Early Life
Downey grew up in a filmmaking family — his father, Robert Downey Sr., was an underground filmmaker — and appeared on screen as a child.
Career
He earned an Oscar nomination for playing Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin (1992). After struggles with substance abuse and legal trouble in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he returned with films such as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Zodiac, then became a superstar as Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008) and later Marvel films. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer (2023).
Legacy
Downey also played Sherlock Holmes in two films directed by Guy Ritchie (2009 and 2011), and is widely credited as a cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's early success.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24