[whimsical music]
[static]
[wind rushes]
[crowd cheering]
- [Jude Law] He's a hard worker,
drives you hard and wants to get
the absolute max
out of every moment.
Never settles, but is
incredibly inventive
and full of fantastic stories.
And he's a sweetheart.
I'm so full of respect
and admiration for him.
[machinery clanks]
- [Narrator] When we
think of a prolific
yet tumultuous
career in Hollywood,
a name stands out
amongst the crowd.
In a roller coaster of events.
From stardom, rock
bottom, and returning
as one of the most well
known actors in the industry,
thanks to his incredible
portrayal of his roles
and charismatic demeanor,
from his hardships to his
incredible retribution.
This is Robert Downey Jr.
[tense music playing]
- [Crowd Member]
Come on Iron Man!
[crowd shouting]
- [Crowd Member]
Robert! Robert! Robert!
[crowd chattering and cheering]
- [Security] Everybody
on the sidewalk, now.
Everybody on the sidewalk.
[upbeat music playing]
[static buzzing]
- [Interviewer] Now,
first of all Robert,
back as Sherlock,
back as Ironman.
What is it about
those two characters,
the two franchises that kind
of just draws you back in?
[television static]
Got that feeling
in your bones
Man, I can feel it
[static buzzes]
- [Narrator] Robert was born
on the 4th of April, 1965
in Greenwich Village, New York.
His mother, Elsie
Downey was an actress,
and his father,
Robert Downey Sr.
was an underground, yet
fearless, visionary director
who would go to
set the standards
for counter cultural comedy
in the 1960s and seventies.
- [Interviewer]
Did you always feel
like you could
let the actors go,
or is that something
you came around to?
- Oh, no, no, no. You
mean all my whole life?
- [Interviewer] Yeah.
- well, a lot of times,
I've worked with non-actors.
- [Interviewer] Right.
- And that's interesting too,
because you get what you
get, and once in a while,
if you try and force 'em into
what conventional acting is,
they don't know what to do,
so, that's kind of frustrating.
With these guys, you can kind
of arrive and realize an idea
and then ask for another one
and they're more than ready
and then they'll
add another one.
And it's just, especially
with some of these guys,
I mean, it was just,
it was hard to pick,
what to pick in the editing.
It was hard.
- [Narrator] Though his
original surname was Elias,
the Downey name came to light
once his father
enlisted in the army.
Robert grew up with
his sister Allison,
and being surrounded
by the arts,
began to pick up an
interest in acting and music
from a young age.
[people chatting,
flash bulbs exploding]
Robert's close relationship
with his father,
Robert Downey Sr.
Landed the young Robert a role
in his father's film
"Pound" in 1970.
This would be Robert's
first appearance on screen,
playing the role of a sick dog.
[film clicks]
- Why don't we go upstairs,
there's no more furniture.
The roof's gone
and so's my hair.
That tornado scared me so much,
it made my hair disappear.
- Have any hair on your ba*ls?
[audience laughing]
- Well, let's, let's...
- Were you improvising
back then or....
because that line seemed
a little unorthodox
for a five year old.
- It didn't...
I still, God bless my dad.
- [Jimmy Kimmel] Yeah.
[audience laughing]
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Is it
easier or more difficult
to work for your dad?
- Easier.
- Why?
- Because he's my dad. You
know, he knows me so well.
And also I think he
genuinely is concerned
with nothing but my wellbeing
as an artist with...
in this art form.
So, he has no other...
He has no agenda other than
helping me explore myself.
And in this case, the darker,
more twisted aspects
of my psyche.
- [Interviewer] Does he push you
harder than other directors,
or do you want to work hard?
- He pushes me easier.
You know, it's like he knows
I'm gonna do, give
a thousand percent
and he just kind of
sets a stage for me.
Yeah, he expects a lot.
You know, he expects a lot.
[whimsical music playing]
- [Narrator] Unfortunately,
the young Robert's childhood
was not one of stability.
Drugs surrounded the
young boy and his sister
throughout their household.
And by the age of just seven
years old, Robert Downey Sr.
Would offer his son
a joint of marijuana
and young Robert reciprocated.
[whimsical music continues]
[film winds]
Unfortunately, such experience
would act as a
gateway for Robert.
And this would go on to
be the greatest regret
his father ever possessed,
knowing almost immediately that
it was a terrible decision.
[film clicks]
At the age of 13, Robert's
parents would get divorced.
His sister Allison would move
to an alternative boarding
school in Vermont.
Whilst Downey Jr. Would
move from New York
to Los Angeles, California
with his father.
[traffic hums]
[nostalgic music playing]
The idea of school didn't sit
well for the young Robert.
With the inspirations from
his family still lingering,
in 1982, he dropped out
of Santa Monica High
to pursue his dream of a
full-time acting career.
Now 18, Robert returned
to his roots in New York,
rather than break
into Hollywood.
[rain patters]
- [Robert Downey Jr.] On one
level, I was just, I'm happy.
I'm happy to be a working actor.
You know, the odds for that
going on are pretty slim.
