Robert Downey Jr.
Biography
Robert John Downey Jr. is an American actor born on April 4, 1965, in New York City. Recognized as one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, his films as a lead have earned over 14.3 billion dollars worldwide. Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Between 2013 and 2015, he was ranked as the highest-paid actor in the world. With 183 known acting credits, he is noted for his versatility and has maintained a prominent presence in the film industry for over four decades.
Career overview
Downey made his professional acting debut at the age of five in the 1970 film Pound, which was directed by his father, Robert Downey Sr. He later gained prominence during the 1980s through his work in teen films such as Weird Science in 1985 and Less than Zero in 1987. Over the following decades, he established himself as a respected figure in Hollywood, appearing in a wide variety of projects including the Sherlock Holmes series. His career reached a significant milestone through his portrayal of Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role he held from 2008 to 2019. This period included his participation in major ensemble films such as The Avengers.
In recent years, Downey has continued to receive critical recognition for his performances. He portrayed Lewis Strauss in the 2023 biographical film Oppenheimer, a role for which he won an Academy Award. His body of work reflects a long-standing evolution in the industry, transitioning from early roles to becoming a globally recognized performer. His contributions to cinema are documented through his extensive filmography and his status as a consistent box-office draw.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom
- Avengers: Doomsday (2026) as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom
- Robert Richardson: The White Devil (2026) as Self - Interviewee
- The Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025) as Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom (uncredited)
- Play Dirty (2025) Executive Producer
- SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night (2025) as Self
- The Sympathizer (2024) as Claude / Professor Hammer / Ned Godwin / Niko Damianos / Priest
- The Sympathizer (2024) Executive Producer
- Robert Downey Jr.: High Altitude (2024) as Self
- Oppenheimer (2023) as Lewis Strauss
- Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter (2023) as Self
- Downey's Dream Cars (2023) as Self - Host
- Downey's Dream Cars (2023) Executive Producer
- Inside Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023) as Self - Lewis Strauss
- "Sr." (2022) as Self
- "Sr." (2022) Producer
- 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (2022) as Self - Presenter
- Sweet Tooth (2021) Executive Producer
- Marvel Studios Legends (2021) as Tony Stark / Iron Man (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Marvel Studios Assembled (2021) as Tony Stark / Iron Man (archive footage)
- Perry Mason (2020) Executive Producer
- Dolittle (2020) as Dr. John Dolittle
- Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King (2020) as Self
- MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains (2020) as Self
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- The Chef Show (2019) as Self - Guest
- The Age of A.I. (2019) as Self - Host
- The Age of A.I. (2019) Executive Producer
- Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways (2019) as Self
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (2018) as Self
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- The True Story of... (2017) as Self (archive footage)
- A Fan's Guide to Spider-Man Homecoming (2017) as Self
- Captain America: Civil War (2016) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- The Nice Guys (2016) as Sid Shattuck (uncredited)
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- Phase 2 Tag Scenes: A Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two (2015) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- Off Camera with Sam Jones (2014) as Self
- The Judge (2014) as Hank Palmer
- The Judge (2014) Executive Producer
- Chef (2014) as Marvin
- I Am Steve McQueen (2014) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe (2014) as Self / Tony Stark / Iron Man
- Sock or Hat? (2014) as Self
- Marvel: 75 Years, from Pulp to Pop! (2014) as Self
- Iron Man 3 (2013) as Tony Stark
- The Frame (2013) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- Iron Man 3 Unmasked (2013) as Self
- The Avengers (2012) as Tony Stark / Iron Man
- Finding Your Roots (2012) as Self
- Marvel Studios: Building a Cinematic Universe (2012) as Self
- Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: A Perfect Chemistry (2012) as Self
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) as Sherlock Holmes
- Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant (2011) as Tony Stark (archive footage)
- Iron Man 2 (2010) as Tony Stark
- Due Date (2010) as Peter Highman
- Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented (2010) as Self
- Love and Distrust (2010) as Rob (segment "Auto Motives")
- Mad Mel: The Rise and Fall of a Hollywood Icon (2010) as Self (archive footage)
- Sherlock Holmes (2009) as Sherlock Holmes
- The Soloist (2009) as Steve Lopez
- Live from Studio Five (2009) as Self
- The Incredible Hulk (2008) as Tony Stark (uncredited)
- Iron Man (2008) as Tony Stark
