Robert Downey Jr.

Robert John Downey Jr. is an actor, producer, and singer. His career has been characterized by critical and popular notoriety in his youth, followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles, before a resumption of critical repute and resurgence of commercial success in middle age. In line with his triumphant return to fame, Downey played a significant part in films such as The Judge and Oppenheimer, with his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer earning him a 2024 Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2008, Downey was named by Time magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world, and from 2013 to 2015, he was listed by Forbes as Hollywood's highest-paid actor. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $14 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.

At the age of five, Downey made his acting debut in his father's film Pound in 1970. He subsequently worked with the Brat Pack in the teen films Weird Science and Less Than Zero. In 1992, Downey portrayed the title character in the biopic Chaplin, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and won a BAFTA Award. Downey's early career also included a stint on "Saturday Night Live" in 1985. His role on the TV series "Ally McBeal" not only won him a Golden Globe Award but also led him to feature as a writer and singer on Vonda Shepard's album "Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life."

Downey went on to gain global recognition for playing the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with Iron Man and concluding with Avengers: Endgame. He also portrayed the title character in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and its sequel. As part of his diverse filmography, Downey starred in the film Dolittle as the titular character in 2020 and was the host of the YouTube documentary series "The Age of A.I." in 2019. He is set to co-star in the television adaptation of the novel "The Sympathizer" and star in the film Play Dirty.

In 2010, Downey and his wife Susan opened their own production company called Team Downey, which has lined up a project with Steve McQueen called Yucatan. Their first project was The Judge. Beyond his acting career, Downey is involved in various environmental initiatives, including The Footprint Coalition to reduce carbon footprints using advanced technology. He has been drug-free since July 2003 and credits his wife with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol habits, leading him to receive a full and unconditional pardon for his past drug convictions from Governor of California Jerry Brown. Downey also practices Wing Chun kung fu and is a dedicated advocate for issues such as mental health and addiction recovery.