And on the other hand,
I felt like I never really
paid that much attention.
And I think part of of that
was from wanting to be cavalier
or non-committal.
So, if it all blew up
in my face, I could say,
"well, that's not what I
really wanted to do anyway."
You know, because
at certain point,
this sentence came in my
head of, "you can't do that."
You know?
And it seemed to
really make sense.
It didn't seem like it
was really, you know,
the devil's advocate
part of me doing it.
Like it was just the
logical part doing it.
So, you know, I mean...
- [Interviewer] You
felt like to a point
where you just kind of felt
like running the
other way, you mean?
- Sure, sure.
I mean, you put on a
tr*mp outfit, you know,
and like, and go
try to, you know,
make it where you just
go like, you know,
there aren't, it's not
often that it's possible.
- [Narrator] He chose to
work on small productions
such as "Firstborn" in 1984.
[nostalgic music continues]
Here Robert would get his
first glimpse at romance.
He met Sarah Jessica
Parker on set,
and the two were immediately
smitten with one another.
They would soon form
a loving relationship.
And the couple
moved into a house
within only weeks after meeting.
[tense music playing]
Over time his former
co-star and lover, Sarah,
would become more and more
concerned of Robert's behavior,
as it became apparent a
serious drug habit was forming.
Eventually she
felt supporting him
was more akin to being a
mother than a girlfriend.
[retro music playing]
In 1985, Robert joined the
cast for Saturday Night Live,
following the return
of host Lorne Michaels.
Alongside Robert,
the new cast would go on
to include Dennis Miller,
John Lovett, and
Anthony Michael Hall,
all of whom were selected
to boost the show's ratings.
[retro music continues playing]
In the same year, Robert
had acting breakthroughs
while working on "Tuff
Turf" and "Weird Science".
Though not a core member,
he would go on to be
associated with the Brat Pack.
A group of young actors
predominantly featured
in the John Hughes
American teen films.
- Second thing that makes
me feel so good that you,
for lack of a better term,
you've escaped the clutches
of that so-called
Brat Pack thing,
where you're on your
own as an actor.
Does that bother
you? When you're...
When you're associated with
those people and they say,
"oh, Downey, yeah, he's one
of those guys who's whatever."
- Well, it's funny, 'cause
I've never been in the room
with any of them,
you know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- But yeah, I
guess, I don't know.
You know, I'm just,
you know, whatever.
- Well, you know what I mean?
What I'm saying is that
a lot of people think
that you're just associated
with a just a group
of young guys...
- Right, sure.
- [Interviewer] Who came along
at a certain time and doing
that certain kind of movie.
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] And that's not,
I mean, does that bother you
when people do
that? When they...
- I don't know.
I think what what bothers me
is when I'm not happy
with my work in a film
and everything else is
pretty much secondary.
I mean, you know,
career wise, I think.
[melancholy music playing]
[cameras click]
- [Narrator] He
attended the premieres
with Sarah Jessica Parker.
At such time his addiction
to drugs and alcohol
only worsened thanks to
his rising popularity.
It was starting to become
extremely difficult
for her to hold on with his
ever-growing wild lifestyle.
[crowd shouting,
cameras clicking]
[melancholy music
continues playing]
His career was a crescendo
flying higher and
higher into stardom.
In 1987, Robert secured
his first lead role
in the feature film
"The Pickup Artist".
From here, Robert Downey
Jr. would make a performance
that would ultimately foreshadow
his emotional decline.
He gave an incredibly
memorable performance
in "Less Than Zero",
a film adaptation of Bret
Easton Ellis's novel.
The film depicted
Robert as Julian,
a rich kid whose life
is led astray, derailed,
due to his severe
heroin addiction.
He becomes cut off
from his family,
and is reduced to
a homeless junkie
dying from heart failure,
[heartbeat booms]
a role which would
unfortunately go on
to closely mirror
Robert's own life.
[film clicks]
[melancholy music continues]
Robert was surrounded by people
who loved and supported him.
Loree Rodkin, his first manager,
would often lie about
Robert's sobriety
in order to maintain
Downey's career.
Loree begged Robert to attend
rehab, which Robert did,
only to return and fire Loree.
Despite being fired,
Loree claimed her attempts
were worthwhile, stating,
"Every day I look
in the newspaper
and think I'm going to
read Robert's obituary."
[camera clicks]
[melancholy music continues]
In 1991, Robert's
girlfriend of seven years,
Sarah Jessica Parker,
broke up with Robert.
It was a long internal struggle,
as she feared without her
interference and support,
he would most
certainly k*ll himself.
In order to test
his artistic limits
and fight against his
ongoing addiction,
Robert would try out for one
of the most prestigious roles
of his career,
and with a great
deal of expectations
and social pressure.
The 26 year old would
play Charlie Chaplin
in the 1992 film "Chaplin",
a role he prepared
for vigorously,
such as learning how to play
violin and tennis left-handed.
His posture and
physical demeanor
needed a complete renovation
in order to transform into
this much loved individual.
- [Interviewer] But I mean,
that was so real to
me in the beginning.
