The Robert Downey Jr. Handbook - Everything you need to know about Robert Downey Jr. , livre ebook

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Downey made his screen debut at the age of five when he appeared in one of his father's films, Pound (1970), and has worked consistently in film and television ever since.

Higher-profile roles eventually led to his being cast as Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 film Chaplin, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

Between 1996 and 2001, Downey was frequently arrested on drug-related charges and went through several drug treatment programs, but had difficulty staying clean. After being released from the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in 2000, Downey joined the cast of the hit television series Ally McBeal. His performance was praised and he was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category and won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a mini-series or TV Film, but his character was written out when Downey was fired after two drug arrests in late 2000 and early 2001. After one last stay in a court-ordered drug treatment program, Downey finally achieved lasting sobriety and his career began to take off again.

In 2007, Downey was cast as the title character in the comic book adaptation Iron Man which premiered in the spring of 2008, making almost $100 million in the United States and Canada during its opening weekend. In addition to receiving commercial success, Downey's performance in the film received rave reviews. His other 2008 films include Charlie Bartlett and the Ben Stiller-directed Tropic Thunder. He received his second Oscar nomination for said film, in the category of Best Supporting Actor, which he lost to Heath Ledger. Next, he played the titular lead character in Guy Ritchie's adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, for which Downey won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of the famous detective. He reprised the role of Tony Stark in the 2010 sequel, Iron Man 2.

This book is your ultimate resource for Robert Downey Jr.. Here you will find the most up-to-date information, photos, and much more.

In easy to read chapters, with extensive references and links to get you to know all there is to know about his Early life, Career, Personal life, TV- and Filmography right away: The Avengers film project, Sherlock Holmes (2009 film), Due Date, Iron Man 2, The Soloist, Tropic Thunder, The Incredible Hulk (film), Iron Man (film), Charlie Bartlett, Lucky You (film), Zodiac (film), Fur (film), A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A Scanner Darkly (film), The Shaggy Dog (2006 film), Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow, Good Night, and Good Luck, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Game 6 (film), Eros (film), Gothika, The Singing Detective (film), Wonder Boys (film), Black and White (1999 film), Bowfinger, Friends & Lovers (film), In Dreams (film), U.S. Marshals (film), The Gingerbread Man (film), Hugo Pool, Two Girls and a Guy, One Night Stand (1997 film), Danger Zone (film), Restoration (film), Home for the Holidays (film), Richard III (1995 film), Only You (1994 film), Natural Born Killers, A Century of Cinema, Hail Caesar (1994 film), Short Cuts, The Last Party (film), Heart and Souls, Chaplin (film), Soapdish, Too Much Sun, Air America (film), Chances Are (film), True Believer (1989 film), That's Adequate, Rented Lips, 1969 (film), Johnny Be Good, Less Than Zero (film), The Pick-up Artist (film), Back to School, Weird Science (film), Tuff Turf, Firstborn (film), Baby It's You (film), Up the Academy, Greaser's Palace, Pound (film), Ally McBeal

Contains selected content from the highest rated entries, typeset, printed and shipped, combining the advantages of up-to-date and in-depth knowledge with the convenience of printed books. A portion of the proceeds of each book will be donated to the Wikimedia Foundation to support their mission.

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Performing Arts

Biography

Entertainment

Autobiography

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Publié par	Emereo Publishing
Date de parution	24 octobre 2012
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781486434862
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	11 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0798€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Robert Downey Jr.

