Despite being one of the most well-known performers in the world and best known for his work as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. has a number of intriguing and less well-known characteristics.
Robert Downey Jr. was raised in a creative environment; his mother is an actress and his father was a well-known filmmaker. His boyish features and charisma helped him land lead roles in comedies after appearing in a number of films as a supporting actor, and when he tried his hand at drama films, Chaplin garnered him his first Academy Award nomination. Although Downey’s career has taken many detours and changed directions, with perseverance and the capacity to trust in himself, the actor found his way back home through his films.
As the sarcastic and dry-humored Tony Stark, Downey has established himself as a household celebrity and is regarded as a key figure in laying the foundation for the MCU superhero films’ future. Despite his enormous success in the movies, many fans are unaware of the actor’s personal details. Let’s examine a few of Robert Downey Jr.’s lesser-known characteristics that few people are aware of.
1. He Played A Puppy In His First On-Screen Role: RDJ, one of Hollywood’s most influential performers, had a somewhat ridiculous first film role. He played a dog in the 1970 movie Pound as a five-year-old. Before he started spreading out, his father offered even his second role.
2. He Was Seen As A “Risk” When He Was Cast As Iron Man: Robert Downey Jr. is a key player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s success since his 2008 film Iron Man charted the future. After years of drug abuse, drunkenness, and arrests, the actor tried to improve his public image during the casting announcement for the film. Jon Favreau, a friend, and director gave him significant support for the part, but Kevin Feige thought it was a gamble that ultimately paid off in spades.
3. He Was Arrested But Made the Decision to Change His Life: The late 1990s were a challenging time for the actor, who was detained on numerous occasions between 1996 and 2001 owing to substance misuse problems. His arrests mounted, but he failed the court-mandated illegal substance tests, which resulted in a three-year prison sentence. Downey made the decision to change his life after serving a year in prison and receiving an early release.
4. He Was a One-Season Cast Member of Saturday Night Live: For actors and comedians who want their work to be known around the world, Saturday Night Live has emerged as a brand and launching pad. When the show’s ratings began to decline in 1985, Lorne Michaels made the decision to expand the cast, which now featured RDJ, by hiring a few burgeoning actors who weren’t comedians. However, the ratings did not increase, and Downey was fired by Michaels after just one season. In the long run, it proved to be a wise decision because the actor started looking for movie roles.
5. Robert Downey Jr. Practices Martial Arts To Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle: Robert Downey Jr. has been sober since 2003, and martial arts played a major role in his life’s transformation. The actor has trained in martial arts for a long time, especially Wing Chun, which Bruce Lee originally practiced before developing his Jeet Kune Do system. He was grounded, open to others, and more sensitive as a result of the training, which took place at the same time as his rehabilitation.
Source: TheThings