I mean, that feeling
that I sensed
that you would live that too,
in the sense talking
about depression,
about feeling bad
about yourself.
Did you go through
periods of that?
- Well, yeah, I had
to do this movie.
I was like, you know, it, all
of my fear and everything,
came up before doing this film,
because this was like saying,
"are you, can you really do
what you've always
hoped and wanted to do?"
So it's like, it was like
a real judgment day for me.
- [Interviewer] What did
you hope and want to do?
- I hoped I could bring
him to life on screen
and I wanted to, I wanted
to do it for myself
and for Richard who
had had the faith
to gimme the opportunity.
- [Interviewer] Well, I mean,
that's quite a challenge.
I mean, I remember
reading a essay
by Mack Sennett a long time ago,
and he said something
like, Charlie Chaplin,
Charlie Chaplin, he's
simply the greatest artist
in the history of the world.
- I feel the same way,
but I couldn't think that
way when I was doing it.
I had to think of
relaxing, and... [laughs]
But luckily there was a...
Richard brought a lot of really
smart people on to help me,
people who are
really the best at,
and in so many different areas,
that I felt really supported
and I felt really, you know,
like as safe as I
was going to feel.
- [Narrator] On release,
[upbeat music playing]
the feature garnered Robert
huge critical success.
He was nominated for the
Academy Award for best actor
and won a BAFTA for his
outstanding performance.
- Well, first of
all, congratulations.
- Thank you.
- [Interviewer] A very
well deserved nomination.
- Oh. Thank you.
- [Interviewer]
What's the meaning?
What does it mean to you?
The nomination, the
part of being in...
- Well, I think it means
that Richard Attenborough
really helped craft
something, you know,
I guess special enough for
people to appreciate it.
And it's about Charlie Chaplin
and watching Charlie
Chaplin movies,
and that's why we made it.
- [Interviewer] Now, do
you think about winning,
about chances?
What is your attitude
towards that?
When you are competing
with four other actors?
- No. Well, Chaplin
used to say that he...
"That these kind
of things implied
that people were in
competition with each other."
But rather I think it's just,
you know, I don't, I
don't know what to think.
It's my first...
It's my first time.
- [Interviewer]
Well, hope to see you
in the press pool when
you get the award.
- Oh, thank you.
- Thank you.
[crowd chatting]
- [Press Member 1]
What do you enjoy
about being nominated
for an Academy Award?
- Picking out my clothes
and, no, what I mean,
the enjoyment is also
that you realize,
wow, you know, that I really
am in this for the long run
and that I, that, you
know, I'm gonna be...
that I intend to do
this for a long time
and I intend to
get more involved
and hopefully my
integrity will flourish.
And, you know, something
happened, and again,
it really was, largely,
Richard Attenborough's
confidence in me
and his, you know, his body work
helped me have
confidence in myself.
- [Press Member 2] What
skills did you feel like,
it was like the
goal of a lifetime,
as far as you having to
put more into this role
than maybe other
roles in the past?
- Sure. I think,
you know, you say,
"for the last 10
years I was thinking,
why don't I ever get
those? Why don't I ever..."
And then I got it, you know,
and then it's a
very different thing
was being offered the role from
actually doing it. So yeah.
- [Narrator] With
this rise in success,
Robert's personal life
was beginning to garner
wide public attention.
And soon the media
were very aware
of Robert's ongoing
struggle with drug use.
- [Interviewer] Perfect...
Is "Only You" the
perfect date movie
to see with your
lovely wife Deborah?
- Oh, it's one of 'em. Yeah.
- [Narrator] Robert would
marry Deborah Falconer
who gave birth to their
son, Indio Falconer Downey.
Following this,
Robert dug a hole
to dispose of his original
costume from "Less Than Zero".
His vow to remove drugs
from his life ended in 1994
as Robert returned to
cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol.
Though Indio remains a
huge part of Robert's life,
Robert was not in the
correct state of mind
and his wife Deborah
sought to raise their child
despite her husband's health.
In 1995, for the first
time in Robert's life,
he would take black tar heroin.
[tense music playing]
- [Robert Downey Jr.]
Yeah. Let's talk later.
- [Photographer]
Robert, this way please.
- [Press Member] Robert.
[crowd shouting Robert's
name and cheering]
[tense music continues playing]
- [Narrator] The young Downey
found himself out of control,
referring to himself
as a lovable tornado
going from film
sets to rehab daily.
Robert would be disappointed
with his performances
and slowly began
to lose interest
in the quality of his work.
- I felt like I had never
really paid that much attention,
and I think part of that was
from wanting to be cavalier,
or non-committal.
So, if it all blew up
in my face, I could say,
"well, that's not what I
really wanted to do anyway,"
you know?
- [Narrator] Robert's wife
Deborah left with his son Indio.
Following this, Robert would
also lose his home in Malibu.
[traffic humming
and sirens blaring]
From 1996, he would
be couch surfing
from one sketchy
location to another,
his condition
worsening each day.
He would go on to get
kicked out of an apartment
for losing the key,
and he was pulled over for
speeding in his Porsche.
