Robert Downey Jr.

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April 4, 1965

Robert John Downey, Jr.

Deborah Falconer (m. 1992–2004)

Susan Downey (m. 2005–present)

Actor

The Avengers (2012)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Due Date (2010)

Oobermind (2010) (voice)

Love & Distrust (video) (2010)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

The Soloist (2009)

Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness (2008)

Tropic Thunder (2008)

The Incredible Hulk (2008) (uncredited)

Iron Man (2008)

Charlie Bartlett (2007)

Lucky You (2007)

Zodiac (2007)

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

The Shaggy Dog (2006)

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

Family Guy (TV series) (voice) (1 episode, 2005)

Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Game 6 (2005)

Eros (2004)

Gothika (2003)

The Singing Detective (2003)

Whatever We Do (2003)

Ally McBeal (25 episodes, 2000-2002)

Lethargy (2002)

Auto Motives (2000)

Wonder Boys (2000)

Black and White (1999)

Bowfinger (1999)

Friends & Lovers (1999)

In Dreams (1999)

U.S. Marshals (1998)

The Gingerbread Man (1998)

Hugo Pool (1997)

Two Girls and a Guy (1997)

One Night Stand (1997)

Danger Zone (1996)

Restoration (1995)

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1995) (TV)

Home for the Holidays (1995)

Richard III (1995)

Only You (1994)

Natural Born Killers (1994)

Hail Caesar (1994)

Short Cuts (1993)

Heart and Souls (1993)

Chaplin (1992)

Soapdish (1991)

Too Much Sun (1990)

Air America (1990)

Chances Are (1989)

True Believer (1989)

Thats Adequate (1989)

1969 (1988)

Rented Lips (1988)

Johnny Be Good (1988)

Less Than Zero (1987)

The Pick-up Artist (1987) (as Robert Downey)

Saturday Night Live (TV series) (18 episodes, 1985-1986)

America (1986)

Back to School (1986)

Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985) TV mini-series (as Robert Downey)

Weird Science (1985) (as Robert Downey)

Tuff Turf (1985) (as Robert Downey)

Deadwait (1985)

Firstborn (1984)

Baby It's You (1983)

Up the Academy (1980) (uncredited)

Moment to Moment (1975) (uncredited)

Greaser's Palace (1972) (uncredited)

Pound (1970) (as Bob Downey)

Producer

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (co-producer) (2006)

Writer

The Last Party (documentary) (writer) (1993)

Appearances

Janela Indiscreta (TV series) (2 episodes, 2010-2012)

The Graham Norton Show (TV series) (3 episodes, 2009-2011)

Live with Regis and Kelly (TV series) (7 episodes, 2005-2011)

Up Close with Carrie Keagan (TV series) (5 episodes, 2007-2011)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV series) (3 episodes, 2008-2011)

Daybreak (TV series) (1 episode, 2011)

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV series) (11 episodes, 1993-2011)

Marvel LIVE! World Premiere of Captain America: The First Avenger (video short) (2011)

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (2011)

2011 The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards (TV special) (2011)

The American Cinematheque Tribute to Robert Downey Jr. (TV movie) (2011)

What The (TV series) (2011)

The 7PM Project (TV series) (2 episodes, 2010)

Late Show with David Letterman (TV series) (5 episodes, 2006-2010)

Mark at the Movies (TV series) (3 episodes, 2010)

Entertainment Tonight (TV series) (40 episodes, 2007-2010)

Made in Hollywood (TV series) (2 episodes, 2010)

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (TV series) (2 episodes, 2008-2010)

Guys Choice (TV movie) (2011)

Días de cine (TV series) (1 episode, 2010)

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (TV series) (3 episodes, 2005-2010)

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2010 (TV special) (2011)

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (2010)

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (TV special) (2010)

Cinema 3 (TV series) (1 episode, 2010)

The 67th Annual Golden Golden Globe Awards (TV special) (2010)

Nyhetsmorgon (TV series) (1 episode, 2010)

Live from Studio Five (TV series) (2 episodes, 2009)

Xposé (TV series) (1 episode, 2009)

The Movie Loft (TV series) (2 episodes, 2008-2009)

Spike's Guys Choice (TV movie) (2009)

Star Movies: Live from the Red Carpet (TV special) (2009)

The 81st Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (2009)

This Morning (TV series) (2 episodes, 2009)

The 66th Annual Golden Golden Globe Awards (TV special) (2009)

