Robert Downey Jr turns 55: From Iron Man, Chaplin to Tropic Thunder, Zodiac, 5 must-watch films of the star

In a career that has seen both ups and downs, Robert Downey Jr has perhaps found most success after donning the Iron Man suit. [caption id=“attachment_6642811” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  Robert Downey Jr. Image from Twitter[/caption] The actor, who celebrates his birthday on 4 April, started his career when he was only 5 and went on to be a popular youth icon through films like Weird Science and Less than Zero. The portrayal of the legendary British comedian Charlie Chaplin earned Robert Downey Jr his first critical acclaim. A career that would soon spiral downwards due to persistent drug abuse was however brought back on track following a stint at rehab and subsequently the popular series Ally McBeal. His portrayal earned him a Golden Globe. A number of comedies and thrillers followed, until the actor truly found his footing as Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. On the actor’s birthday, here’s looking at 5 films one must watch. Chaplin

Directed by Richard Attenborough, the 1992 film shows an elderly Charlie Chaplin reminiscing his early days to the editor of his autobiography. The film earned Robert Downey Jr an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and a BAFTA Award. Sherlock Holmes

The 2009 movie saw the actor play the famed detective while Jude Law portrayed the role of Holmes’ companion Dr John Watson. Downey Jr won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his role. Zodiac 

Downey Jr was detective Paul Avery in this mystery thriller by David Fincher. Zodiac follows a manhunt for a serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area between the 1960s and early 1970s. Tropic Thunder

The 2008 satire action-comedy starring an ensemble cast of Jack Black, Robert Downey Junior and Ben Stiller is about a group of actors making a film on the Vietnam War. Comedy ensues when the director drops them in the middle of a jungle and the actors have to rely on their theatrical skills to survive. Downey Jr got nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe. Iron Man  The film made Downey Jr synonymous with the character. He reprises the role in several other movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the standalone Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3.