Inside The Actors Studio: Robert Downey Jr.

Season 12, Episode 17
July 9th 2006

Weird Science (1985) -Ian
Saturday Night Live (1985-86)
Less Than Zero (1987) -Julian Wells
Chances Are (1989)-Alex Finch
Air America (1990)-Billy Covington
Soap Dish (1991) -David Seton Barnes
Chaplin (1992) -Charles Spencer Chapman
Heart And Souls (1993) -Thomas Reilly
Natural Born Killers (1994) -Wayne Gale
Only You (1995) -Peter
Home For The Holidays (1995) -Tommy Larson
One Night Stand (1997) -Charlie
Two Girls And A Guy (1997) -Blake Allen
U.S. Marshals (1998) -Special Agent John Royce
In Dreams (1999) -Vivian Thompson
Bowfinger (1999) -Jerry Renfro
Black And White (1999) -Terry Donager
Wonder Boys (2000) -Terry Crabtree
Ally McBeal (2000-2002) -Larry Paul
Gothika (2003) -Pete Graham
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) -Harry Lockhart
Good Night, And Good Luck (2005) -Joe Wershba
A Scanner Darkly (2006) -James Barris
Zodiac (2007) -Paul Avery
Iron Man (2008) -Tony Stark
Tropic Thunder (2008) -Kirk Lazarus

After everything Robert Downey Jr. has been through, I expected a more somber face, or even someone who’d looked tired, but Downey still had a vibrancy about him that came across as youthful, with perseverance, and moreover still incredibly vigorous.  A former drug addict, and prolific actor somehow in the middle of his abusive state he managed to play some of the most memorable roles in film and television history.

On the show only years after overcoming his addiction problems Downey seemed ready to conquer anything put before him.  His sense of humor still in tact, he was funny, and had no problem making jokes about some of his past demons.  It somehow may have gotten lost or forgotten in the mix how many great movies Downey has really been a part of, and even if his role was a supporting he managed to offer so much more than maybe if the leads could.

In the past year he starred as Tony Stark in Iron Man and made one of the most successful and best movies of 2008.  Coupled with that he was nominated for a best supporting actor in a motion picture for the comedy Tropic Thunder.  The Oscar went to Heath Ledger, but the acknowledgement of his years accomplishments were widely received by everyone at the Kodak theater.

His unwavering fear to tackle any kind of role, and his unique ability to execute it and make it his own is one of his best qualities as an actor.  His humbling persona on the Actors Studio showed he’d learned from his mistakes and seemed confident in not repeating them again.  It was great to see one of Hollywood’s most talented actors evaluate his own work, but also appreciate what he’d given to his audiences.  I predict to see even more and greater things from Robert Downey Jr.  Or so we can all hope.

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