Robert Downey Jr. Credits His "Terrible Childhood" for First Oscar Win

Originally appeared on E! Online

Marvel at Robert Downey Jr.'s new Oscar.

The Oppenheimer star won the award of Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2024 Oscars, beating out Barbie's Ryan Gosling, Poor Things' Mark Ruffalo, Killers of the Flower Moon's Robert De Niro and American Fiction's Sterling K. Brown. (Click here to see the complete list of winners.)

This is Downey Jr.'s first Academy Award and third nomination, having previously been recognized for his work in 1992's Chaplin and 2008's Tropic Thunder.

Taking the stage inside Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, the Iron Man alum didn't hold back as he poked fun at his troubled past.

"I'd like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy—in that order," he noted, before referring to himself as a "snarling rescue pet."

Thanking wife Susan Downey, RDJ continued, "You loved me back to life. That's why I'm here."

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The 58-year-old also acknowledged his "great" Oppenheimer cast and crew, including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and director Christopher Nolan.

"Here's my little secret: I needed this job more than it needed me," Downey Jr. added. "And I stand here before you a better man because of it. What we do is meaningful, and the stuff that we decide to make is important."

The win caps off a sweeping award season for Downey Jr., who also received a Golden Globe and a SAG Award earlier this year for his portrayal of former United States Atomic Energy Commission chair Lewis Strauss. And during every acceptance speech, the actor has made it a point to thank his wife, who he's jokingly described as his "primary caregiver."

"She has literally made an art out of extracting me from my comfort zone," he told the crowd at the 2024 Golden Globes, before quipping, "but she's easy on the eyes, so whatevs."

At the 2024 SAG Awards, Downey Jr. gave another shoutout to Susan, with whom he shares kids Exton, 12, and Avri, 9. As he put it, "It's because for 22 years she has flawlessly portrayed a sane and rational individual who is happily married to an actor."

To see who else won big at the Oscars, keep reading.

<p>Best Picture</p>

<p>Best Actress in a Leading Role</p>

<p>Best Actor in a Leading Role</p>

<p>Best Actress in a Supporting Role</p>

<p>Best Actor in a Supporting Role</p>

<p>Best Directing</p>

<p>Best Animated Feature Film</p>

<p>Best Documentary Feature Film</p>

<p>Best Live Action Short Film</p>

<p>Best Animated Short Film</p>

<p>Best Production Design</p>

<p>Best Original Song</p>

<p>Best Original Score</p>

<p>Best Sound</p>

<p>Best Makeup & Hairstyling</p>

<p>Best Costume Design</p>

<p>Best Original Screenplay</p>

<p>Best Adapted Screenplay</p>

<p>Best Visual Effects</p>

For a full recap of the 2024 Oscars, don't miss E! News Monday, March 11, at 11 p.m.