Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor.

His career has

included critical and popular success in his youth, followed by a period of
substance abuse and legal troubles, and a resurgence of commercial success in
middle age. For three consecutive years from 2012 to 2015, Downey has
topped the Forbes list of Hollywood's highest-paid actors, making an estimated
$80 million in earnings between June 2014 and June 2015.
Making his screen debut at the age of five, appearing in his father's film Pound
(1970), Downey Jr. appeared in roles associated with the Brat Pack, such as the
teen sci-fi comedy Weird Science (1985) and the drama Less Than Zero (1987).
He starred as title character in the 1992 film Chaplin, which earned him a
nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won him the BAFTA
Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Downey started dating actress Sarah Jessica Parker after meeting her on the
set of Firstborn. The couple later separated due to his drug addiction.
He married actress/singer Deborah Falconer on May 29, 1992, after a 42-day
courtship, their son, Indio Falconer Downey, was born in September 1993. The
strain on their marriage from Downey's repeated trips to rehab and jail finally
reached a breaking point; in 2001, in the midst of Downey's last arrest and
sentencing to an extended stay in rehab, Falconer left Downey and took their
son with her. Downey and Falconer finalized their divorce on April 26, 2004.
Downey Jr.'s career prospects improved when he featured in the mystery
thriller Zodiac (2007), and the satirical action comedy Tropic Thunder (2008);
for the latter he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting
Actor. Beginning in 2008, Downey began portraying the role of Marvel Comics
Superhero Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in several
films as either the lead role, member of an ensemble cast, or in a cameo. Each
of these films has grossed over $500 million at the box office worldwide; four of
theseThe Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 3 and Captain
America: Civil War earned over $1 billion. Downey Jr. has also played the title
character in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009) and its sequel (2011).