Short answers, pulled from the story.
Robert Downey Jr.'s films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.3 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. Forbes named him the highest-paid actor in the world in 2013, 2014, and 2015, with earnings of $75 million in the first two years and $80 million in 2015.
Robert Downey Jr. won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023). He accepted a pay cut for the role, earning $4 million instead of his usual $10-20 million upfront salary.
Robert Downey Jr. has remained drug-free since July 2003. He credits his wife Susan Levin with helping him overcome his drug and alcohol habits, along with therapy, meditation, twelve-step recovery programs, yoga, and the practice of Wing Chun kung fu.
In July 1996, while under the influence of a controlled substance, Robert Downey Jr. entered a neighbor's home through an unlocked front door and fell asleep on their child's bed. The family declined to press trespassing charges, but the neighbor's 911 call was later circulated online and became known as the "Goldilocks incident".
Robert Downey Jr. portrayed comic actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 biopic Chaplin, learning to play the violin and tennis left-handed and working with a coach to replicate Chaplin's accent and mannerisms. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and received nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe for his performance.
Director Jon Favreau cast Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man in 2006, explaining that Downey understood what made the character tick and found his own life experience in Tony Stark. Favreau compared Downey's expected impact on the film to what Johnny Depp had done for the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Downey gained more than twenty pounds of muscle over five months to prepare for the role.