Robert Downey Jr.

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He was Oscar-nominated for his role in Chaplin but is as famous an addict as an actor. Could the talented but troubled performer finally have overcome his personal demons?

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Robert Downey Jr
born: 04-04-1965
birth place: Greenwich Village, New York

He remained there for a two-week orientation programme before being transferred on 25th August 1999 to a Department of Corrections prison, SATF, the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility, for drug dependent prisoners in California. On 2nd August 2000 Downey Jr was released from prison on bail.

In a refreshing boost to both his career and his image, Downey Jr made his primetime television debut in 2000 in the popular Fox series ‘Ally McBeal’ (1997). For the following two years, he played the role of Ally’s attorney boyfriend, Larry Paul, for which he received much critical acclaim. Downey Jr won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television; and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Comedy Series. He was also nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Despite his work achievements, Downey Jr could not keep on the right side of the law and was re-arrested on drugs and weapon charges on 25th November 2000. Having received an anonymous tip, police apprehended him at the glamorous Merv Griffin resort in Palm Springs, California. He was searched and found to be in possession of cocaine and diazepam. Proclaiming his innocence, he nonetheless co-operated with the police, was kept overnight in police cells and released on bail the following morning. He was remanded to Wavelengths, a live-in drug rehabilitation centre in Malibu, until his court hearing.

Following the arrest, ‘Ally McBeal’ producer David Kelly dropped Downey Jr from the show on 24th April 2001, claiming he was not being fired but would not be available for filming. On 16th July 2001, Downey Jr was sentenced by Californian Superior Court Judge Randall White to remain in rehabilitation for one year, with three years probation. Judge White reported that Downey Jr appeared to be sincere in his determination to overcome his drug addiction and set another progress hearing for March 2002.

Downey Jr’s somewhat turbulent life and addictive personality had taken its toll on his marriage and on 26th April 2004 he and his wife, Deborah, divorced. Becoming more introspective, Downey Jr turned his attention to writing music. He had already proved to audiences that he could also sing, by performing Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’; ‘Every Breath You Take’ with Sting; and ‘Chances Are’ in a duet with Vonda Shephard. He also sang an original song, ‘Snakes’ on the ‘Ally McBeal’ show, that was released on the ‘Ally McBeal’ ‘For Once in My Life’ (1997) album, as well as writing songs for films. For years, his friends had been begging him to record his own songs and, following his divorce, the time seemed right for Downey Jr to finally do just that.

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