This actor grew up surrounded by drugs and was introduced to that lifestyle by his own father at the age of 6.
Child actors often lead turbulent lives. Being thrust into limelight at an early age and not being able to deal with the fame often causes massive upheavals in their personal lives. Those with strong support systems survive, and this support usually comes from families, chiefly parents. But what happens when the parent himself is a so-called ‘bad influence’. Case in point this one child star, who was introduced to drugs by his own father at the age of 6, which led to a downward spiral causing him to become an addict soon after.
The child star whose addiction saw him being jailed
Years before he gained fame as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr was known better as the son of actor and filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. RDJ began his career as a child artiste at the age of five. Speaking to CNN in 2004, Downey revealed that he grew up ‘surrounded by drugs’ and his father – an addict – introduced him to marijuana at the age of 6. Numerous reports state that Downey was a habitual user of marijuana and other drugs by the age of 8. By his 20s, Downey had spiralled into using everything from cocaine to heroin. From 1996-2001, he was arrested and jailed several times in durgs-related cases and sent to rehab. “It's like I have a shotgun in my mouth, and I've got my finger on the trigger, and I like the taste of the gun metal,” the actor told a judge in 1999.
Robert Downey Jr’s story of redepmtion
But the actor turned his life around after 2003, when he began his journey of sobreity. He credits his wife Susan Levin for the turnaround, helping him overcome addictive habits, and introducing him to therapy and meditation. In 2007, he was cast as Tony Star aka Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role that transformed his career. At 43, he was reborn as a star, soon going on to become Hollywood’s highest-paid actor. According to Forbes, he earned $75 million (Rs 450 crore) in 2012-13.
Robert Downey Jr’s recent critical acclaim
In 2019, after over half a dozen films, Robert Downey Jr bid adieu to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Iron Man for the final time in Avengers Endgame. But he was not far from box office glory or even critical acclaim for that matter. In 2023, he appeared in a supporting role in Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer. For his performance, he has received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and is one of the frontrunners to win the award.
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