Topic relevant selected content from the highest rated wiki entries, typeset, printed and shipped. Combine the advantages of up-to-date and in-depth knowledge with the convenience of printed books. A portion of the proceeds of each book will be donated to the Wikimedia Foundation to support their mission: to empower and engage people around the world to collect and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain, and to disseminate it effectively and globally. The content within this book was generated collaboratively by volunteers. Please be advised that nothing found here has necessarily been reviewed by people with the expertise required to provide you with complete, accurate or reliable information. Some information in this book maybe misleading or simply wrong. The publisher does not guarantee the validity of the information found here. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial, or risk management) please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area. Sources, licenses and contributors of the articles and images are listed in the section entitled "References". Parts of the books may be licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. A copy of this license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License" All used third-party trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Contents Articles Robert Downey, Jr.The Avengersfilm projectSherlock Holmes (2009 film)Due DateIron Man 2The SoloistTropic ThunderThe Incredible Hulk (film)Iron Man (film)Charlie BartlettLucky You (film)Zodiac (film)Fur (film)A Guide to Recognizing Your SaintsA Scanner Darkly (film)The Shaggy Dog (2006 film)Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better TomorrowGood Night, and Good LuckKiss Kiss Bang BangGame 6 (film)Eros (film)GothikaThe Singing Detective (film)Wonder Boys (film)Black and White (1999 film)BowfingerFriends & Lovers (film)In Dreams (film)U.S. Marshals (film)The Gingerbread Man (film)Hugo PoolTwo Girls and a GuyOne Night Stand (1997 film)Danger Zone (film)

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Restoration (film)Home for the Holidays (film)Richard III (1995 film)Only You (1994 film)Natural Born KillersA Century of CinemaHail Caesar (1994 film)Short CutsThe Last Party (film)Heart and SoulsChaplin (film)SoapdishToo Much SunAir America (film)Chances Are (film)True Believer (1989 film)That's AdequateRented Lips1969 (film)Johnny Be GoodLess Than Zero (film)The Pick-up Artist (film)Back to SchoolWeird Science (film)Tuff TurfFirstborn (film)Baby It's You (film)Up the AcademyGreaser's PalacePound (film)Ally McBealReferences Article Sources and Contributors Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors Article Licenses License

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Robert Downey, Jr. Robert Downey,Jr.Robert Downey,Jr.Robert Downey Jr. & his wife Susan Downey at the 2010 Academy AwardsBornRobert John Downey, Jr. April 4, 1965 Manhattan, New York, U.S.OccupationActor, producer, singer, songwriterYearsactive1970–presentSp ouseDeborah Falconer (1992–2004) 1 child Susan Downey (2005–present)Website[1]

Robert John Downey, Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor. Downey made his screen debut at the age of five when he appeared in one of his father's films, Pound (1970), and has worked consistently in film and television ever since. During the 1980s he had roles in a series of coming of age films associated with the Brat Pack.Less Than Zero(1987) is particularly notable, not only because it was the first time Downey's acting would be acknowledged by critics, but also because the role pushed Downey's already existing drug habit one step further. AfterZero, Downey started landing roles in bigger films such asAir America(1990), Soapdish(1991) andNatural Born Killers(1994). These higher-profile roles eventually led to his being cast as Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 filmChaplin, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Between 1996 and 2001, Downey was frequently arrested on drug-related charges and went through several drug treatment programs, but had difficulty staying clean. After being released from the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in 2000, Downey joined the cast of the hit television seriesAlly McBeal, playing the new love interest of Calista Flockhart's title character. His performance was praised and he was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category and won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a mini-series or TV Film, but his character was written out when Downey was fired after two drug arrests in late 2000 and early 2001. After one last stay in a court-ordered drug treatment program, Downey finally achieved lasting sobriety and his career began to take off again. He appeared in semi-independent films such

