Robert Downey Jr. finally won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, ending a three-decade wait since his first nomination in 1993 for Chaplin.
Sixteen years later, he got another shot at an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder. But once again, he lost to Heath Ledger (who won posthumously for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight). But now, it’s finally RDJ’s turn.
Winning his first Oscar nod was a tough journey for the actor. He had to work really hard for it, but in the end, it all paid off. However, there was one thing that was particularly challenging for him in the flick.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Biggest Challenge in Chaplin
Back in 1992, Robert Downey Jr. played Charlie Chaplin in the titular movie. He worked really hard for the role, learning to play the violin and tennis left-handed.
Chaplin was famous for his violin skills, so Downey Jr. put in a lot of effort to get it right. He even had a personal coach to help him mimic silent film actor’s posture and mannerisms.
But learning the violin with his left hand wasn’t the toughest challenge for the actor. It was actually mastering Chaplin’s posture that took him a lot of time and effort. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the Manhattan native said:
“Chaplin was an absolute gift and a real bear of a challenge for someone who was 25 when I started prepping to do it.“
The Iron Man star then explained the intense process he went through to prepare for his role as Charlie Chaplin. He described how he used a one-way mirror and watched Chaplin’s films on VHS tapes. He’d spend hours trying to mimic his expressions and movements, doing it over and over for weeks and months.
Robert Downey Jr. Won His First Oscar, Thanked His Veterinarian
Robert Downey Jr.’s win for Oppenheimer was expected because he had already won at the Golden Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild awards earlier this year. After getting the award, he thanked his wife Susan Downey, calling her a veterinarian.
“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order. I’d like to thank my veterinarian I meant wife Susan Downey over there. She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That’s why I am here. Thank you.”
Robert Downey Jr. thanks his "terrible childhood" and the Academy in his #Oscars acceptance speech. https://t.co/UNgGySGz3r pic.twitter.com/SSJd8yMskz
— Variety (@Variety) March 11, 2024
The 58-year-old beat out other nominees, including Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction, Ryan Gosling for Barbie, Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things, and Robert De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon.
Watch Oppenheimer on Amazon Prime Video.
