Robert Downey Jr. is famous for his roles as a superhero in the Avenger movie series produced by Marvel. However, what made him an incredible actor was his passion and path toward the dream of becoming an actor consisting of ups and downs. He is an actor, singer, and producer.
Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth is $300 million, and he found his fame in the role of Tony Stark in the Iron Man series. The role turned his career into one of the highest-paid Hollywood actors.
Early Life
Robert was born in New York on 4th April 1965 to Robert Downey Sr., who was an actor, writer, and director. His mother was Elsie Ann Downey, who is also an actress. She appeared in several movies produced by her husband. The family lived in Greenwich Village, and Robert Jr. has an older sister, Allyson.
Robert Downey Sr. was a drug addict, which impacted his son. Robert Downey Jr. tried marijuana for the first time when he was six years old. After their parents divorced in 1987, he moved to California along with his father. Even though he attended the school at Santa Monica High School, he dropped out in 1982 and moved back to New York City to pursue his interest, acting.
Career
After playing several theater roles, Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth began to build before landing a job in “Saturday Night Live” as part of young and new actors. It was in the mid-80s, and the other actors were Joan Cusack, Anthony Micheal Hall, Nora Dunn, Dennis Miller, Jon Lovitz, Randy Quaid, Danita Vance, and Terry Sweeney.
After the show received a worse rating, the production house fired all the actors. After this, Downey Jr. played the role of bully in “Weird Science.” It launched his career, and he was soon part of different movies. Finally, in 1992, he played the role of Charlie Chaplin in “Chaplin,” for which he received a nomination for the best actor in the Oscars.
Drug Issues
Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth began to tumble, and his career began sliding down when his drug issues ran out of control. Between 1996 and 2001, he went to prison many times on drug abuse charges. During his arrests, he possessed heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Even though he entered into rehab programs after his arrest, he replaced each time that showed his weakness towards drugs.
The entire period was horror for him, for he was found to own drugs during arrests, a magnum handgun, and breaking into his neighbor’s houses under the influence of a drug. After losing court appearances, he was arrested and sent to California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility. After spending a year at the facility, he was eligible for early release after posting a bail of $5,000.
Post Release
Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth began to build after his release from the jail. He joined the cast of “Ally McBeal.” He received a Golden Globe award as the best supporting actor for the mini-series. However, his addiction to drug use did not change.
He was found to be in possession of Valium and cocaine in 2000. An LAPD officer found him barefoot, wandering the streets of Culver City. The officer arrested him after finding him to be under the influence of cocaine. However, he was let go a few hours later. He was fired from the show and was sent to rehab once again. Downey Jr. was under probation for three years.
The Comeback
It was not easy or a cakewalk for Downey Jr. to come back into his career profession. Even though he bet his drug addiction demons, Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth dried up, and none of the production houses were ready to offer him any work because the insurance companies quoted high prices.
The second half of Downey Jr.’s career started only because of Mel Gibson, who remained his friend since “Air America.” He was the one who personally signed the insurance bonds for “The Singing Detective.” Filmmakers came forward to hire Downey Jr. after noticing that he completed the movie without any issue.
In 2007, he was assigned the role of Tony Stark for the movie “Iron Man,” which became his life’s turning point. The first iteration came out in 2008, for which he received appreciation from the critics and audience. He soon began to film for the other two sequels, released in 2010 and 2013. After the movie’s massive success, he soon became part of other Marvel series, including “The Avengers” series that garnered a colossal fan base across the globe.
Personal Life
After a 42-day courtship in 1992, Downey married Deborah Falconer, who was a singer and actress. However, their marriage ended in 2001 after his frequent arrests and trips to the drug rehab centers. As a result, Deborah parted ways with him and took their son, Indio. The divorce ended everything between them in 2004.
Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth had a significant impact on his personal life. After his unsuccessful marriage, he met Susan Levin in 2003. Although she initially declined two times for a date, she could not deny the presence of chemistry between them. As a result, Downey proposed to her in 2003 on her 30th birthday. Downey Jr. had Exton, his son, in 2012, and his daughter, Avri, in 2014.
Downey Jr. has remained sober from alcohol and drugs since 2003, and he credits his wife, Susan, for keeping him steady and helping him with addictions. He is a member of the 12-step recovery program.
Highlights of his Earnings
Between the period 2016 and 2017, Robert earned $50 million. After that, Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth started increasing, and he soon joined the elite club of actors who made handsomely or were the highest-paid actors. His earnings rose to $80 million between 2017 and 2018 and $65 million between 2018 and 2019.
He received $500,000 as his remuneration for his movie, Iron Man. Outside of Marvel productions, he earned $12 million for “Due Date” in 2010 and $15 million for “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” in 2011.
Properties
Robert Downey Jr.’s net worth of $300 million includes several properties. He owns several residential and commercial properties in Venice and California.