Three decades after receiving clearance for his first acting job, Robert Downey Jr. earned a big success on Sunday in the seasoned path of this veteran actor.
Exceptional rendition of “Oppenheimer”
For his portrayal of Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer,” Downey won Best Supporting Actor, cementing his place among the greatest performances of his career.
A Third Oscar Approval: A Bittersweet Career Journey
Even though he is one of Hollywood’s finest versatile actors, this is his third overall Oscar approval. But he has encountered major obstacles throughout his career.
Suppressing audience laughter, Downey made a lighthearted statement, “I want to thank the Academy – in that order – and my terrifying childhood.”
He also gave thanks to his spouse, Susan. “You brought love back into my life, and that’s why I’m here.”
Downey is candid about his past battles with substance abuse. In the 2022 documentary “Sr.” produced by his father, the director, he disclosed that he developed a heroin addiction at the age of eight.
Thirty years ago, following Downey’s first Oscar acceptance at the age of 28, there were many drug-related arrests and a one-year jail sentence.
In “The View,” he recently conveyed his appreciation for missing out on the Best Actor prize for “Chaplin” in 1993.
He remarked, “I was young and crazy.” “It must have made an impression on me that I was on the right path.”
In 2008, Downey was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the film “Tropic Thunder.”
Sunday’s Win: Strengthening Downey’s Leading Position
With her victory on Sunday, Downey maintained her top spot during this award season. He won Best Supporting Actor at the Critics’ Choice Awards, BAFTA Film Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Golden Globes in addition to the Oscars.
“Why me? Why this time? As he accepted his SAG Award, he wondered, “Why does it feel like things are going my way?”
Downey prevailed over Robert De Niro for “Colors of the Flower Moon,” Mark Ruffalo for “Oddities,” Ryan Gosling for “Barbie,” and Sterling K. Brown for “American Fiction.”
The Cold War epic “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan and centered on the fallout from a nuclear explosion, won seven Oscars on Sunday, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy. There were thirteen nominations for the movie overall.
Downey stressed on stage on Sunday that “we do meaningful work” and that “the decisions we make about what to create are important.”
