Robert Downey Jr. - Actor Profile

Robert Downey Jr.

Acting
Updated: May 09, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: Apr 4, 1965
Birth Place: New York City, New York, USA

About Robert Downey Jr.

Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.3 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. Downey was the highest-paid actor in the world annually from 2013 to 2015. Known for his versatility across roles, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two British Academy Film Awards. At the age of five, Downey made his acting debut in his father, Robert Downey Sr.'s, film Pound (1970). He rose to prominence by working with the Brat Pack for the teen films Weird Science (1985) and Less than Zero (1987). His portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in the biopic Chaplin (1992) earned him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and an Academy Award nomination. After spending less than a year at a treatment facility on drug charges, Downey joined the television series Ally McBeal in 2000, earning a Golden Globe for his performance. Dismissed from the show in 2001 following further drug-related arrests, he entered a court-ordered rehabilitation program and has remained sober since 2003. After Mel Gibson paid his insurance bond, Downey made his film comeback with The Singing Detective (2003). He gained global recognition for starring as Iron Man in ten Marvel Cinematic Universe films, from Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019). Downey starred as the titular detective in Sherlock Holmes (2009), which earned him a Golden Globe. His portrayal of bureaucrat Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023) won him the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2024, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for the miniseries The Sympathizer. He made his Broadway debut in the title role of Ayad Akhtar's McNeal. Time named Downey one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008, and Forbes featured him on the Celebrity 100 in 2013 and 2014. He has pursued music, releasing the jazz-pop album The Futurist (2004), which charted on the US Billboard 200. Divorced from singer Deborah Falconer, Downey has been married to film producer Susan Levin since 2005; they co-founded the production company Team Downey. Downey has three children: one with Falconer and two with Levin. In 2025, he was named one of the greatest film actors of the 21st century by The Independent. Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Downey Jr., licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Robert Downey Jr. Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Robert Downey Jr. reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Robert Downey Jr.'s work falls within the Documentary genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 100% of Robert Downey Jr.'s films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Voom Portraits, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Robert Downey Jr. Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Robert Downey Jr.'s career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Robert Downey Jr. has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2025 The Fantastic 4: First Steps Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom (uncredited) Hit Similar →
2024 Robert Downey Jr.: High Altitude Self Super Hit Similar →
2023 Oppenheimer Lewis Strauss Super Hit Similar →
2022 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Self - Presenter Super Hit Similar →
2022 "Sr." Self Hit Similar →
2020 MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains Self Super Hit Similar →
2020 Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King Self Super Hit Similar →
2019 Avengers: Endgame Tony Stark / Iron Man Super Hit Similar →
2018 Avengers: Infinity War Tony Stark / Iron Man Super Hit Similar →
2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming Tony Stark / Iron Man Hit Similar →
2017 A Fan's Guide to Spider-Man Homecoming Self Super Hit Similar →
2016 The Nice Guys Sid Shattuck (uncredited) Hit Similar →
2016 Captain America: Civil War Tony Stark / Iron Man Hit Similar →
2015 Phase 2 Tag Scenes: A Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two Self Hit Similar →
2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron Tony Stark / Iron Man Hit Similar →
2014 Marvel: 75 Years, from Pulp to Pop! Self Hit Similar →
2014 The Judge Hank Palmer Hit Similar →
2014 Chef Marvin Hit Similar →
2014 Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe Self / Tony Stark / Iron Man Hit Similar →
2013 Iron Man 3 Unmasked Self Super Hit Similar →
2013 Iron Man 3 Tony Stark Hit Similar →
2012 The Avengers Tony Stark / Iron Man Super Hit Similar →
2011 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Sherlock Holmes Hit Similar →
2010 Iron Man 2 Tony Stark Hit Similar →
2010 Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented Self Hit Similar →
2009 Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes Hit Similar →
2008 Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness Kirk Lazarus Hit Similar →
2008 Iron Man Tony Stark Super Hit Similar →
2007 Voom Portraits Self Super Hit Similar →
2007 Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens Self Super Hit Similar →
2007 Zodiac Paul Avery Super Hit Similar →
2006 One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' Self / Barris Super Hit Similar →
2006 The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales Self Hit Similar →
2006 A Scanner Darkly James Barris Hit Similar →
2006 Hubert Selby Jr: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow Narrator Hit Similar →
2005 The Outsider Self Hit Similar →
2005 Good Night, and Good Luck. Joe Wershba Hit Similar →
2005 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Harry Lockhart Hit Similar →
2005 Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost and Found Self Super Hit Similar →
2003 Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin - Hit Similar →
2001 Last Party 2000 Self Hit Similar →
2000 Wonder Boys Terry Crabtree Hit Similar →
1995 Richard III Earl Rivers Hit Similar →
1994 Natural Born Killers Wayne Gale Hit Similar →
1993 Short Cuts Bill Bush Hit Similar →
1993 Heart and Souls Thomas Reilly Hit Similar →
1993 Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country Self Super Hit Similar →
1992 Chaplin Charles Spencer Chaplin Hit Similar →
1987 Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (voice) Hit Similar →
1986 Arrival Eddie Hit Similar →

Robert Downey Jr. - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Robert Downey Jr.?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Robert Downey Jr. is "Voom Portraits" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Robert Downey Jr. acted in?

Robert Downey Jr. has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Robert Downey Jr.?

Other notable films include "Iron Man 3 Unmasked", "MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains", and "Robert Downey Jr.: High Altitude".

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