2009 Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet Special (TV special) (2009)

Eigo de shabera-night (TV series) (1 episode, 2008)

Chaplin Anniversary Edition: Strolling Into the Sunset (2008)

Chaplin Anniversary Edition: Chaplin the Hero (2008)

Chaplin Anniversary Edition: The Most Famous Man in the World! (2008)

Resumen - 56º festival internacional de cine de San Sebastián (TV movie) (2008)

Animal House: The Inside Story (TV movie) (2008)

HBO First Look (TV series documentary) (2 episodes, 2006-2008)

AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Warren Beatty (TV special) (2008)

Spike Guys Choice (TV special) (2008)

Imagine (TV series) (1 episode, 2008)

MTV Movie Awards (TV special) (2008)

American Idol (TV series) (1 episode, 2008)

The View (TV series) (3 episodes, 2005-2008)

Getaway (TV series) (1 episode, 2008)

Access Hollywood (TV series) (1 episode, 2008)

Biography (TV series documentary) (2 episodes, 2004-2008)

The Modern Warrior (TV documentary) (2007)

This Is Zodiac (video documentary short) (2007)

Out of Control: 10 Celebrity Rehabs Exposed (TV movie) (2007)

Payback (TV series) (1 episode, 2007)

HypaSpace (TV series documentary) (1 episode, 2007)

The 79th Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (1 episode, 2007)

Film Independent's 2007 Spirit Awards (TV special) (2007)

The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales (video documentary short) (2006)

One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' (video documentary short) (2006)

American Masters (TV series documentary) (1 episode, 2006)

Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV series) (3 episodes, 2005-2006)

Extra (TV series) (2 episodes, 2003-2006)

Inside the Actors Studio (TV series) (1 episode, 2006)

The 4th Annual TV Land Awards (TV special) (2006)

Corazón de... (TV series) (3 episodes, 2005-2006)

Sunday Morning Shootout (TV series) (4 episodes, 2004-2006)

GMTV (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Film '72 (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

The Showbiz Show with David Spade (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Larry King Live (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Magacine (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow (documentary) (2005)

The Paul O'Grady Show (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Breakfast (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

The Outsider (documentary) (2005)

Last Call with Carson Daly (TV series) (1 episode, 2005)

Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope (TV special) (2005)

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (TV special) (2004)

The Art Show (TV series documentary) (1 episode, 2004)

The Oprah Winfrey Show (TV series) (1 episode, 2004)

Between the Lines (TV mini-series documentary) (2004)

Tangled Up in Blue (TV movie) (2004)

Punk'd (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

Movie House (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

The Frank Skinner Show (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

Richard And Judy (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

The Wayne Brady Show (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

The Charlie Rose Show (TV series) (2 episodes, 1995-2003)

Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (documentary) (2003)

Hollywood Celebrates Denzel Washington: An American Cinematheque Tribute (TV special documentary) (2003)

The 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards (TV special) (2002)

Anatomy of a Scene (TV series documentary)(1 episode, 2001)

Last Party 2000 (documentary) (2001)

7th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV special) (2001)

The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards (TV special) (2001)

Chaos Rising: The Storm Around 'Natural Born Killers' (video documentary short) (2001)

3rd Annual TV Guide Awards (TV movie) (2001)

Saturday Night Live (TV series) (1996)

Kennedy Center's 25th Anniversary (TV special) (1996)

Howard Stern (TV series) (2 episodes, 1995)

1995 MTV Movie Awards (TV special) (1995)

A Century of Cinema (documentary) (1994)

The Last Party (documentary) (1993)

The 65th Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (1993)

The 50th Annual Golden Globe Awards (TV special) (1993)

Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country (documentary) (1993)

Rock the Vote (TV movie) (1993)

The South Bank Show (TV series documentary) (1 episode, 1992)

MTV Movie Awards (TV special) (1992)

The 43th Writers Guild Awards (TV special) (1991)

The 61st Annual Academy Awards (TV special) (1989)

The Arsenio Hall Show (TV series) (1 episode, 1989)

The Starlight Annual Foundation Benefit (TV movie) (1988)

Get Out the Vote (TV movie)(1988)

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (TV documentary) (voice) (1987)

Moment to Moment (1975)

Academy Awards

2009 Nominated Oscar Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

1993 Nominated Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role for: Chaplin (1992)

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA

2011 Nominated Saturn Award Best Actor for: Iron Man 2 (2010)

2010 Nominated Saturn Award Best Actor for: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2009 Won Saturn Award Best Actor for: Iron Man (2008)

