deep". [[The Guardian]].
206. "Pardon: Robert Downey Jr.". [[Governor of California]].
207. Bozelko, Chandra. (December 29, 2015). "Robert Downey Jr. got a pardon but he still has a record".
208. De Vries, Hilary. (November 21, 2004). "Robert Downey Jr.: The album". [[The New York Times]].
209. DeAngelis, Danielle. (January 23, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. Tried and Failed to Go Vegan: 'It Just Doesn't Work for Me'". [[Yahoo! News]].
210. Jung, E. Alex. (May 1, 2015). "Robert Downey Jr. doesn't want to star in your crappy indie film".
211. (April 9, 2013). "New Again: Robert Downey Jr.".
212. Delistraty, Cody. (July 24, 2012). "Hollywood's most valuable actor? Robert Downey Jr., of course!". [[NBC News]].
213. Horton, Adrian. (October 1, 2024). "McNeal review – Robert Downey Jr shines in muddled AI-themed play".
214. Speicher, Jeffrey. (February 28, 2023). "From 'Sherlock Holmes' to 'Chaplin,' Robert Downey Jr. Best Performances".
215. (July 28, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr returns to Marvel as Doctor Doom".
216. Breznican, Anthony. (December 3, 2023). "Robert Downey Jr.'s Third Act: 'Oppenheimer' Is Just the Beginning".
217. Schiff, Stephen. (March 1, 1988). "Robert Downey Jr. On the Cusp of Stardom".
218. Bailey, Jason. (January 7, 2013). "'The Perfect Idiot's Profession': When Famous Actors Ridicule Their Craft".
219. Sharf, Zack. (April 4, 2024). "Danny McBride Accidentally Heard Robert Downey Jr. Going to Pee While in Character on ''Tropic Thunder'' Set: 'He Was Talking to Himself'".
220. Stenzel, Wesley. (April 3, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. peed in character on 'Tropic Thunder' set, Danny McBride says".
221. Kirn, Walter. (May 13, 2010). "The Tao of Robert Downey, Jr.".
222. (December 11, 2011). "Sherlock Holmes: On set, it was Robert Downey Jr. vs. director Guy Ritchie".
223. Radish, Christina. (December 11, 2011). "Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes 2 Interview".
224. "Top 100 Stars in Leading Roles at the Worldwide Box Office".
225. (July 16, 2013). "Robert Downey Jr. Tops Forbes' List of Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actors". [[Forbes]].
226. Pomerantz, Dorothy. (August 9, 2024). "Hollywood's Highest Paid Actors 2014".
227. "The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2015: Robert Downey Jr. Leads With $80 Million Haul".
228. Antunes, Anderson. "No. 10: Robert Downey Jr.".
229. "The 2013 Celebrity 100".
230. Stiller, Ben. (May 12, 2008). "The 2008 ''Time'' 100".
231. Nugent, Annabel. (January 1, 2025). "The 60 greatest film actors of the 21st century (so far)".
232. "Robert Downey Jr.".
233. Yamat, Rio. (March 10, 2024). "Robert Downey Jr. wins his first Oscar for supporting actor role in 'Oppenheimer'". [[The Washington Post]].
234. "Robert Downey Jr.". [[California Museum]].
235. Angulo, Sandra P.. (March 13, 2001). "Julia and Benicio win SAG awards".