Robert Downey, Jr. 2 asThe Singing Detective(2003),Kiss Kiss Bang Bang(2005), andA Scanner Darkly(2006). He also had supporting roles in the mainstream filmsGothika(2003) andZodiac(2007). In 2004, Downey released his debut studio album The Futurist. In 2007, Downey was cast as the title character in the comic book adaptationIron Manwhich premiered in the spring of 2008, making almost $100 million in the United States and Canada during its opening weekend. In addition to receiving commercial success, Downey's performance in the film received rave reviews. His other 2008 films includeCharlie Bartlettand the Ben Stiller-directedTropic Thunder, in which he portrayed an Australian method actor overly engrossed in his role as an African-American soldier. He received his second Oscar nomination for said film, in the category of Best Supporting Actor, which he lost to Heath Ledger. Next, he played the titular lead character in Guy Ritchie's adaptation ofSherlock Holmes, released Christmas 2009, for which Downey won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture– Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of the [2] famous detective. He reprised the role of Tony Stark in the 2010 sequel,Iron Man 2. Early life and family [3] Downey was born in Manhattan, New York, the younger of two children. His father, Robert Downey, Sr., is an actor, writer, producer, cinematographer, and director of underground films, and his mother, Elsie (née Ford), is also an actress and appeared in Downey Sr.'s films. Downey's father is of Irish and Russian Jewish ancestry and his [3] [4] mother is of German and Scottish descent. His father was born "Robert Elias," but changed his last name to [4] [5] "Downey" (after his stepfather James Downey) when he was a minor and wanted to enlist in the Army.Downey had minor roles in his father's projects in his childhood. He made his acting debut at the age of five playing a sick puppy in the absurdist comedyPound(1970), and then at age seven he appeared in the surrealistGreaser's [4] Palace(1972). At the age of 10, he was living in England and studied classical ballet as part of a larger [6] curriculum. He grew up in Greenwich Village and attended the Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center in upstate New York, as a teenager. When his parents divorced in 1978, Downey moved t o California with his father, but in 1982 he dropped out of Santa Monica High School and moved back to New York to pursue an acting career [7] full time.CareerBeginnings and criticalacclaimDowney began building upon theater roles, including short-lived off-Broadway musical "American Passion" at the Joyce Theater in 1983, produced by Norman Lear. In 1985, at age 20, Downey joined the cast of the weekly television comedy showSaturday Night Live (SNL), but was fired in 1986 following a cast overhaul that was done in order to save the show from cancellation due to low Nielsen ratings [7] and critics panning the show for its mediocre cast at the time.Downey and James Spader inLess Than ZeroDowney had his breakthrough when in 1985 he played James Spader's (1987) sidekick inTuff Turfand then a bully in John Hughes'sWeird Science. He was considered for the role of Duckie in John Hughes' filmPretty[8] [9] in Pink(1986), but his first lead role would be with Molly Ringwald inThe Pick-up Artist(1987). Because of these and other coming of age films Downey did during the 1980s, he is sometimes named as a member of the Brat [7] [10] Pack.In 1987, Downey played Julian Wells, a drug-addicted rich boy whose life rapidly spirals out of his control, in the film version of the Bret Easton Ellis novelLess Than Zero. His performance, described by Janet Maslin inThe New

Robert Downey, Jr. 3 [11] York Timeswas widely praised, though Downey has said that for him "the role was likeas "desperately moving", the ghost of Christmas Future" since his drug habit resulted in him becoming an "exaggeration of the character" in [12] real life.Zerodrove Downey into films with bigger budgets and names, such asChances Are(1989) with Cybill Shepherd and Ryan O'Neal,Air America(1990) with Mel Gibson, andSoapdish(1991) with Sally Field, Kevin Kline and Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, he starred as Charlie Chaplin inChaplin, a role for which he prepared extensively, learning how to play the violin and tennis left-handed. He even had a personal coach in order to imitate Chaplin's posture and way of carrying [13] himself. The role garnered Downey an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards 65th [14] ceremony, losing to Al Pacino inScent of a Womanother films in the 1990s included. His Heart and Souls,Only You,Natural Born Killers,Restoration,Two Girls and a Guy,Black and White,Short Cuts,Richard III, andThe Last Party, a documentary written by Downey. SubstanceabuseFrom 1996 through 2003, Downey was arrested numerous times on drug-related charges and went several times through drug treatment programs unsuccessfully, explaining in 1999 to a judge: "It's like I have a loaded gun in my mouth and my finger's on the trigger, and I like the taste of the [15] gunmetal." He also explained his relapses by claiming to be addicted to drugs since the age of eight; his father was giving them to him as he was also [16] an addict.In April 1996, Downey was arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine and an unloaded .357-caliber Magnum handgun, while he was speeding down Sunset Boulevard. A month later, when on parole, he trespassed into a neighbor's home while under the influence of a controlled substance, falling asleep in [17] [18]one of the beds. He was sentenced to three years of probation and required to undergo mandatory drug testing. In 1997 he missed one of the court-ordered drug tests and had to spend four months in the Los Angeles County jail. When Downey missed another required drug test in 1999, he was Downey Jr. at the premiere ofAirarrested once more. Despite Downey's lawyer, John Stewart Holden, America, 1990 assembling for his client's 1999 defense the same team of lawyers that [16] successfully defended O. J. Simpson during his criminal trial for murder,Downey was sentenced to a three-year prison term at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, California (a.k.a. "Corcoran II"). At the time of the 1999 arrest, all of Downey's film projects had wrapped and were close to release, with the exception ofIn Dreams, which he was allowed to complete filming. He had also been hired for voicing "The Devil" on the NBC animated television seriesGod, the Devil and Bob, but was [19] [20] fired when he failed to show up for rehearsals.After spending nearly a year in California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, California, Downey, on condition of posting $5,000 bail, was unexpectedly freed when a judge ruled that his collective time in incarceration facilities (spawned from the initial 1996 arrests) had qualified him for earl y [21] release. A week after his 2000 release, Downey joined the cast of the hit television seriesAlly McBeal, playing [22] the new love interest of Calista Flockhart's title character. His performance was praised and the following year he was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category and won a [23] [24] Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a mini-series or TV Film. He also appeared as a writer and singer on Vonda Shepard'sAlly McBeal: For Once in My Lifealbum, and he sang with Sting a duet of "Every Breath You Take" in an episode of the series. Despite the apparent success, Downey claims that his performance on the series was overrated and that "It was my lowest point in terms of addictions. At that stage, I didn't give a fuck whether I

