Success after failure: see the best of Robert Downey Jr.

Success after failure: see the best of Robert Downey Jr. - Robert Downey Jr. made a household name for himself as soon as he stepped into the shoes of Tony Stark in 'Iron Man.' The legendary actor has played roles as diverse as Sherlock Holmes and Charlie Chaplin, to Kirk Lazarus from 'Tropic Thunder.'

However, his career hasn't always run as smoothly as it does now. Personal issues, drug abuse, and other 'demons' once threatened to send him off the rails for good. Now though, not only has he got his life back on track, he's also one of the most beloved actors of his time.

On the occasion of his 53rd birthday (April 4), we take a look at the highs and lows of Downey Jr.'s life and career. Check it out!

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Birth - Robert Downey Jr. was born on April 4 in 1965, New York.

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Family - He is the son of director Robert Downey Sr. and actress Elsie Downey.

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Divorce - The actor's parents divorced when he was just 11 years old.

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Family name - Downey Jr.'s family name used to be Elias, but his dad changed it legally to Downey in the 1950s.

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First role - His first acting role came at the age of five. The actor appeared in a movie directed by his father, called 'Pound' (1970).

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Various locations - Throughout his childhood, Robert Downey Jr. traveled and lived in various places in Europe and the United States, including Greenwich Village, New York, Connecticut, London, Vermont, and Santa Monica.

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Ballet - When he was 10 years old, the actor lived in London and went to Perry House School, where all pupils had to take ballet lessons.

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Education - The actor went to the Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center in New York, and studied at Santa Monica High School, California.

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Acting - Downey Jr. left high school in Santa Monica at the age of 17 to become an actor. He moved back to New York to live with his mother.

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First great work - At the age of 20, he landed his first acting role on the comedy team of 'Saturday Night Live.' One year later, however, he was fired due to low viewing numbers.

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On the screen - His first starring role came in the movie 'The Pick-up Artist,' where he played a charming womanizer, alongside Molly Ringwald (pictured).

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On the screen - One of Robert Downey Jr.'s best performances came in 'Less Than Zero' (1987). He played Julian Wells, a cocaine addict.

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The big break - In an interview with The Guardian in 2003, the actor revealed how the movie 'Less Than Zero' turned out to be a taste of his own future. He became an even worse addict than his character later on in life.

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Neighbor issue - In 1996, according to the Los Angeles Times, he got into such a state that he ended up breaking into a neighbor's house and sleeping in one of their beds.

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Relationship - Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker started dating in 1984 and were together for seven years. Their relationship ended because of Downey Jr.'s substance addictions.

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Marriage - After being married to Deborah Falconer, from 1991 to 2004, the actor got hitched to Susan Nicole Downey (pictured). They have been together since 2005 and have two children.

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Son - Robert has a son from his first marriage. Indio Falconer Downey is currently 24.

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Kids - With Susan, the actor has two kids. Exton, born in 2012, and Avril, born in 2014.

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Star guests - About 150 guests were invited to the actor's second wedding in 2005. Among those invited were Keanu Reeves, Billy Joel, and Sting.

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Golden Globe - In 2001 Robert won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, for his role in 'Ally McBeal.'

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Another - In 2010 he won another Golden Globe for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, for 'Sherlock Holmes.'

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Martial arts - Robert Downey Jr. revealed in an interview with Oprah that doing martial arts, especially Wing Chun, had helped him tackle his drug addiction.

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Permission to film - While in rehab between 2000 and 2001, the actor was allowed to leave in order to film the music video 'I Want Love,' by Elton John.

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Singing - The actor is also a big musical talent. In 2004 he launched an album called 'The Futurist.'

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Unique - Robert Downey Jr. is currently the only actor to have appeared on 'Saturday Night Live' and be nominated for an Oscar. He was nominated once in 1993 for Best Actor for his performance in 'Chaplin.' The second nomination was for Supporting Actor in 'Tropic Thunder.'

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Chaplin - It was in 1992 that the actor played the legendary comedian Charlie Chaplin in 'Chaplin,' for which he learned to play the violin and tennis left handed.

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New success - In 2008, Robert Downey Jr. became a world star when he played Tony Stark in 'Iron Man.' The movie generated $580 million in box office sales around the world and made the actor into a household name.

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Glasses - The actor's favorite accessory is a pair of shades and it's rare to see him without them.

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Money - In 2017, Forbes named Downey Jr. the 6th best paid actor of the year, with an estimated fortune of $48 million.

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Star - In 2009, the actor had his hand and footprints immortalized at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

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Iron Man - The actor revealed in an interview with Variety in 2014 that there were no plans to make an 'Iron Man 4.' However, his character will continue to appear in other Marvel movies.

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