2006 Nominated Saturn Award Best Actor for: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

1994 Won Saturn Award Best Actor for: Heart and Souls (1993)

American Cinematheque Gala Tribute

2011 Won American Cinematheque Award

American Comedy Awards, USA

2001 Nominated American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series for: "Ally McBeal" (1997)

BAFTA Awards

2009 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Supporting Actor for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

1993 Won BAFTA Film Award Best Actor for: Chaplin (1992)

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

2009 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Supporting Actorfor: Tropic Thunder (2008)

Central Ohio Film Critics Association

2009 Won COFCA Award Actor of the Year for: Iron Man (2008) and Tropic Thunder (2008)

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

2008 Nominated CFCA Award Best Supporting Actor for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

1993 Nominated CFCA Award Best Actor for: Chaplin (1992)

Chicago International Film Festival

2003 Won Career Achievement Award

Chlotrudis Awards

2007 Nominated Chlotrudis Award Best Supporting Actor for: A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards

2008 Nominated DFWFCA Award Best Supporting Actor for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

Emmy Awards

2001 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for: "Ally McBeal" (1997). (20th Century Fox Television)

Empire Awards, UK

2010 Nominated Empire Award Best Actor for: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2009 Nominated Empire Award Best Actor for: Iron Man (2008)

Golden Globe Awards

2010 Won Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical for: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2009 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

2001 Won Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV for: "Ally McBeal" (1997). When he was announced, Robert Downey Jr. got a standing ovation as he approached the stage.

1994 Won Special Award Best Ensemble Cast for: Short Cuts (1993). Shared with: Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Jack Lemmon, Zane Cassidy, Julianne Moore,
Matthew Modine, Anne Archer, Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Joseph C. Hopkins, Josette Maccario, Lili Taylor, Madeleine Stowe Tim Robbins, Cassie Friel, Dustin Friel, Austin Friel, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits, Frances McDormand, Peter Gallagher, Jarrett Lennon, Annie Ross, Lori Singer, Lyle Lovett, Buck Henry, Huey Lewis, Danny Darst, Margery Bond, Robert DoQui, Darnell Williams, Michael Beach, Andi Chapman, Deborah Falconer, Susie Cusack, Charles Rocket & Jane Alden

1993 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for: Chaplin (1992)

Gotham Awards

2005 Nominated Best Ensemble Cast for: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005). Shared with: David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels & Frank Langella

Hasty Pudding Theatricals, USA

2004 Won Man of the Year
Irish Film and Television Awards

2010 Won IFTA Award Best International Actor for: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2009 Won IFTA Award Best International Actor for: Iron Man (2008)

Kids Choice Awards

2011 Nominated Blimp Award Favorite Butt Kicker for: Iron Man 2 (2010)

L.A. Outfest

2001 Won Screen Idol Award Male for: Wonder Boys (2000)

London Critics Circle Film Awards

1993 Won ALFS Award Actor of the Year for: Chaplin (1992)

MTV Movie Awards

2011 Nominated MTV Movie Award Biggest Badass Star

2010 Nominated MTV Movie Award Best Fight for: Sherlock Holmes (2009). Shared with: Mark Strong

2009 Nominated MTV Movie Award Best Male Performancefor: Iron Man (2008)

National Movie Awards, UK

2008 Nominated National Movie Award Best Performance - Male for: Iron Man (2008)

Online Film Critics Society Awards

2009 Nominated OFCS Award Best Supporting Actor for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

People’s Choice Awards

2011 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite Action Star

2011 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite Movie Actor

2011 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite On-Screen Team for: Iron Man 2 (2010). Shared with: Don Cheadle

2009 Nominated People's Choice Award Favorite Male Action Star

2009 Nominated People's Choice AwardFavorite Male Movie Star

2009 Nominated People's Choice AwardFavorite Superhero for: Iron Man (2008) as Tony Stark/Iron Man

Prism Awards

2010 Nominated Prism Award Performance in a Feature Film for: The Soloist (2009)

SFX Awards, UK

2011 Nominated SFX Award Best Actor for: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Satellite Awards

2008 Nominated Satellite Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

2005 Nominated Satellite Award Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical for: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Outstanding Original Song for: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). Shared with: Hudson, Mark for: the song "Broken"

2004 Nominated Golden Satellite Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical for: The Singing Detective (2003)