Robert Downey, Jr. 4 [12] ever acted again." In January 2001, Downey was scheduled to play the role ofHamletin a Los Angeles stage [25] production directed by Mel Gibson.Before the end of his first season onAlly McBeal, Downey was arrested during Thanksgiving 2000, when his room at Merv Griffin's Hotel and Givenchy Spa in Palm Springs, California was searched by the police who were responding to an anonymous 911 call. Downey was under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession [26] [27] of cocaine and valium. Despite the fact that if convicted he could face a prison sentence of up to four years [28] and eight months, he signed on to appear in at least eight moreAlly McBealepisodes. In April 2001, while he was on parole, a Los Angeles police officer found him wandering barefoot in Culver City, near southwest Los Angeles. [29] He was arrested for suspicion of being under the influence of drugs but was released a few hours later, even [30] though tests showed he had cocaine in his system. After this last arrest, producer David E. Kelley and otherAlly McBealexecutives ordered last-minute re-writes and re-shoots and dismissed Downey from the show, despite the [31] fact that Downey's character had resuscitatedAlly McBeal's ratings. The Culver City arrest also cost him a role in [30] the high-profile filmAmerica's Sweetheartsthe subsequent incarceration forced Mel Gibson to shut down, and his planned stage production ofHamletas well. In July 2001, Downey pleaded no contest to the Palm Springs charges, avoiding jail time; instead, he was sent into drug rehabilitation and put on a three-year probation, benefiting from the California Proposition 36, which had been passed the year before with the aim of helping non-violent drug [21] [32] offenders overcome their addictions instead of sending them to jail.The bookConversations with Woody Allenreports that director Woody Allen wanted to cast Downey and Winona Ryder in his filmMelinda and Melindain 2005, but was unable to do so because he could not get insurance on them, stating, "We couldn't get bonded. The completion bonding companies would not bond the picture unless we could insure them. We were heartbroken because I had worked with Winona before [onCelebrity] and thought she was perfect for this and wanted to work with her again. And I had always wanted to work with Bob Downey and always [33] thought he was a huge talent."Career comeback

