Robert Downey Jr.

Biography

Robert John Downey Jr. is an American actor and producer widely regarded as one of the most charismatic and commercially successful stars in Hollywood history. After overcoming highly publicized personal struggles in the late 1990s, he anchored the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Tony Stark/Iron Man for over a decade. In 2026, Downey Jr. is at the center of the year's biggest pop culture storm. He is set to star in "Avengers: Doomsday", scheduled for release on December 18, 2026. In a casting twist that stunned the industry, he returns to the franchise not as a hero, but as the iconic villain Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom). The film, directed by the Russo Brothers, pits him against a new roster of heroes, including the Fantastic Four. Prior to his MCU return, Downey solidified his status as a dramatic heavyweight with a career-defining performance as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" (2023). The role earned him his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in early 2024, completing a "sweep" of the major awards season (Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG). He also made his highly anticipated Broadway debut in late 2024 with the play "McNeal" at Lincoln Center. Starring as a Nobel Prize-winning author grappling with artificial intelligence, his performance was praised as "magnetic" and "swaggering," marking a successful pivot to stage acting after his blockbuster tenure.