The officers found Robert
was completely naked,
hallucinating, and is reported
to have been trying to throw
imaginary rats at the officers.
On another occasion,
he was discovered,
curled up in a fetal position
behind a grungy LA hotel.
For the first time in Robert's
life, he was arrested.
Robert was speeding in
his black Ford Explorer
along the Pacific Coast
Highway in Malibu.
The officers discovered
0.42 grams of heroin,
1.49 grams of cocaine
and 0.32 grams in crack.
He also had an unloaded
357 Magnum in the car
with four b*ll*ts
in the glove box.
[sirens whine]
Whilst awaiting trial,
he was arrested once more
after wandering into a
neighbor's residence in Malibu.
After stripping
to his underwear,
he climbed into the empty bed
of the neighbor's young child.
In the morning, the
neighbor was shocked
to discover Robert curled
up in her son's bed,
and after attempting
to wake him,
called the police immediately.
[line beeps]
- [Neighbor] And there's a
strange man in my child's bed,
- [911 Operator]
he's unconscious.
[phone beeps]
- [Neighbor] He is.
- He was completely out of it.
[melancholy music playing]
- [Narrator] Robert required
immediate resuscitation
by medics at the
USC Medical Center.
Judge Lawrence Mira ordered him
to undergo a 24 hour drug
rehabilitation program
at the Exodus Recovery
Center in Marina del Rey.
It wasn't long
before Robert escaped
through the bathroom window and
hitchhiked back to his home.
Just four hours later,
Robert was recaptured
and jailed for nine days
after which he was
supervised in rehab.
On the 11th September, 1996,
Robert Downey Jr.
pleaded no contest
to felony drug possession
and misdemeanor charges
of possessing a weapon
and driving under the influence.
- [Dr. Manijeh Nikakhtar]
I said, "Robert,
I believe that you
have bipolar disorder."
He said, "yes, I do
have bipolar disorder.
There are period of
times that I just,
I'm so hyper and I
spend a lot of money.
I'm irritable.
And there are period of
times that I go down.
- [Judge] That concludes
the proceedings.
- [Dr. Manijeh Nikakhtar]
For past several years,
he's just going through
the revolving door
of rehab program
and being arrested,
which is too sad,
such a bright person,
and he's not a criminal,
he's a victim of the drugs.
- [Narrator] Robert
would remain in rehab
for six more months
where he was required to
submit drug tests frequently
and attend daily meetings.
[melancholy music playing]
In December, 1997,
Robert was sent
to the LA County
Men's Central Jail
after his counselor testified
about a missed drug
test in October.
During his jail time,
Robert was subjected
to many fights and
vicious beatings
reportedly waking up in
a pool of his own blood.
He was a target due to
his celebrity status
and being a pretty boy.
He received a severe gash
from an argument with
three other inmates
and needed to be moved
to solitary confinement
for his own safety.
After 113 days,
Robert was released
and immediately checked
into a 120 day rehab program
where Robert remained
on probation.
The judge ruled for a 24
strict rehabilitation center.
- Watch out this, there's
a grass thing back here.
- [Lawyer] Excuse me,
can we get to court?
Please, that's all
we want. Please.
- [Paparazzi] Thank you.
- [Lawyer] Jesus Christ.
- I'm running outta resources
to keep you outta state prison.
I'm gonna incarcerate you
in a way that's very
unpleasant for you.
I'm doing that because I believe
if you understand that's
where you're going,
maybe it'll save your life.
[melancholy music playing]
[film snaps]
- [Narrator] Following this,
Robert would then be sent
to the California Substance
Abuse Treatment Facility
and State Prison in
Corcoran, California.
[siren blares]
The climate of the
prison was much harsher
than the previous
state penitentiary.
Guard towers
surrounded the walls
and Charles Manson was located
in the maximum security
wing next door.
With such a hostile environment,
Robert was extremely frightened.
The experience at the
penitentiary was scarring.
Robert would attempt to survive
by keeping his head down
and performing his duties,
often being scolded and
harassed by other inmates,
such as when Downey
was given death threats
simply for spitting into the
sink while brushing his teeth.
- [Oprah] Were you afraid?
- I was, the first day I
was kind of scared, yeah.
- [Oprah] Yeah.
- Yeah, and there was a
lot of stuff that happened
that doesn't bear mentioning,
because things are violent
and there's certain
things that you do
when you enter that system
that you wouldn't care
to do on the street,
but, it's part of the deal.
[dramatic music playing]
- [Narrator] Robert struggled.
Not being able to be a father
to his son took a mental toll.
It was heartbreaking
to tell Indio
the truth about
his incarceration
and debated lying
to his wife Deborah,
stating he wanted to tell Indio
he was going to
Yugoslavia to become a spy
until Deborah eventually
made him tell the truth.
[melancholy music playing]
[crowd chats, cameras click]
Finally, in the year 2000,
Robert was released from prison,
having served his time.
And with a stroke of luck,
was able to sign
on to Ally McBeal,
a television drama series.
Soon after, he was arrested
in the Palm Springs Hotel
under the influence
of Valium and cocaine.