After five years of substance abuse, arrest, rehab, and relapse, Robert Downey, Jr. was finally ready to work toward a full recovery from drugs and a return to his career. In discussing his failed attempts to control his own addictive behavior in the past, Downey told Oprah Winfrey in November 2004 that "when someone says, 'I really wonder if maybe I should go to rehab?' Well, uh, you're a wreck, you just lost your job, and your wife left you. Uh, you might [34] want to give it a shot." He added that after his last arrest in April 2001, when he knew he would likely be facing another stint in prison or another form of incarceration, such as court-ordered rehab, "I finally said, 'You know what? I don't think I can continue doing this.' And I reached out for help, and I ran with it.... You can reach out for help in kind of a half-assed way, and you'll get it, and you won't take advantage of it. It's not that difficult to overcome these [34] seemingly ghastly problems...what's hard is to decide to actually do it."Downey got his first post-rehab acting job in August 2001, lip-syncing in the video for the Elton John's single "I [35] Want Love". Video director Sam Taylor-Wood shot 16 takes of the video and used the last one because, [36] according to John, Downey looked completely relaxed, and "the way he underplays it is fantastic."Downey was able to return to the big screen only after Mel Gibson, who had been a close friend to Downey since [37] both had co-starred inAir America, paid Downey's insurance bond for the 2003 filmThe Singing Detective. Gibson's gamble paved the way for Downey's comeback, and Downey returned to mainstr eam films in the mid 2000s withGothika, for which producer Joel Silver withheld 40 percent of his salary until after production wrapped as [38] insurance against his addictive behavior; similar clauses have become standard in his contracts since then.AfterGothika, Downey was cast in a number of leading and supporting roles, including well-received work in a number of semi-independent films:A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,Good Night, and Good Luck,A Scanner Darkly, and Steven Shainberg's fictional biopic of Diane Arbus,Fur, where Downey's character represented the two [39] biggest influences on Arbus' professional life, Lisette Model and Marvin Israel. Downey also received great

Robert Downey, Jr. 5 notice for his roles in more mainstream fare such asKiss Kiss Bang Bang, Disney's poorly receivedThe Shaggy Dog, and David Fincher's 2007 take on one of the most famous unsolved serial killing cases ever,Zodiac. On November 23, 2004, Downey released his debut musical album,The Futurist, on Sony Classical, for which he [40] [41] designed the cover art and designed the track listing label on the CD with his son Indio. The album received [42] [43] mixed reviews, but Downey stated in 2006 that he probably will not do another album as he felt that the [44] energy he put in doing the album was not compensated.In 2006, Downey returned to his television roots when he guest-starred onFamily Guyin the episode "The Fat Guy Strangler". Downey had previously telephoned the show's production staff and asked if he could produce or assist in an episode creation, as his son is a fan of the show. The producers of the show accepted the offer and created the [45] character of Patrick Pewterschmidt, Lois Griffin's long lost, mentally disturbed brother, for Downey.Downey signed on with publishers HarperCollins to write a memoir, which in 2006 was already being billed as a "candid look at the highs and lows of his life and career". In 2008, however, Downey returned his advance to the [46] publishers and cancelled the book without further comment.Iron ManandbeyondWith all of the critical success Robert Downey, Jr. had experienced throughout his career, he had never appeared in a "blockbuster" film. That changed in the summer of 2008, when Downey starred in two critically and commercially successful films,Iron ManandTropic Thunder. In the article Ben Stiller wrote for Downey's entry in the 2008 edition ofThe Time 100, he offered an observation on Downey's commercially successful summer at the box office: Yes, Downey isIron Man, but he really is Actor Man.[...]In the realm where box office is irrelevant and talent is king, the realm that actually means something, he has always ruled, and finally this summer he gets to have his cake and let us eat him up all the way to the multiplex, where his mastery is in full effect. [47] —-- Ben Stiller, The 2008 Time 100, entry #60, "Robert Downey Jr."IronMan[48] In 2007, Downey was cast as the title character in the filmIron Man, with director Jon Favreau explaining the choice by stating: "Downey, Jr., wasn't the most obvious choice but he understood what makes the character tick. He [49] found a lot of his own life experience in 'Tony Stark'." Favreau insisted in having Downey as he repeatedly claimed that Downey would be toIron Manwhat Johnny Depp is to thePirates of the Caribbeantrilogy, a lead actor [17] [50] [51] [52] that could both elevate the quality of the film and increase the public's interest in it. For the role Downey had to gain more than 20 pounds of muscle in five months so as to look like he "had the power to forge [53] iron."Iron Manwas globally released between April 30 and May 3, 2008, grossing over $300 million in the United States [54] [55] [56] and Canada and receiving rave reviews which cite Downey's performance as a highlight of the film. As a [57] result, both Downey and Favreau stated their interest in makingIron ManBy October 2008, Downeya trilogy. had agreed to appear as Iron Man in twoIron Mansequels and the future filmThe Avengers, named after the [58] superhero team that Stark joins. He also made a small appearance as Iron Man's alter ego Tony Stark in the 2008 filmThe Incredible Hulk, as a part of Marvel Studios' attempt to depict the same Marvel Universe on film by [59] providing continuity among the movies.TropicThunderAfterIron Man, Downey appeared alongside Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Brandon T. Jackson in another 2008 summer film, the Stiller-directedTropic Thunder. Each man plays a Hollywood archetype—self-absorbed multi-Oscar winning Aussie method actor Kirk Lazarus (Downey), aging action hero desperately looking to reinvent himself as a serious actor (Stiller), and overweight heroin-addicted self-destructive comic best known for portraying multiple characters in a franchise of comedies about a family that farts in every film (Black)—as they star in an

