Biography of Robert Downey Jr
From heroin to the heroes
April 4, 1965Robert John Downey Jr. Ford was born in Greenwich Village, New York, on 4 April 1965. Famous American actor, son of art, whose career has been intertwined with often unpleasant personal events, due to his drug abuse, which often have cost him shut down. The little Robert was born into a family steeped in cinema and New York, as tradition dictates, absolutely the multiethnic origins. His father is the well-known Director Robert Downey SR., of Irish descent and, even, Jewish. Her real name is, in fact, Elias, while Downey derives from that of his grandfather.
His mother's name is Elsie Ford, also an actress, descendant of a family of German immigrants, half and half Scottish. He has an older sister whose name is Allyson. The career of Robert so, given the family environment immersed in the world of film art, can only begin at once. In 1970, at the age of five, the young Downey Jr., in a film at the cinema debut shot by her father, "Pound". Ten years later, she lives for a short time in London, and attended the Perry House School in Chelsea, also taking ballet lessons. In 1976, when he was eleven, he sees his parents get divorced, an event that never fails to have an effect on him. He also attended Santa Monica High School, disrupts school at 17 years and decided to devote himself body and soul to the cinema, his passion. Choose to settle permanently in New York, along with his mother, unlike her sister Allyson that instead follows the father in California. The following year, only eighteen years old, in 1983, Robert Downey Jr. plays a major role in the film "promises, promises".
The 1985 is important because the young actor son of art begins to get known by television audiences. Enter in fact in one of the longest-running television shows and sequels of America, the Saturday Night Show, live from the Rockefeller Centre in New York. Success came with the film "Ehi...ci?," published in 1987, written and directed by James Toback. A romantic comedy that Robert Downey Jr. starred actress Molly Ringwald. That same year, American film criticism the tribute due, in the film "beyond all boundaries" by Marek Kanievska, in which the young actor plays the role of a rich cokehead unscrupulously. Still miss the consecration by the public at large, which comes a few years later, when Downey Jr. links its name with that of the greatest icon of film stars and stripes: Charlie Chaplin. In 1992, in fact, plays Charlotte, in the excellent film by Richard Attenborough that is titled "Chaplin".
Gets nominated for an Oscar, as well as the Golden Globe and British Academy Award. Is an important year for him, because it goes to a wedding to actress Deborah Falconer, on 28 May 1992. The next year working on Robert Altman's series, "America today", inspired by and largely taken from stories of the great writer Raymond Carver. On 7 September 1993, was also his son, Indio. Even a short stop and in 1994 he took part at the "reckless", Oliver Stone's "Natural born killers", which in Italian cinemas comes up with the title of "natural born killers". Two years later, however, begin the first trouble for Robert Downey Jr. In 1996, in fact, the actor was arrested for driving under the influence of drunkenness and possession of heroin. Is sent to a rehabilitation center, for the first time in his life. The following year, in spite of everything, is in the cast of "U.S. Marshals-hunting without respite" by Stuart Baird, but the probation gives him many problems during the work and production forces him to continue blood tests. Until 1999, Downey complicates life with illegal actions, such as not showing up to periodic tests of the blood. Accumulates a set of convictions that cost three years imprisonment and, especially, the annulment of all contracts.
Unable to take part and to finish the filming of the movie "In Dreams". However, giving him a chance the tv, with the hit series "Ally McBeal", in which it takes part after a year in jail and release on bail. Together with the main character, Calista Flockhart, Downey Jr. is appreciated by critics and audiences and won the Golden Globe for best supporting actor. The success does not last long and between 2000 and 2001 the actor shuts down a couple more times, almost always for use and possession of cocaine. The production of "Ally McBeal" puts him out of the series, in order to protect the image of the product. The only thing of note, also in 2001, is a role in the music video of the song by Elton John, "I want love". You have to wait until 2003 to see him at work on a major production.
In the movie "Gothika", directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, is the actor plays an important role and gets his artistic credibility. Also, just on the set of this film, the cleaned Downey Jr. met his future partner, the producer Susan Levin, who married in August 2005. By this date, then, devoted to career and discipline of kung fu, the future Sherlock Holmes takes part in several successful films, like "Iron Man", in which he impersonates the hero Tony Stark of Marvel Comics, a position he repeated in 2010, in the sequel "Iron Man 2". In the meantime, comes the debut musical, exactly on 23 November 2004, with the release of his first album, "The Futurist".
The 2008 is an important year for him. Takes part in "Tropic Thunder," with Ben Stiller and Jack Black, which earned him an Oscar nomination for the second time, and, above all, is chosen in the title role in the film by Guy Ritchie "Sherlock Holmes." The film is a success. Alongside Robert Downey Jr., who won the Golden Globe, there's Jude Law, and the audience rushes.
The years 2010
In 2010 run "Due Date", which in Italy is translated as "leave with crowds," a lively comedy directed by Todd Phillips, which include Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan and Jamie Foxx. The film won him the recognition of the Cinematheque Award. Back on the big screen in the role of Sherlock Holmes with the new chapter "shadow play" (2011). This is followed by "The Avengers" (2012), "Iron Man 3" (2013), "Chef-the perfect recipe" (2014), "The Judge" (2014), "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015).Article contributed by the team of collaborators.