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Seattle International Film Festival

2009 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

2006 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005). Shared with: Rose Abdoo, Alex Borstein,
Robert John Burke, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Reed Diamond,
Tate Donovan, Grant Heslov, Peter Jacobson, Frank Langella, Thomas McCarthy, Dianne Reeves, Matt Ross, David Strathairn & Ray Wise

2001 Won Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for: "Ally McBeal" (1997)

2001 Nominated Actor Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for: "Ally McBeal" (1997). Shared with: Lisa Nicole Carson, Portia de Rossi, Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann, Jane Krakowski, James LeGros, Lucy Liu, Peter MacNicol & Vonda Shepard

ShoWest Convention, USA

2008 Won ShoWest Award Male Star of the Year

Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival

2003 Won Best Actor for: The Singing Detective (2003)

Sundance Film Festival

2006 Won Special Jury Prize Dramatic for: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006). Shared with: Shia LaBeouf, Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Dianne Wiest & Channing Tatum for: the ensemble performance

TV Guide Awards

2001 Nominated TV Guide Award Supporting Actor of the Year in a Comedy Series for: "Ally McBeal" (1997)

Teen Choice Awards

2011 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Hissy Fit for: Due Date (2010)

2010 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Actor: Action Adventure for: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

2010 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi for: Iron Man 2 (2010)

2010 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie: Dance for: Iron Man 2 (2010)

2010 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie: Fight for: Iron Man 2 (2010). Shared with: Don Cheadle for: Iron Man & War Machine vs. The Hammer Drones

2009 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Hissy Fit for: Tropic Thunder (2008)

2008 Nominated Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Actor: Action Adventure for: Iron Man (2008)

Television Critics Association Awards

2001 Nominated TCA Award Individual Achievement in Comedy for: "Ally McBeal" (1997)

Venice Film Festival

1993 Won Special Volpi Cup for: Short Cuts (1993). Shared with: Danny Darst, Dustin Friel, Fred Ward, Madeleine Stowe, Tom Waits, Anne Archer, Tim Robbins, Bruce Davison, Frances McDormand, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Austin Friel, Lyle Lovett, Peter Gallagher, Julianne Moore, Annie Ross, Buck Henry, Lori Singer, Huey Lewis, Andie MacDowel, Josette Maccario, Joseph C. Hopkins, Lili Taylor, Cassie Friel, Jack Lemmon, Jarrett Lennon, Zane Cassidy, Lily Tomlin & Matthew Modine

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Notorious for various addictions, Robert Downey Jr. has been supported through multiple rehabs and career kick-starts because he is a wonderful performer. Combining brown, puppy-dog eyes with a handsome face, a physique that’s muscled with age, a fast-talking demeanor, and an acidic attitude tending to melancholy, he is a perfect combination of madness, vulnerability, and intelligence. In short, he is typical of 1960s children, born from postwar boom times, reared through the 1970s, only to emerge in the 1980s overwhelmed and sad at how complicated the world has become.

The son of an independent filmmaker, Robert Downey Sr., Downey cut his teeth in a spate of teen comedies such as Weird Science (1985) and The Pick-up Artist (1987). He followed this up playing a drug-addled Los Angeleno in Less Than Zero (1987), and later earned critical plaudits, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his lead role as the silent film star in the biopic Chaplin (1992). After this followed a series of arrests, supporting parts, a brief smell of success in the TV comedy series Ally McBeal (2000-2002), and continual struggles to remain clean.

Through it all, Downey has been nothing short of brilliant. Never involved with a blockbuster, he is typically overlooked in a roll call of his generation’s best leads. But there are gems to bolster his reputation, among them Short Cuts (1993), Natural Born Killers (1994), and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), all leading to future work, ideally without so much personal drama.

Downey also has a second career in music. He performed in a duet with Sting on The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” (1983), appeared in the Elton John video for “I Want Love” (2001), and has released his debut musical album The Futurist (2004).

In 2006, Downey was cast as the title character in the comic book adaptation Iron Man which premiered in the summer of 2008, making almost $100 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend. In addition to receiving commercial success, Downey’s performance in the film received rave reviews. His other 2008 films include Charlie Bartlett and the Ben Stiller-directed Tropic Thunder, in which he portrayed an Australian Method actor overly engrossed in his role as an African-American soldier. He received his second Oscar nomination for said film, in the category of Best Supporting Actor, which he lost to Heath Ledger.

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