- Tropic Thunder (2008) as Kirk Lazarus
- Rain of Madness (2008) as Kirk Lazarus
- Charlie Bartlett (2008) as Nathan Gardner
- Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound (2008) as Self - Tony Stark / Iron Man
- I Am 'Iron Man' (2008) as Self
- Animal House: The Inside Story (2008) as Self
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self - Guest
- Zodiac (2007) as Paul Avery
- Lucky You (2007) as Telephone Jack
- Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (2007) as Self
- Voom Portraits (2007) as Self
- A Scanner Darkly (2006) as James Barris
- The Shaggy Dog (2006) as Dr. Kozak
- A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) as Dito
- A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) Producer
- Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) as Lionel Sweeney
- Game 6 (2006) as Steven Schwimmer
- One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' (2006) as Self / Barris
- The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales (2006) as Self
- Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow (2006) as Narrator
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) as Harry Lockhart
- Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) as Joe Wershba
- The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005)
- The Outsider (2005) as Self
- Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost and Found (2005) as Self
- Eros (2004) as Nick Penrose
- Linklater: St. Richard of Austin (2004) as Self
- On the Set of 'Gothika' (2004) as Self
- The Route V50 (2004) as Traveller
- Painting with Fire (2004) as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Punk'd (2003) as Self
- Gothika (2003) as Pete Graham
- The Singing Detective (2003) as Dan Dark
- Whatever We Do (2003) as Bobby
- Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)
- Lethargy (2002) as Animal Therapist
- Last Party 2000 (2001) as Self
- Pieta (2001) as Self
- Wonder Boys (2000) as Terry Crabtree
- Auto Motives (2000) as Rob
- Family Guy (1999) as Patrick Pewterschmidt (voice)
- The Early Show (1999) as Self
- Friends & Lovers (1999) as Hans
- Bowfinger (1999) as Jerry Renfro
- Black and White (1999) as Terry Donager
- In Dreams (1999) as Vivian Thompson
- U.S. Marshals (1998) as Royce
- The Gingerbread Man (1998) as Clyde Pell
- Two Girls and a Guy (1998) as Blake
- The View (1997) as Self
- Ally McBeal (1997) as Larry Paul
- Hugo Pool (1997) as Franz Mazur
- One Night Stand (1997) as Charlie
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self - Guest
- Danger Zone (1996) as Jim Scott
- The Frank Skinner Show (1995) as Self
- Restoration (1995) as Robert Merivel
- Richard III (1995) as Earl Rivers
- Home for the Holidays (1995) as Tommy Larson
- Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1995) as Mr. Willowby
- Natural Born Killers (1994) as Wayne Gale
- Only You (1994) as Peter Wright
- Hail Caesar (1994) as Jerry
- Fertile La Toyah Video Magazine #2: The Kinky Issue! (1994)
- Late Show with David Letterman (1993) as Self - Guest
- Raw (1993) as Self (archive footage)
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- GMTV (1993) as Self
- Heart and Souls (1993) as Thomas Reilly
- Short Cuts (1993) as Bill Bush
- The Last Party (1993) as Self
- The Last Party (1993) Writer
- Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country (1993) as Self
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)
- Chaplin (1992) as Charles Spencer Chaplin
- Soapdish (1991) as David Seton Barnes
- Too Much Sun (1991) as Reed Richmond
- Air America (1990) as Billy Covington
- Chances Are (1989) as Alex Finch
- True Believer (1989) as Roger Baron
- That's Adequate (1989) as Albert Einstein
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- This Morning (1988) as Self - Interviewee
- Johnny Be Good (1988) as Leo Wiggins
- 1969 (1988) as Ralph Carr
- Martini Ranch: Reach (1988) Thanks
- Rented Lips (1988) as Wolf Dangler
- Kids' Choice Awards (1987) as Self
- The Pick-up Artist (1987) as Jack Jericho
- Less Than Zero (1987) as Julian
- Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987) as (voice)
- American Masters (1986) as Self
- Back to School (1986) as Derek
- America (1986) as Paulie Hackley
- Arrival (1986) as Eddie
- The Twilight Zone (1985) Director
- Weird Science (1985) as Ian
- Tuff Turf (1985) as Jimmy Parker
- Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985) as Bruno Mussolini
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) as Punk Party Crasher (uncredited)
- Firstborn (1984) as Lee
- Baby It's You (1983) as Stewart
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982) as Self - Guest
- Entertainment Tonight (1981) as Self
- Up the Academy (1980) as Boy on Soccer Team (uncredited)
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Various Characters
- People's Choice Awards (1975) as Self - Presenter
- Two Tons of Turquoise to Taos Tonight (1975) as Himself
- Greaser's Palace (1972) as Boy in Covered Wagon (uncredited)
- Pound (1970) as Puppy
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- The Oscars (1953) as Self - Presenter
- Shardscapes 64% as El chat
- Vertigo as John 'Scottie' Ferguson
- Vertigo Producer
- Weather Girl Executive Producer
- All-Star Weekend as Mexican Stranger
- Untitled Sherlock Holmes Sequel as Sherlock Holmes
- A Head Full of Ghosts Producer
- The Hider
- The Hider Producer