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Home , Harrison Ford, Johnny Depp, Leading man, Nic Pizzolatto, Susan Downey

Interview Interview

I also enjoy it as much as I ever have. I never spend much time away from Susan or the children, and nothing is going to change that. The great escape “I know when I’m not doing From down-and-out to adventure hero, Robert Downey Jr., has turned his career around enough and I also know when I’m to become one of Hollywood’s leading male . But, as Harold von Kursk reports, stressing myself out trying to do it is his wife, Susan Downey, who has inspired the most remarkable of biopic stories more than I’m really capable of doing. When Susan sees I’m in that kind of state, she just kind of obert Downey Jr. is one driven by the power of Zen. It is Just as Stark lives in a hyper- looks at me and says, ‘why don’t of the most extraordinary a positive mentality at the core reality that takes him beyond the you go to the gym or something?’” Rmen in Hollywood. of Downey Jr.’s indomitable spirit. ordinary limits of the superhero It is a partnership that has In the first act, our 27 year-old The staggering script even has construct, Downey Jr. has enabled Downey Jr. to make the New-Yorker emerged as one of the 51-year-old rubbing his eyes in mastered a heightened awareness most of his abundant talent. In the Tinseltown’s most talented young disbelief. “Oh, it’s mind-blowing,” between his Hollywood self and course of their 11-year marriage, actors, winning Best Oscar Downey Jr. says. the one that lies beneath. Susan Downey (who worked and Golden Globe nominations – “It’s always great to be able Perhaps it is because his mind alongside legendary Hollywood and a first BAFTA – for his brilliant to achieve so much more than works so fast, and his natural producer as a noted embodiment of . you or anyone else could have impatience is so great, that he film executive in her own right), Act II is not such a happy imagined. Even when you’re constantly needs to fill his day has helped assemble a personal passage, as drug addiction took mired in the depths of your with activity to prevent himself staff that includes martial arts Downey Jr. to the edge of own misguided making, you from wandering into the darker trainers, spiritual consultants self-destruction. still have hope. I always wanted territory and temptations that once and a private chef. His latest act has witnessed to do something extraordinary led him astray. “Work is the best The Downey Jr.’s are also the greatest comeback in the with my and leave my therapy for me,” he observes. parents to two young children; history of the film business. mark on the world. I’m still “I need to keep myself five year-old son, Exton, and two Twelve years ago, he fell in love ruthlessly ambitious!” occupied and not let my mind year-old daughter, Avri. (Downey with Susan Levin, the film producer In Iron Man hero, Tony Stark, wander too much when I’m not Jr. has another son, 23 year-old who would later become his wife, Downey Jr. found the perfect planning or involved in a project. Indio, from his previous marriage and has since rebooted his life and meta-role for a man whose self- “I know from past experience to musician, actress and model career to become one of the most awareness has reached extreme that I need that discipline and Deborah Falconer.) successful actors in the game. proportions. So much so that, at “Susan has given me Downey Jr.’s films have earned times, he appears to be running Below: Co-produced by Susan a structure for living and we love more than $9b at the box-office a commentary on his moment-to- Downey, Sherlock Holmes cast each other as much as any couple while his annual earnings moment conscious life. and Downey Jr. can be in love. We’ve always ➤ frequently exceed $60m which, depending on the year, make him the highest-paid actor in the business. As the face of billion- dollar Iron Man film franchise, and its multiple Avengers spin-offs, this charismatic action hero is now

IT’S ALWAYS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU OR ANYONE ELSE COULD HAVE IMAGINED. EVEN WHEN YOU’RE MIRED IN THE DEPTHS OF YOUR OWN MISGUIDED MAKING, YOU STILL HAVE HOPE ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