[camera clicks]
[static buzzes]
[melancholy music
continues playing]
Miraculously, he
managed to sign on
for more episodes
of Ally McBeal,
despite a possible four year
sentence looming over him.
Sadly, his attempted retribution
did not come to pass.
As in April, 2001,
Robert was found
wandering around
Culver City barefoot.
Cocaine was found in his system.
Though he was released,
the Ally McBeal executives
fired Downey from the show,
and his wife Deborah,
officially divorced.
Though she allowed
visitations for Indio,
the stress procured
from her ex-husband
was far too difficult
to maintain.
Downey pleaded no contest
to the charges which
loomed over him.
During this period, California
Proposition 36 was passed.
A proposition which assisted
in sending drug offenders
to rehab as opposed to jail.
Due to this, Downey
was sentenced
to three years of probation
and drug rehabilitation.
[melancholy music
continues playing]
[nostalgic music playing]
Understanding
Robert's situation,
Elton John lent a
gracious helping hand,
giving Robert a job lip syncing
for the music video of
his song "I Want Love".
The public would often say
"this was the kickstart
to Robert's new life."
It was clear that, upon
returning to Hollywood,
Robert possessed no
financial safety.
His wife had left him and
he had no home to return to.
[nostalgic music
continues playing]
It was thanks to Mel Gibson,
who put a roof
over Robert's head.
Mel would provide
him food and shelter.
Gibson gave Robert the
opportunity to play a role
intended for Gibson himself
in "The Singing Detective".
Not only this, Mel paid for
Robert's full insurance bond.
[whimsical music playing]
[crowd muttering]
- [Paparazzi Member] There's
Downey, wave, wave, wave.
- [Person In Crowd] Broke
my arm, broke my arm.
- [Narrator] Downey
made his return
to the mainstream
industry with "Gothika".
Joel Silver, the producer,
would refuse to pay
Robert 40% of his salary
until the production
had wrapped,
as insurance for Robert's
past misdemeanors.
On the set of "Gothika",
Robert met Susan Nicole Levin,
an executive vice president
for Silver Pictures.
The two hit it off
and Susan remained skeptical
that his advances would
continue after the production,
but Robert, smitten, would
continue to meet with her.
After forming a
loving relationship,
Robert proposed to
Susan on November 5th,
the night before
her 30th birthday.
The two were married
in August, 2005,
a Jewish ceremony taking
place in Amagansett, New York.
Slowly but surely, Robert was
beginning to rise once more,
obtaining huge attention
for his leading role
in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang",
a directorial debut
of Shane Black,
who would remain a close
friend and colleague
until this day.
- Robert was an angel
aside from, you know,
standing this
close all the time.
So he just stares
right in your eye.
He's just looking at you
to gauge that you're
on the same page.
He doesn't want
condescension or solicitude,
least of all doesn't
want your pity.
He wants to do the job.
Tell him what to do,
tell him the task.
And like a true pro,
he will execute whatever
assignment you give him.
And that's all he wants to
do now, is just do the job.
And he's a expert. He's a pro.
And it was a joy to watch.
Kilmer, same way.
We did this movie in 35 days,
that's the proof of the pudding.
If any one of these
guys had even been
the least of a
nuisance or a trouble,
we could never have
finished the movie.
They were just as
devoted as can be.
Everybody in this
film needed the film.
[whimsical music playing]
- [Narrator] Robert's son
Indio would also go on
to star in the film
at the age of nine,
which remains his
only acting credit.
Robert appeared in "Zodiac",
directed by David Fincher.
He played the role
of San Francisco Chronicle
journalist Paul Avery,
reporting the
Zodiac k*ller case.
- [Interviewer] Why
was it important to you
to be in this film?
- Well, I thought it'd be
fun, believe it or not,
and Fincher's a great filmmaker,
made a great friend in Jake,
and Mark and I have known
each other for a while
and Anthony Edwards has always
been one of my favorites
and I just thought
it'd be a blast.
- Do you think this film
will shed light on the case?
- I think anytime
you have something
that's historical fiction,
although there's a
lot of accuracy in it,
there's nothing definitive.
But I think what it'll do,
is retell a story
that was and still is,
in a lot of people's psyche
and the kind of the American
unconscious, you know.
- [Interviewer] You think
people will leave the theater
being haunted by the story?
- No, if we did our job,
they will. [chuckles]
- [Interviewer]
Thank you very much.
- [Narrator] From this point on,
it was time for Robert's
career to hit high altitudes.
[heart beat thuds]
[tense music playing]
Open your eyes, what
can you see around
Wind of the open sky
over the siren sound
[camera shutters click]
This is a dream
getting the royal scar
Holding the diamond
blade throwing it far
Holding your breath still
you'll jump if I will
Just sit and wait 'till
[crowd cheering]
See me fly
You know they'll
never catch me for it
See me fly
The way I put
my finger on it
- [Robert Downey Jr.] Well,
as far as I'm concerned,
he's the Frank Sinatra
of the Marvel universe.
