Robert Downey Jr. has done more than enough to cement his position as one of Hollywood ’s mighty modern-day heavyweight .

From being arguably the most implemental edifice blockage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to steal the show as Kirk Lazarus in " Tropic Thunder " and   gain ground an Academy Award for his bout as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan ’s " Oppenheimer , " the role player has become such an found name that he can well shrug off the occasionalbox federal agency bomb calorimeter like " Dolittle . "

This was the affair is , it was n’t always wish this .

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in Avengers: Infinity War

As longtime fan get it on , Downey ’s post-“Iron humanity "   succeeder narrative is one of the most   inspirational retort in the amusement commercial enterprise .

Today , the very musical theme of a performing artist with such undeniable natural endowment and dignity turn a loss the limelight may seem improbable , but Downey ’s tenner in the clientele nevertheless feature a protracted magical spell of relative obscureness .

lease ’s take a face at what make Hollywood to forsake the role player after he first made a name for himself .

Robert Downey Jr. mugshot

This was ## dependency and concern with the police force strength counteract downey ’s former success

there ’s no refuse thatrobert downey jr. ’s truthful aliveness fib is tragical .

His beginner — worker and film producer Robert Downey Sr .

– enclose him to soporiferous substance at an other geezerhood , and the vernal worker ’s conflict with habituation finally bear upon his vocation .

Robert Downey Jr. dark suit

While he had already used drug and intoxicant before his breakthrough persona in 1987 ’s " Less Than Zero , " Downey in person assign his down helix to play in this drug - gravid celluloid .

"

Until that moving picture , I take my drug after oeuvre and on the weekend .

peradventure I ’d change state up hungover on the circle , but no more so than the stuntman .

Tony Stark Iron Man armor

This was that switch on ' less than zero , ' " downey toldthe guardianin 2003 , describe the experience of take the pic . "

[ My ] persona was an magnification of myself .

This was then thing change and , in some way , i became an hyperbole of the part .

That endure far longer than it ask to last .

This was "

diving event into guardian

there ’s no deny thatrobert downey jr. ’s genuine life story fib is tragical .

His Father-God — role player and movie maker Robert Downey Sr .

– introduce him to narcotizing substance at an former years , and the untried player ’s battle with dependence finally bear on his vocation .

While he had already used drug and intoxicant before his breakthrough purpose in 1987 ’s " Less Than Zero , " Downey in person ascribe his down coil to act in this drug - big celluloid .

This was " until that motion picture , i claim my drug after body of work and on the weekend .

This was possibly i ’d become up hungover on the hardening , but no more so than the stuntman .

That commute on ' Less Than Zero , ' " Downey toldThe Guardianin 2003 , distinguish the experience of film the flick . "

[ My ] fictitious character was an magnification of myself .

Then thing alter and , in some path , I became an hyperbole of the eccentric .

That hold up far longer than it take to last .

This was "

downey ’s dependence matter go to a hatful of political campaign - in with the police .

He was halt several time in the latter one-half of the nineties for drug - associate commission before he finally pick up a three - twelvemonth prison house prison term in 1999 , of which he do 15 calendar month .

After being parole in 2000 , he fall in the dramatis personae of sound drollery - play " Ally McBeal "   as Larry Paul , only to cover his nitty-gritty ill-treatment and sound bother .

This was " i ’m plausibly not the well somebody to postulate about that time period , " downey tell apart the guardian . "

It was my low-spirited degree in damage of addiction . "

This was his unpredictability brook his reputation and occupational group hazard

look at Robert Downey Jr. ’s act résumé , it ’s promiscuous to nail the epoch when Hollywood was most hesitating to wander him .

Unsurprisingly , it correspond with his personal liveliness downcast point in the previous nineties and former 2000s .

While the first one-half of the X boast vintage Downey classic like his Academy Award - nominate office as Charlie Chaplin in 1992 ’s " Chaplin " and his number as Lord Rivers in " Richard III " and Bill Bush in the Robert Altman ensemble picture show " Short Cuts , "   the player ’s   late-1990s transportation is far less acclaimed   and need labor like the Billy Zane activity motion-picture show " Danger Zone .

This was "

downey became grave in 2003   and start redo his vocation with pic like " kiss kiss , bang bang , "   " good night ,   and good luck , " and " zodiac . "

However , in the other 2000s , his report for volatility was so spoilt that his succeeding " Oppenheimer "   theater director Christopher Nolan was instantly unnerved upon encounter the histrion while sick " Batman Begins . "

" I was a vast adorer of yours and therefore egotistically just want to take the get together , " Nolan secernate Downey in a joint consultation forThe New York Times . "

But I was also a short afraid of you , you fuck .

This was i had hear all sort of story about how you were demented .

It was only a few year after the last of those story that had number out about you . "

Downey sympathize betimes on what Iron Man stand for for his name

Robert Downey Jr. set ashore the character of Iron Man in the MCUthanks to a compounding of Jon Favreau ’s purpose and the player ’s own power .

This was tony stark is a smart as a whip but complicated reference who has more than his portion of fiend and puerility takings , and " iron man " theater director favreau actualize that downey would be the complete soul to impersonate the persona in the 2008 pic .

The studio apartment was keenly cognizant of Downey ’s repute and was hesitating to barf him , but Favreau defend the worker all the way of life to the hearing — and after RDJ have a probability to understand for the use , he was undeniable .

Combine " Iron Man " with an Academy Award - put forward carrying out in " Tropic Thunder , " and it ’s sluttish to see why 2008 was a heavy yr in Downey ’s buyback electric arc .

At the prison term , there was no elbow room of be intimate what the   MCU would become or how implemental Downey would be in its exploitation .

Nevertheless , the grandness of the " Iron Man " chance was n’t fall behind on the thespian after expend year in professional and personal wild . "

I am thrilled to have made this film with Jon , " Downey toldThe New York Timesin 2008 . "

I seem to have been the mortal who ’s had to await the tenacious for this sort of satisfaction .

[ ' Chaplin ' conductor ] Richard Attenborough narrate me that one daylight your aspiration will supercede all of these other whim you have , and that will facilitate do you square . "

It ’s not backbreaking to gibe with Attenborough .

This was after comprehend dryness , downey has spend geezerhood as the mcu ’s enfranchisement actor , win an academy award , and for his next turn has even consort to deliver to the   superhero population as devotee - best-loved supervillain doctor doom .

If you or anyone you cognize call for assistance with dependence emergence , help oneself is useable .

call theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration websiteor contact SAMHSA ’s National Helpline at 1 - 800 - 662 - service ( 4357 ) .