14 Upward Curve April-June 2017 April-June 2017 Upward Curve 15 Interview

genre with a mix of escapism and intelligence. I’m also proud of the I’VE SURROUNDED MYSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE fact that I’m a who TO HELP ME REMAIN can do major blockbusters and HEALTHY AND FORWARD- LOOKING. MY WIFE IS THE be that kind of FOUNDATION OF THAT guy. It’s not a bad place to be... PROCESS... AND THIS IS and there’s no denying that Iron A BEAUTIFUL CHAPTER. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. Man has put me in a position to many other things.” Much of the public devotion Peculiarly, he first earned to Tony Stark can be interpreted recognition in the film industry as irresistible fascination with the as a noted (and actor himself. Stark’s arrogance, off-screen reputation as a rebel) brilliance, and wise-cracking, whose Oscar nomination for his ironic sensibility owes much Chaplin had Hollywood insiders to Downey’s extravagant, predicting a Pacino-like career. larger-than-life personality and That was until various addictions mischievous way of looking at derailed his life. Few expected the world. He regards Stark as him to be able to salvage either. a ‘braver extension’ of himself: So how did Downey Jr. manage “When I first began getting into to make the transition from Tony Stark I imagined him as ultimate Hollywood bad boy, having a Howard Hughes kind of and down-and-out actor, to the boldness and arrogance. I also studio system’s top-earning saw it as an opportunity to come ‘company man’? up with a screen persona that “I originally pursued [Iron would be a more dashing and Man] because I had seen Keanu bolder variation on my own nature Reeves and succeed There’s a lot of me in him, but he’s had this feeling that this is the He is one of the few actors who with their own film franchises way cooler than I am.” ➤ big relationship and marriage for has been the face of more than [ and Pirates of the the rest of our lives. We take that one gigantic film franchise – Caribbean respectively]. I wanted Left: Downey Jr. with Gwyneth responsibility seriously and I’ve Harrison Ford (, Indiana Indio to see his dad in that kind of Paltrow at the World Premiere become a better man because Jones, ) and a movie. I wanted it to be the kind of Below: Downey of my commitment to taking this (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic of movie you can take your kid to Jr. was inspired by his wife, journey together with her.” Park, ). and explore the comic-book hero Susan, to turn his life around “I’ve surrounded myself with good people to help me remain healthy and forward-looking. My wife is the foundation of that process... and this is a beautiful chapter in my life.” Apart from his remarkable run as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Downey Jr. has also been the driving force behind the Sherlock Holmes franchise where he plays the title character opposite Jude Law’s Dr. Watson and Rachel McAdams as Irene. The two films have grossed over $1b and provided Downey Jr. with yet another outlandish, oversize screen alter- ego to embrace.

April-June 2017 Upward Curve 17 Interview

“If I need to pick myself up and expect – under the moniker Above: Downey Jr. in action as out to be... All I know is it’s rare be a little more dashing, I can ‘’. Tony Stark A.K.A. Iron Man that a father can get it as right channel Tony Stark. I saw him as They are currently working Below: Friends and as the mom. And so I just kind of a man with a lot of élan! on the third instalment of the Downey Jr. at the American take my cues from Susan. “I’ve always believed that you Sherlock Holmes franchise – an Cinematheque Gala in 2011 “It’s pure joy to be able to need to be ambitious – in terms action movie about the 1945 spend hours at a time with your of your own expectations of who sinking of the USS Indianapolis – Meanwhile, Downey Jr. is back children and having no other your best self can be. as well as a reported HBO crime to his day job as Tony Stark/Iron thought in your brain except to “You can will yourself into series with creator Man and is currently shooting fully engage and share in that becoming the kind of person Nic Pizzolatto. Marvel Studio’s Avengers: Infinity experience... you’ve always wanted to be. You One other recently announced War in Atlanta, Georgia. This year “My work helps keep my focus can soar higher than you imagine!” project is tipped to become yet will also see Iron Man making and I pour as much of my energy Aside from his Iron Man/ another Oscar-worthy milestone an appearance in Spider-Man: into my life as I can and it all Sherlock Holmes incarnations, in this rescued career. Together Homecoming prior to two more reflects back on me.”■ Downey Jr. has also distinguished with director Richard Linkater Avengers movies slated for release himself in several other ambitious (Boyhood, the Before Sunrise in 2018 and 2019. films over the past decade – trilogy), Downey Jr. is planning on Despite this flurry of notably Zodiac, Tropic Thunder, playing John Brinkley. activity, Downey Jr. claims to be and The Judge (co-produced The medical charlatan (who increasingly reluctant to spend with Susan and their independent claimed to have the cure for several months at a time away production company), which impotence) blustered his way to from his family. His two young operates – impishly, as one might the creation of a radio empire children have reawakened his before running for Governor of own ‘childlike’ sensibilities and Kansas – and almost winning – he is determined to try to create while expressing a fondness for a relationship with his children IT’S PURE JOY TO BE ABLE TO SPEND HOURS Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler. where “he can be very real, AT A TIME WITH YOUR Industry observers are present and genuine” and ensure CHILDREN AND HAVING NO OTHER THOUGHT IN YOUR smacking their lips at the that the experience is “as close BRAIN EXCEPT TO FULLY prospect of Downey Jr. playing a as possible.” ENGAGE AND SHARE IN proto- figure whose “Family is the basis for so THAT EXPERIENCE... ROBERT DOWNEY JR. parallels to the US President are much of our lives... I don’t think all too obvious. anyone is the father that they set

18 Upward Curve April-June 2017