Born April 4, 1965, in New York City, Robert Downey Jr. is one of Hollywood’s most compelling comeback stories. Best known for his iconic portrayal of Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he redefined what it means to embody a superhero by balancing the scales of genius, wit, and heart.
Before Marvel, Downey was already an actor of depth and range. His performance in Chaplin (1992), where he portrayed silent film legend Charlie Chaplin, earned him an Academy Award nomination and a BAFTA win for Best Actor. He went on to shine in Sherlock Holmes, Tropic Thunder, and Oppenheimer, amongst others.
Despite early-career struggles with addiction and multiple arrests in the 1990s, Downey rebuilt both his life and legacy through perseverance and self-discipline. By 2012, he had become the world’s highest-paid actor according to Forbes, a title he held for three consecutive years.