Robert Downey, Jr. 6 extremely expensive Vietnam-era movie calledTropic Thunder. Lazarus undergoes a "controversial skin pigmentation procedure" in order to take on the role of African-American platoon sergeant Lincoln Osiris, which required Downey to wear dark makeup and a wig. Both Stiller and Downey feared Downey's portrayal of the character could become controversial: Stiller says that he and Downey always stayed focused on the fact that they were skewering insufferable actors, not African-Americans. 'I was trying to push it as far as you can within reality,' Stiller explains. 'I had no idea how people would respond to it.' Stiller screened a rough cut of the film [in March 2008] and it scored high with African-Americans. He was relieved at the reaction. 'It seems people really embrace it,' he says. [60] —Entertainment Weekly-First Look: 'Tropic Thunder'When asked by Harry Smith on CBS'sThe Early Showwho his model was for Lazarus, Downey laughed before [61] responding, "Sadly, my sorry-ass self."Released in the United States on August 13, 2008,Tropic Thunderreceived generally good reviews with 83% of reviews positive and an average normalized score of 71, according to the review aggregator websites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, respectively. It earned US$26 million in its North American opening weekend and retained the number one position for its first three weekends of release. The film grossed $180 million in theaters before its release on home video on November 18, 2008. Downey was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as Lazarus, but lost to Heath Ledger for his portrayal of the Joker inThe Dark Knight. Post-Iron Mancareer

Opening in late April 2009 was a film Downey finished in mid-2008,The Soloist; the film was pushed out from a [62] November 2008 release by Paramount Pictures due to the studio's tight end-of-year release schedule. Critics who [63] [64] had seen the movie in 2008 were mentioning it as a possible Academy Award candidate. Downey still picked [65] up an Academy Award nomination for the 2008 release year for his role inTropic Thunderdid not gain, but similar recognition forThe Soloistafter its delayed release. The first role Downey accepted afterIron Manwas the title character in Guy Ritchie'sSherlock Holmes. Warner [66] Bros. released on December 25, 2009. The film set several box office records in the United States for a Christmas Day release, beating the previous record holder, 2008'sMarley & Me, by nearly $10M, and finished second only to Avatarin a record-setting Christmas weekend release at the movies.Sherlock Holmesended up being the 8th highest [67] [68] grossing film of 2009. When Downey won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for his role as Sherlock Holmes, he noted in his acceptance speech that he had prepared no remarks because "my wife (Sherlock Holmesproducer Susan Downey) told me at 10:00 this morning that Matt Damon (nominated for his role inThe Informant!) was going to win."

MusiccareerRobert Downey, Jr. has sung on several soundtracks in his films such asChaplin,Too Much Sun,Two Girls and a Guy,Friends and Lovers,The Singing DetectiveandKiss Kiss Bang Bang. He released a CD in 2004 calledThe Futurist, and while promoting his filmTropic Thunder, he and his co-stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black were back up singers "The Pips" to Gladys Knight singing "Midnight Train to Georgia".

Awards andrecognition•1992, Downey became the first cast member of In Saturday Night Liveto be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, which he garnered for 1992'sChaplin. Though he lost the award to Al Pacino inScent of a Woman, he won the BAFTA (the awards given by the British Academy for Film and Television Arts, the U.K. equivalent of the Oscars) for Best Actor forChaplin, in Chaplin's own home country.