Robert Downey Jr's Avengers journey may end soon: How donning Iron Man suit resurrected troubled star's Hollywood career

At 53, he will retire his superhero suit. Probably. Robert Downey Jr, Ironman and the man behind resurrecting the Marvel Cinematic Universe at a creative level, will wrap up his part in the franchise after a decade. Of course, he isn’t going anywhere. He returns with the star-studded version of _The Voyage of_ Dr _Doolittle_ , which many are already counting on becoming yet another franchise. Downey Jr was the highest paid actor worldwide for two years and remains amongst the highest paid till date. It’s not his money-spinning and suit sporting, flying skills as Iron Man that are the biggest deal about him though. It’s his ability to resurrect himself from a long period of going downhill with repeated drug and substance abuse. The star is also a study in contradictions, given his coming of age work being critically acclaimed and theatre oriented; and having made a typical blockbuster superhero franchise his return to superstardom. [caption id=“attachment_4417639” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Robert Downey Jr. Facebook images[/caption] Briefly, Robert Downey Jr has had a film fed childhood and a confusing upbringing. His father, Robert Downey Sr, was an independent filmmaker of small repute and a habitual drug user. Growing up with an Indie director meant a childhood spent scattered across different American states, with constant uprooting and daily exposure to drugs. When he was about 8 years old, his father gave him his first taste of marijuana; as Downey Jr admits, they bonded the best as father and son when they got high and hung out together. So doomed the upbringing most certainly was. At the same time, given this exposure to pop culture early in his life, Downey Jr had a chance to acquire different kinds of artistic skills. A year spent studying in England taught him ballet, and he returned to New York when he came of age to study theatre. Robert Downey Jr showed promise as a young, talented actor with a wry sense of humor early on. In the late Eighties, he was considered one amongst the Brat Pack, the young lot of actors catering to teenage audiences with the slice-of-life films. With Less than Zero (1987), where he ironically acts out his own challenges with addiction, he proved to be a moving performer with layers of depth. And then came Chaplin (1992), his career best, where he adapted to become Charlie Chaplin with perfection. Having taken up a special body language coach, Downey Jr altered the way he stood, walked or spoke. In the film’s opening scene, when Chaplin is wiping off his make up and confronting his flaws and selfishness, Downey Jr presents a soul-stirring, subtle performance. He missed out on an Oscar award despite a nomination to Al Pacino who won for Scent of A Woman. [caption id=“attachment_4417645” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man. Facebook[/caption] It was after Chaplin, roughly around the year 2000 when Downey Jr’s battles with drug addiction began. Repeatedly arrested and pulled up in court for drug abuse, he lost out on roles and often failed to complete projects or honour contracts. For instance, Ally McBeal, the TV series where he played Ally’s love interest, winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series. But his character was finally written out after two arrests on drug charges. He explains that at this stage, he was at the lowest point in his addiction troubles and couldn’t have given a damn whether he acted again. Having faced 180 days of stay in state prison and its attached drug rehab, Downey Jr spent some more time institutionalized. He acquired sobriety after this phase, making a comeback with the crime comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005. His wry, straight-faced comic timing and unique dialogue delivery stand out in his films during this phase. One of the best ones in this phase is Tropic Thunder (2008), a black comedy, where he plays an actor that takes his method to absurd levels. Downey Jr had his feet firmly planted back on Hollywood by this phase, having married for the second time. His second wife, Susan Downey is instrumental in his return to form. Susan and Downey Jr worked together for the first time on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Since then their production banner, Team Downey, has gone on to produce versatile films that have made money or won acclaim; or both. The Judge (2014), Due Date (2010), the Sherlock Holmes films by filmmaker Guy Ritchie and Iron Man 2 are co-produced by them. Coming together as a team, both have created a solid, successful production company that now gives them clout and creative leeway. Calling the Avengers stars as a ‘brotherhood’, Downey Jr has established that drugs and substance abuse can indeed be turned around successfully. He has also never shied away from calling himself an outsider to Hollywood. For an outsider, to have singularly shouldered a near-dead franchise and making it a billion dollar-spinning global nerdist cult, Downey Jr and his unconventional life have come a long way. His sense of humor as Tony Stark is not created, it looks effortless because it is effortless. Downey Jr is funny in a weird sort of way, and that sets him apart as an actor with an uncopyable signature. Never too humble and yet, always condescending about himself, he has shown heart by stepping up for charitable causes and visiting a terminally-ill young boy who is his fan while promoting his upcoming Avengers film, Avengers: Infinity War. But those that love to see his acting chops will have to wait for the Untitled John Brinkley biopic that Richard Linklater is directing. There’s more to Ironman that just a metal suit, and it’s about time, it comes up to the surface.