Robert Downey Jr made the comeback of a lifetime to win an Oscar

Robert Downey Jr made the comeback of a lifetime to win an Oscar

Featured Image Credit: Getty/John Shearer / Contributor

Robert Downey Jr.’s latest accomplishment is likely going to be one of his most memorable as it represents just how far he has come.

If you grew up watching Robert Downey Jr. in the mid to late Noughties, you would be forgiven for thinking he’d always been a global superstar actor.

He won the hearts of many in two of his most iconic roles as Tony Stark, A.K.A Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, and who could forget his role in Tropic Thunder as a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude.

His acting career appeared to come to a crescendo in this year’s Academy awards ceremony, as he bagged his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, playing Lewis Stauss in Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer.

However, Downey Jr. wasn’t always so successful.

For those aware of his work in the 80s and 90s, many had written the young actor off as a bad egg.

In the mid 90s to early 2000s, Downey was was arrested several times over charges relating to his drug use and addiction.

He had repeatedly gone through drug treatment programs for his addiction to cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

Despite winning one of the most coveted awards for an actor, Downey Jr wasn’t always so successful. Credit: Richard Harbaugh/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty ImagesDespite winning one of the most coveted awards for an actor, Downey Jr wasn’t always so successful. Credit: Richard Harbaugh/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

Downey also explained that he had been addicted to drugs since he was eight years old and had even done them with his father growing up.

After missing a required drug test in 1999, the actor was even sentenced to a three-year prison stint and things looked like they were all going downhill.

However, after spending nearly a year in the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State, Downey was freed and seemed determined to getting his life back on track.

The actor did just that and went on to star in some of his best work yet, finally landing him with the most coveted acting award.

Many on social media remarked this as the ‘comeback of a lifetime’ and a testament to what can be achieved through perseverance.

Downey has been praised for his turnaround after having a life filled with drugs and crime. Credit: Rich Polk/Variety via Getty ImagesDowney has been praised for his turnaround after having a life filled with drugs and crime. Credit: Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images

During his acceptance speech, Downey even alluded to his troubled past and thanked those that believed in him anyway.

“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order,” he joked.

He then added: “I’d like to thank my veterinarian — I meant wife — Susan Downey over there.

“She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That’s why I am here. Thank you.”

Robert Downey Jr. wins his first ever Oscar as he’s awarded Best Supporting Actor

Robert Downey Jr. wins his first ever Oscar as he's awarded Best Supporting Actor

Featured Image Credit: ABC/Mike Coppola / Staff

Robert Downey Jr. was able to beat out some very stiff competition to go home with his first ever Oscar.

You can watch his acceptance speech below:

For anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock the past 20 years, you will likely have seen Robert Downey Jr. being a playboy, philanthropist and billionaire genius on our screens as Iron Man/Tony Stark.

However, following his death in Endgame (no spoiler alert because, well, it was five years ago), the actor has shown he is still able to produce captivating performances in other films.

Sure, he has had some duds… looking at you Dolittle, but the man has been dedicated to his craft for over 40 years and has finally won one of the most coveted awards.

Robert Downey Jr. was able to beat out some very stiff competition to go home with his first ever Oscar.Credit:  FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Robert Downey Jr. was able to beat out some very stiff competition to go home with his first ever Oscar.Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Beating out Mark Ruffallo, Robert De Niro, Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Gosling, Downey Jr. was able to leave the Oscars with the Best Supporting Actor award for his work in Christopher Nolan’s intense biopic, Oppenheimer.

During his acceptance speech, Downey Jr. filled it with jokes and jibes and even poked fun at himself in true charismatic fashion.

Playing former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Lewis Strauss, Downey Jr. brought an intensity that matched Cillian Murphy’s Robert Oppenheimer, a very difficult job considering his track record for brilliant performances as a lead.

Talking about playing the role, Downey Jr has said he became obsessed with the character and it is no question this obsession played into how well he played Strauss.

Speaking to W Magazine, he said: “There have been three times in my career when I became completely obsessed with the possibility of playing a role.

“First time was Chaplin. Second time was Tony Stark, in Iron Man.

“And the third time – I got the trifecta, and you’re lucky if this happens a couple of times – was with Lewis Strauss, for Oppenheimer.

“I knew a little bit about my character because I’m kind of a Cold War enthusiast. I don’t know why I’ve been obsessed with it.

Robert Downey Jr. beat out stiff competition to win his first Oscars.PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty ImagesRobert Downey Jr. beat out stiff competition to win his first Oscars.PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

“I think that, sadly, that period informs where we are nowadays in the world. I knew that Strauss was involved in the development of the proximity fuse and that he headed up the Atomic Energy Commission.

“I didn’t really know about [his] rivalry with Oppenheimer. But clearly, after 20 minutes into reading the script, I realized that [it] would be thematic.”

And that performance is one of the reasons why the film was so highly rated by both fans and critics.

The film maintains a score of 8.4/10 on IMDB and an even better Tomatoemeter score of 93 percent and audience score of 91 percent.

Here are all the winners so far:

Best supporting actress

Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple

America Ferrera – Barbie

Jodie Foster – Nyad

Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers – WINNER

Best animated short

Letter to a Pig

Ninety-Five Senses

Our Uniform

Pachyderme

War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko – WINNER

Best animated feature

The Boy and the Heron – WINNER

Elemental

Nimona

Robot Dreams

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best original screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall – WINNER

The Holdovers

Maestro

May December

Past Lives

Best adapted screenplay

American Fiction – WINNER

Barbie

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest

Best make-up and hairstyling

Golda

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Poor Things – WINNER

Society of the Snow

Best production design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things – WINNER

Best costume design

Barbie

Killers of the Flower Moon

Napoleon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things – WINNER

Best international feature

Io Capitano

Perfect Days

Society of the Snow

The Teachers’ Lounge

The Zone of Interest – WINNER

Best supporting actor

Sterling K Brown – American Fiction

Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr – Oppenheimer – WINNER

Ryan Gosling – Barbie

Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

Best visual effects

The Creator

Godzilla Minus One – WINNER

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Napoleon

Best film editing

Anatomy of a Fall

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best documentary short

The ABCs of Book Banning

The Barber of Little Rock

Island In Between

The Last Repair Shop

Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó

Best documentary feature

Bobi Wine: The People’s President

The Eternal Memory

Four Daughters

To Kill a Tiger

20 Days in Mariupol

Best live action short

The After

Invincible

Knight of Fortune

Red, White and Blue

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Best cinematography

El Conde

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best sound

The Creator

Maestro

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Oppenheimer

The Zone of Interest

Best original score

American Fiction

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Killers of the Flower Moon

Oppenheimer

Poor Things

Best original song

‘The Fire Inside’ – Flamin’ Hot (Diane Warren)

‘I’m Just Ken’ – Barbie (Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt)

‘It Never Went Away’ – American Symphony (Jon Batiste, Dan Wilson)

‘Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)’ – Killers of the Flower Moon (Scott George)

‘What Was I Made For?’ – Barbie (Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell)

Best director

Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet

Killers of the Flower Moon – Martin Scorsese

Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan

Poor Things – Yorgos Lanthimos

The Zone of Interest – Jonathan Glazer

Best actor

Bradley Cooper – Maestro

Colman Domingo – Rustin

Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

Best actress

Annette Bening – Nyad

Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Huller – Anatomy of a Fall

Carey Mulligan – Maestro

Emma Stone – Poor Things

Best picture

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall

Barbie

The Holdovers

Killers of the Flower Moon

Maestro

Oppenheimer

Past Lives

Poor Things

The Zone of Interest