See me fly
You know they'll
never catch me for it
See me fly
The way I put
my finger on it
See me fly
You got it
Then try to tell me
you got the wrong guy
- [Narrator] Despite
the critical success,
Robert had not starred
in a blockbuster film.
This all changed the
day he took on the role
as Tony Stark in "Ironman".
The film catapulted
Robert turning him
into a household name
due to the popularity
of the incoming Marvel
Cinematic Universe.
- [Robert Downey
Jr.] I go to Japan,
I go there, there they go,
"Please had small problem
with your passport.
Links up to some
incredible criminal."
[table laughs]
I'm like, "yeah, yeah,
yeah, but I'm cool."
They were, "you did not make
claim of this activity."
I was like, "oh
look, I'm tired..."
"How long?"
"16 months, blah blah."
"Do you know the name
of the first infraction
you had in the 1995?"
I was like, "you know what I...
it's hard for me to...
'cause I've been
arrested so many times."
[table laughs]
- [Interviewer] Now, Robert,
of course, is brilliant
and lots of people say
he was born to play it.
- This is, I think they're
role of a lifetime for him.
A lot of people
thought Chaplin was,
I happen to think this guy
was born to be Tony Stark.
- [Interviewer] And why is that?
- Well, because, you know,
Robert's grown up
in the public eye.
Everything good and bad
that's happened in his life,
everybody's seen.
And Tony Stark, he's a guy
who's also grown up
in the public eye.
He's a genius. Everybody
appreciates his talent.
But the fact of the
matter is, I think,
I think that Robert Downey
Jr., he's an improviser,
so he brings a certain
spontaneous, you know,
aspect to the humor.
[crowd shouting]
And I think he, he finds the
real humanity, in a character
that could otherwise
be a two-dimensional
comic book figure.
You know.
[press shouting]
- [Journalist 1] Robert...
- [Journalist 2] Whoa.
- [Journalist 3] And Robert...
- Dude, I want one
of these laminates,
you wanna talk
about.. No, it's okay.
- [Narrator] Downey would
continue to branch outward.
During his time with Marvel,
he was nominated for
the Academy Award
for best supporting actor
thanks to his portrayal
of the eccentric,
yet partially controversial
method actor Kirk Lazarus.
As the early two
thousands passed by,
Robert would continue to
remain an inspiration,
to both inspiring actors
and recovering addicts.
[whimsical music playing]
- It's easy to
embrace hopelessness.
- Do you still get
urges to do drugs?
- I have not even an
inkling of a desire.
It's not that difficult
to overcome these seemingly
ghastly problems, you just...
- [Oprah] You are saying
that it's not that difficult?
- No, what's hard is to decide.
And to say, "you know, it's
not, I don't want to be..."
- [Oprah] Oh, that's
big. That's big.
- [Press Member] Robert,
according to the
press release here,
it says Robert Downey Jr.
brings the legendary
detective to life
as he's never been
portrayed before.
What exactly have
you got planned?
- You mean in how I'm
gonna portray him?
- [Press Member] Yes.
- Well, I guess, clearly,
I'm gonna do it better
than it's ever been done.
[group laughs]
- [Narrator] He starred
as the titular character
in Guy Richie's
"Sherlock Holmes" in 2009
before donning his Iron Man
suit once again in 2010.
- [Robert Downey Jr.] Joel
started my career 25 years ago,
movie called "Weird Science".
[press laughs]
And...
- [Joel Silver] That was
great, that movie, by the way.
- Yeah. And here we are.
And then I met my wife
working for Joel again,
and here we are.
And in case you're unaware,
I had a hell of a summer and
it's made me much more viable
to play a elite role than
I might have in the past.
And I thought, the idea of Guy,
and the way his directing style
and his strengths with a kind
of very stayed, you know,
iconoclastic period
idea like this,
was just kind of a
no lose situation.
And then having the
likes of Mark and Rachel
and Kelly and Mr.
Jude Law in the cast,
I just felt like it
was the kind of thing
you just can't turn down,
and I've been proven right.
We're just so excited
about this, and...
[melancholy music playing]
- [Ethan Tremblay]
And where's your dad?
- [Peter Highman] No idea.
[rain patters]
- [Ethan Tremblay] When's
the last time you saw him?
- 1977, he had his bags
packed by the front door,
and he picked 'em up,
put 'em in the back of
his car and drove away.
Last time I ever saw him.
[Ethan laughing]
- [Ethan Tremblay] So funny!
[Ethan continues
laughing uproariously]
Oh my gosh, my dad would
never do that. He loved me.
- Well, I think that
it's the irreverence
that makes this movie.
And quite honestly,
bachelor party movies
have been done too,
but "The Hangover" had a
certain kind of irreverence
and a darkness underneath it.
That is what I
feel like I bring.
So to me that was, you know,
the approach on "Due Date".
[upbeat music playing]
- [Peter Highman] If I
miss the birth of my child,
I'm gonna choke you out
with your own scarf,
wrap that thing around your
neck and choke you out.
- Because honestly,
I'm really fortunate at
this point in my career,
I'm not just gonna
go be derivative.
