Famous, drugs and rebirth (thanks to true love): Robert Downey Jr. turns 60

Robert Downey Jr. off 60 candles. That of the Hollywood star is the parable of a bad boy who touched the abyss before rising from the ashes. A saga of fall and redemption, between excesses, inner demons and a willpower capable of transforming the defeat into legend. The story of a man who, even before becoming Iron Man At the cinema, he knew how to forge himself as a true superhero. Son of Robert Downey Sr.an experimental director, and of Elsie Ann Fordthe star was born on April 4, 1965 in Manhattan, New York City. Robert’s father had mixed origins: he was half a Lithuanian Jewish, for a quarter of Hungarian Jew and for a quarter Irish. His mother, on the other hand, had Scottish, German and Swiss roots. Downey Jr. debuts just five under the guidance of Dad in the Indie film Poundwhere he plays a puppy. Since childhood, the relationship with his father has been complex. At the age of six, it was he who introduced him to marijuana, seeing him as a gesture of sharing and affection. However, this early exhibition marked Robert deeply, contributing to the problems of abuse of substances that he would have faced as an adult.

In 1984, Downey Jr. obtained the first important role in the thriller Firstbornwhere he meets Sarah Jessica Parker. The two lived an intense eight -year love story, but the shadows of the addictions ended up incrubing the relationship, leading them to say goodbye in 1991 Ally McBealboth in sentimental life, with the relationship with Calista Flockhart. However, his battle with the abuse of alcohol and drugs was not yet finished, and ended up falling into the abyss. A tunnel from which he will finally be able to re -emerge thanks to the love and support of his wife Susan, to whom he will dedicate the first Oscar of his career, obtained in 2024 as the best supporting actor in the biopic Oppenheimer. In 2027 Robert Downey Jr. will return to the saga of Avengersthis time, in the green hood of Dr. Destiny. We celebrate the Marvel icon in ten, incredible curiosities.

He studied ballet

Jeff Kravitz

As a child, his father’s work led him to spend a year in England. During that period, he studied classical dance at the renowned Perry House School in London, but apparently the rigidity and formalities of the ballet did not particularly take on him.

He ventured into the most disparate works

Downey Jr. left high school in 1982 to devote himself to acting and, along the way, he had to carry out some occasional works. The Lunario landed as a waiter and as a shopping in a shoe shop, but his most unusual work was probably to lay as a living work in the Soho nightclub in New York.

His idol

During the acceptance speech of the BAFTA won in 2024 for his role in OppenheimerDowney Jr. said he wanted to be the iconic English actor Peter O’Toole when he was a teenager.

Has released a pop album

Robert Downey Jr.
Joe Maher

Downey Jr. is also a musician. He knows how to play the piano, guitar and battery. He even released his album entitled The Futurist.

Friendship with Moby

Robert grew up in the Greenwich Village district, where the historic American producer had as its playmate.

At school with the Brat Pack

Among the classmates of High School of Downey Jr. there were Rob Lowe, Sean Penn and Charlie Sheen, with whom he made friends while attending the Saint Monica High School. According to Lowe, he and Sheen were considered the group’s “nerds”.

In the 80s he lived with Kiefer Sutherland

Robert Downey Jr.

Downey Jr. and the young Sutherland, after reciting together in 1969 – The days of angerthey lived like roommates for three years. This happened when Robert moved to Hollywood again to devote himself to the actor career.

The first marriage

Robert Downey Jr.
Dave Benett/Getty Images

On May 29, 1992, Downey Jr. married the model and singer Deborah Falconer, after a flash courtship of just 42 days. In September 1993 their son was born, he is clear, but the marriage soon began to falter under the weight of the repeated acts of the actor in the addictions, his stays in rehabilitation and the periods spent in prison. Falconer asked for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences”. The separation was made official in 2004, with the ex -wife who obtained the custody of the son.

The relationship with Marisa Tomei

Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei
Fea/ ipa-agency.net

Downey Jr. and the Oscar -winning actress for My cousin Vincenzo they had a short but very talked about report after sharing the set of Only you In 1994. It is said that their cinematographic alchemy has turned into something real, even if neither of them has ever confirmed precisely the beginning or duration of their bond. The story quickly turned out, becoming one of the many Hollywood loves destined not to last. Despite the end of their relationship, they remained on good relationships and found themselves working together in 2010 in Iron Man 2.

His wife Susan Levin

Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr.
Chelsea Guglielmino

To my wife, who found me like an abandoned puppy and as a good veterinary». Downey Jr. dedicated to the sweet half, Susan Levin, the first Oscar of his career, won as best as a protagonist for Oppenheimer In 2024. Robert met his wife, producing profession, twenty -one years ago on the horror set Gothika. Although Susan has rejected his advances twice, in part because he did not want to go out with the star of his film, but also because he found him “interesting but strange”, he decided to accept an appointment with the actor, and things took off from there. The first public appearance together? The premiere of The singing detectivea musical in which Downey Jr. starred with Katie Holmes and Adrien Brody. In August 2005, they get married in a Jewish ceremony in Amagansett, New York. A tattoo on one of her biceps says “Surcian q” in homage to her. The couple have two children, Eson Elias, 13 years old, and Avri Roel, 10.

Source: Vanity Fair

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