How Rich Is Robert Downey Jr.?
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Best known for his work in the “Iron Man” trilogy and accompanying “Avengers” films, Robert Downey Jr. turns 57 on April 4 and shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to command blockbuster salaries for his cinematic work as both an actor and producer.
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Robert Downey Jr. Net Worth: $300 Million
RDJ’s fortune in large part is attributed to his work in the multiple Marvel series. While he earned just $500,000 for the first “Iron Man” movie, by the third film in the series, his earnings rose to $70 million.
Early Career
Downey Jr., son of an underground movie director, has a long history in film and television. He debuted in one of his father’s films, “Pound,” playing a puppy at age 5. In the early 1980s, he landed roles in movies such as “Baby, It’s You,” before spending time as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member from 1985 to 1986. In the late 1980s and into the ’90s, he worked on the silver screen alongside other big names of the era, including Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O’Neal, Mel Gibson and Woody Harrelson and even starred in a movie with Marisa Tomei, Aunt May of “Spider-Man” fame.
In 2000, he joined the cast of “Ally McBeal” in a role that critics say saved the show. However, the gig only lasted a year as RDJ was written off the show after his arrest in April 2001 on a charge of being under the influence of a controlled substance. The previous November, he had been arrested on drug charges, but producers allowed him to keep his job after that instance. His portrayal of Larry Paul earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor — Television.
His Second Act: Earnings and Accolades
Downey Jr. earned acclaim for his 1992 role as Charlie Chaplin in “Chaplin,” for which he won a BAFTA Award. He also received multiple nominations for his role as Kirk Lazarus in “Tropic Thunder.” Both performances garnered Academy Award nominations – the only two of his career.
The modern-era RDJ is most noted for his turn as Iron Man in the Marvel trilogy of the same name. The actor took home a combined salary of between $396 million and $435 million for his work in those films, along with his appearances in four of “The Avengers” films, plus “Captain America: Civil War” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
In 2010, RDJ won the Golden Globe for his work in “Sherlock Holmes,” one of what would become a trilogy of films that brought his acting skills to a new audience.
His latest project is “Oppenheimer,” the biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the developers of the atomic bomb. Downey Jr. will play Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission at the time. The film is scheduled for release in mid-2023.
Personal Life and Properties
Robert Downey Jr. has come a long way since his frequent run-ins with the law. Introduced to drugs as a child, his addiction led to mandatory time in rehab and criminal charges for drug use, driving under the influence, possession of a concealed weapon and possession of illegal substances. He spent 15 months behind bars following a 1999 sentencing.
In December 2015, Downey was pardoned by then-California Gov. Jerry Brown for his 1996 drug conviction.
Today, the actor has a lot to celebrate, namely, nearly 20 years of sobriety. Downey Jr. has been married to Hollywood producer Susan Downey since 2005. The couple has two children: Exton, born in February 2012, and Avri, born in November 2014. RDJ also has a son, Indio Downey, born in 1993 from his first marriage to Deborah Falconer.
He owns numerous properties, including a seven-acre horse-friendly compound with an ocean view in Malibu, Calif., which he acquired in September 2009 for $13.4 million. That same month, RDJ bought a Venice Beach house for $5.6 million, according to Variety.
Pursuitist reports he also has properties in the Southern California communities of Rustic Canyon and Pacific Palisades, as well as a spot in the Hamptons. The Downeys paid $11.9 million in 2017 for that New York property, which was a 19th century windmill they converted into a home.
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Jami Farkas and Charlene Oldham contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Rich Is Robert Downey Jr.?