And I think that's why Iron
Man kind of worked out well,
is we did something a little
bit different with that genre.
So we like playing with genres
and we like not trying
to improve on them,
but just try to take them in a
slightly different direction.
I love movies, so
when I go to films,
I expect to not be sold the
same soap over and over again.
So I'm just trying to give the
same respect to the audience
that I expect as a movie lover.
- [Interviewer] With you
filming one-on-one with Robert?
- Yeah, Robert's an
intense guy and...
But, but you know,
there was a lot of...
There was a lot of laughing
and he's a very opinionated guy
and I like that.
I like that, he's, you know,
he has a lot of experience
and I don't, so I like
to listen to the...
About his experience
over and over again.
- [Announcer] That's
the other reason...
- [Interviewer 2] Did you feel
that you learned a lot from it?
- Yes, absolutely.
That's the whole thing
is that, you know,
Robert and I are not
even that different age,
but as far as our work
experience in the movies,
where there's a vast difference.
So...
- [Announcer] I think
he was a little bit, you know,
- I even got kind of
choked up the other day
and told him how much that
I appreciate him, you know,
guiding me along on this movie.
I really am very fond of him.
- [Narrator] As partners, not
only by love but business,
Robert and his
wife Susan decided
to open their own production
company called Team Downey,
making their first project
"The Judge" in 2012.
Undoubtedly the couple hold
the arts in high regard
and continue to
provide a platform
for original storytelling.
[nostalgic music playing]
After the release
of "The Avengers",
currently the ninth highest
grossing film worldwide,
Robert's second son,
Exton Downey was born.
His middle name Elias,
in respect of Robert's family
lineage and his father.
Sadly, in 2014, Robert's
firstborn Indio was arrested
for the possession of cocaine
and drug paraphernalia.
He agreed to go on a
rehabilitation program
after being pulled
over by the police.
Robert, after his
own life experience,
chose to support Indio
throughout the ordeal,
ensuring his child didn't
take the same path as he did.
With the support of his family,
Indio passed his
rehab without flaw.
Directed by his parents
to follow his own path
and remain mindful
along the way.
No doubt the past would
always haunt Robert
and dealing with the media
would remain a hardship.
- I took turns doing it
and it was wonderful.
By the end I was
making the baby do...
I had more talcum up my nose,
more powder up my nose
than Robert Downey Jr.
[interviewer laughs]
- [Krishnan Guru-Murthy]
But he's becoming
a much more likable
character as well, isn't he?
A better man?
- Yeah, he's becoming
a better guy.
- [Krishnan Guru-Murthy]
I, you know,
in a way that you are
as well, I suppose.
- Sure.
- [Krishnan Guru-Murthy] I
mean, what I'd really like to...
I'd really like to
ask you about a quote
you gave to the New York Times
and I don't wanna pry,
so if you don't wanna talk
about it, that's fine.
But what you said to the
New York Times once was,
it was about, it was
after your incarceration,
and you said "you can't go from
a $2,000 a night hotel suite
to a penitentiary and understand
it and come out a liberal."
And I just wondered
what you meant by that.
- Things that you said
five, seven years ago,
or things you said
in an interview
that made sense to
you at the time.
I could pick that...
I could pick that
apart for two hours
and be no closer to the truth
than I'd be giving you some
half-assed answer right now.
I couldn't even really
tell you what a liberal is.
So therein lies the
answer to your question.
- Does that mean
you're not a liberal
or that you came out of
prison not being a liberal?
- Are we promoting a movie?
I'm certainly not gonna
backpedal on anything I've said,
but, I wouldn't say actually,
I wouldn't say I'm a Republican
or a liberal or a Democrat.
I think when I was
talking to the person
who was doing the
interview that day,
and that just happened
to be my opinion.
- You say we're
promoting an interview.
I mean, I'm promoting the movie.
I mean obviously you're doing
a promotional
round of interviews
and that's why we're
talking about the movie.
But we also would like to
talk a little bit about you
and I dunno how, how
comfortable you are, you know,
talking about yourself
at the moment.
- You have as much time
as anyone else will.
- Yeah. Well, okay,
well then let me just ask
you a few more questions
and you can answer
them if you want to
and not if you don't
want to, I mean...
- Foot's starting to
jump a little bit.
You better get to
your next question.
- The reason I'm
asking about the past,
is that you've talked in
other interviews, again,
about your relationship
with your father
and the role of all
of that in, you know,
the dark periods you entered
and taking drugs and
drinking and all of that.
And I just wondered
whether, you know,
you think you're
free of all of that,
or whether that's
still some something.
- I'm sorry, I really
don't, what are we doing?
- [Krishnan Guru-Murthy] I,
well I'm just asking questions.
That's all
- Right.
- [Staff Member] Yeah, okay.
- Bye.
- [Staff Member] Thank
you. Thank you guys.
- I'm sorry, I...
- Set your mic.
- It's okay.
- Yeah, you're alright.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
- Do you, you seem okay,
it's just getting a
little Diane Sawyer.
- No, no, look, I
dot wanna do that.
- [Staff Member] Thank you.
- Fine.
