Robert John Downey Jr. was born in Greenwich Village, New York City at 1.10 pm. He's the son of underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr.. His first part in a movie was in his father's Pound, where 5-year-old Downey played a puppy. When he was 20 years old, he joined SNL 25 for one season. After that, he went to Hollywood. In 1987, he got the leading role in director James Toback's film The Pick-up Artist, where he was up against Molly Ringwald. The same year, he played drug addict Julian Wells in the movie Less Than Zero. In 1992, he played Charles Chaplin in Sir Richard Attenborough's film Chaplin. For his astonishing performance, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In the year 2000, guest starred in the comedy series Ally McBeal, where he portrayed the attorney Larry Paul, who became Ally's love interest. For that performance, he won the Golden Globe for "best supporting actor in a comedy series". On Ally McBeal, Downey got to show he can sing as well as act when he sang Joni Mitchell's "River", "Chances Are" as a duet with Vonda Shepard, and also "Every Breath You Take" together with Sting. He released one song of his own, "Snakes", on the Ally McBeal album "For Once In My Life", and a full album of his work titled "The Futurist" in 2005.


Due Date (2010): $12,000,000
Iron Man 2 (2010): $10,000,000
Sherlock Holmes (2009): $9,000,000
Iron Man (2008): $500,000
Game 6 (2005): $100/day
Danger Zone (1996): $500,000
Richard III (1995): $50,000

Released from jail on $5,000 bail. [2 August 2000] He got into fight with another inmate at the Los Angeles County Jail, where he was serving time for a probation violation, and was treated for a cut over his nose. [13 February 1998] Probation revoked after continued drug use. [17 October 1997] During traffic stop for speeding, he was arrested for drunk driving, possession of heroin, and possession of an unloaded pistol in his pickup truck. This was his first reported brush with the law at age 31. He was given a suspended prison sentence of 3 years, and granted probation with requirements of random drug testing and drug counselling. [August 1996] Lived with Sarah Jessica Parker for 7 years during the 1980s. Son Indio Falconer Downey, with his first wife Deborah Falconer, was born on September 7, 1993. Sent to a rehab center at the L.A. County jail while waiting for an August 5 hearing. [22 June 1999] While drunk, he wandered into a neighbor's Malibu home that he thought was his own, and fell asleep on the bed. He was arrested for being under the influence of drugs, which was a third violation of his probation. Once worked as a piece of living art in a SoHo nightclub in New York City. Downey's lawyers petitioned the State Court of Appeals in Los Angeles, stating that Downey had already served enough time because the Malibu judge had made errors in calculating his sentence. He hadn't given credit for the several times Downey spent in lockdown rehab units and in pre-sentencing confinement. Downey's lawyers claimed that he should have been released in February 2000. Downey re-arrested on drugs and weapons charges in Palm Springs, California, at the luxurious Merv Griffin resort, after an anonymous tip to police. Downey was found alone, with cocaine and methamphetamines. He cooperated with police, spent the night in jail, and was released the next morning on $15,000.00 bail. Downey had been on a career upswing with his successful stint on "Ally McBeal" (1997), and his upcoming stage performance as Hamlet, set for January, 2001 in Los Angeles, to be directed by his friend Mel Gibson. [25 November 2000] Downey's attorneys advised the judge that they could not reach a plea bargain in his November 2000 drug arrest. [15 March 2001] Downey pleaded no contest to drug charges. The judge sentenced him to remain in rehabilitation for one year and to three years' probation. [16 July 2001] Kept a lot of the authentic vintage clothing he wore in the movie Chaplin (1992). As a result of his father's work (Robert Downey Sr. was (and is) an independent filmmaker), Downey the younger spent a great deal of his childhood on the move. He lived at various points in Connecticut, New York, California, London, Paris, and Woodstock. Married his first wife after dating her for only 42 days. Downey enjoyed working with the director of the Elton John music video--contemporary artist Sam Taylor-Wood--so much that he suggested that they work together again on an art piece. The result was an art video called "Pietà," made in the manner of Michelangelo's famous Pietà sculpture in Rome. It was included in Sam Taylor-Wood's exhibition "Mute" at the White Cube 2 art gallery in London, November 23 to January 12, 2002. Starred briefly with his first wife Deborah Falconer in the 1992 Robert Altman movie Short Cuts (1993). He married his second wife, Gothika (2003) producer Susan Downey, at Amagansett, New York, on 27 August 2005. He's the first regular cast member of "Saturday Night Live" (1975) to be nominated for an Academy Award in the category "Best Actor in a Leading Role." Joan Cusack and Dan Aykroyd were also nominated for Academy Awards some years before Downey, but both were nominated for supporting roles. Met wife Susan Downey on the set of Gothika (2003). Sting ("Every Breath You Take") and Billy Idol performed at his wedding to Susan Downey. On the set of A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) he took co-star Adam Scarimbolo under his wing. He is of Irish and Russian-Jewish ancestry from his father's side and German-Jewish and Scottish descent from his mother's side. Gave life to the same character (Tony Stark) in two movies in the same year (Iron Man (2008) and The Incredible Hulk (2008)) produced by the same studio (Marvel Studios). Signed on to voice "The Devil" in the animated television series "God, the Devil and Bob" (2000). Shortly thereafter, Downey was jailed, so he was replaced by Alan Cumming. According to an interview he gave to Newsweek in February 2009, when Downey went to Japan for their opening of Iron Man (2008), he was detained on entry because Japanese authorities ran his passport and found it linked to "some incredible criminal activity" (namely Downey's multiple arrests and incarcerations on drug-related charges in the 1990s and 2000s). For failing to disclose these convictions, Downey was interrogated for six hours and was almost barred from entry into Japan. It was finally decided that he could enter Japan for the Iron Man premiere but he is never to be allowed into Japan again. Was roommates with Kiefer Sutherland in the early '80s. Filmed his role in Hail Caesar (1994) in one day.