He was born in Manhattan, New York, on April 4, 1965, into a family deeply rooted in film—his father was a filmmaker and his mother an actress.
Downey Jr. began acting at just five years old in his father’s film Pound (1970).
He studied ballet while living in London as a child, showing his early interest in the arts.
At one point in his career, he was so broke that he lived in a friend’s house and worked odd jobs before regaining his footing in Hollywood.
He is a skilled martial artist and has trained in Wing Chun, a discipline that helped him overcome personal struggles.
Downey Jr. was once considered for the role of Hugh Hefner in a biopic that never materialized.
He holds a strong passion for music and has released his own album, The Futurist (2004).
Despite his struggles with addiction, he made one of the most remarkable comebacks in Hollywood history, becoming the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Iron Man.