- [Interviewer] I was
interviewing Jake Gyllenhal
a couple weeks ago.
You were about 10 feet away.
- Oh yeah.
- And we were talking
about "Zodiac"
and I was asking him
about the choices.
We were talking about the
choices that you make,
you make such
wonderful choices now.
Do you think that your
20 years through the...
The last 20 years have
really helped you,
you know, decide what...
- Well, I mean, if...
Think if it's a bit
of a haystack anyway.
Some people really grab the
needle right off the bat.
I'm kind of like the last
stock in the hay stack.
I'm like, well it's not
that. And then there's me.
So I've had a lot of
opportunity to make mistakes.
- [Interviewer] I don't
think you made many,
especially lately.
I just saw "Kiss
Kiss Bang Bang".
- God, you're right. I
don't even know what to say.
I gotta change my
opinion on then don't I?
- [Interviewer] Every time. Man.
[crowd chattering]
- [Narrator] Robert
would not concern himself
with who he was.
Instead remaining focused
on what he can be.
Robert and his wife celebrated
the birth of his third child,
Avery Roel Downey,
born on November 4th.
The Marvel Universe was
a worldwide phenomenon
and Robert took his
final bow in 2019
upon the release of
"Avengers Endgame".
Today, "Endgame" remains
the second highest
grossing film worldwide,
raking in $2.8 billion
in lifetime gross,
providing Robert's character
Tony Stark with an ending
which made fans around
the world shed tears.
- [Interviewer] And, as you
said in the press conference,
being back with Robert,
it really happens
that after, you know,
like three movies now, you
really became close friends.
That's right, no?
- We became really close friends
after the first movie, you know,
and I'm very close with his
wife and I love his children.
His son Indio, I love,
and his little baby.
Yeah, we're all friends.
They always come
and spend part of the summer
with us on Long Island
and we spend a lot
of time together.
You know, I'm a person who
really believes in like family
and I was raised...
I was raised to believe in
the importance of family
and loyalty and love and looking
after the people you love.
And you know, that's
one of the reasons
Robert is one of my heroes,
because he has so much thrown
at him, especially now,
and his values are so good
and he's such a family guy
and you know, he's
come through so much,
and he's come out
as this amazing man
with incredible values and it's
really nice to be near that.
- [Narrator] From 2020, Robert
chose to adopt a vegan diet
during the promotions
of "Doolittle".
In order to combat his
own carbon footprint,
he announced the opening
of the Footprint Coalition,
an organization tailored to
developing advanced technology
to protect the environment,
which still remains
active and thriving.
As his business
endeavors boomed,
Robert is now seeking to reprise
critically acclaimed roles.
He will be featuring
in "The Sympathizer"
directed by Park Chan-Wook
and "Oppenheimer" directed
by Christopher Nolan.
Two castings fans are
incredibly excited to watch
following his massive success
in the Marvel franchise.
[whimsical music playing]
In July, 2021, Robert
Downey Sr. passed away
after a long battle
with Parkinson's disease
at the age of 85.
Robert was incredibly
close to his father.
He served as an
inspiration into the arts.
And after Robert's struggle
with substance abuse,
his overcoming served
as a reconnection
to those important in his life.
Robert went above and
beyond, paying tribute
to the impact his
father had on him,
was "Senior", a documentary
revealing the life,
trials and tribulations
of the man he held
so dear to his heart.
[cameras clicking,
crowd chatting]
- Well, I actually had
really good parents
and they were kind of
square in a lot of ways,
and they were very
highly ideal people
and artists and did
their very best.
- The relationship
with your dad.
Did he, did you want to get
involved in his business
because of him?
- Well, I remember, you know,
him being a writer
and a director.
I remember when I
was eight years old,
like I was in a movie of his,
but it seemed kind
of natural to me.
Like, well this is
just what I'm doing.
Daddy's making this and
I'm doing it too, you know?
I guess so.
I mean, I really
admire my father
and it seemed like he
had a really good time
and was really got
to communicate.
- [Narrator] He and Susan remain
an inseparable power couple,
residing in New York and Malibu.
Their continued work
with Team Downey
has set future
projects in motion,
such as the upcoming
Sherlock Holmes sequel.
Robert remains in close
contact with his children,
attending the premiere of
"Senior" with his son Indio.
It is undisputed that
Robert will continue
to push his children
in the direction of
greatness and passion.
Whatever path they may take.
From a harsh upbringing
to one of the worst downfalls
in celebrity history,
Robert Downey Jr. was able
to not only overcome
acclaimed critical hurdles,
he was able to overcome himself,
with the support from
the ones he loved.
And now he remains skyrocketing
upwards, inspiring millions,
all with a hardworking mindset
and no lack of charisma.
My mother's face
my father's heart
A good day when the
fall rains start
A feeling you find no
matter how far you've gone
The thing you can't
quite put your finger on
Back home
[calming music playing]
Party of six never on time
You won't melt
go play outside
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Robert Downey Jr.: High Altitude (2023)
Moderators: Maskath3, sidolanters, GabrielAlejo2341
Biographies Movie Collection