Well, it finally happened! After months of online debates and fans worldwide praising and advocating for Robert Downey Jr. to be recognized for his role in Oppenheimer, he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor! Summing up his entire Hollywood journey in one line, it can be described as “The comeback of a lifetime.” The actor added an Oscar to the six more Oppenheimer has won on the big night for the Academy. Fans can’t help but feel proud to see Robert Downey Jr. finally get his moment!
Robert Downey Jr. Wins an Oscar, Finally!
Robert Downey Jr. snagged his very first Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards, finally hitting the jackpot after being nominated twice before. He clinched the award for Best Supporting Actor, mesmerizing audiences as Lewis Strauss in the smash hit summer blockbuster of 2023, Oppenheimer. Fans online are bursting with joy over his well-deserved win! The speech he delivered was also very special, as he thanked his (via The Guardian),
“Terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order–veterinarian … sorry … wife, Susan Downey. She found me a snarling refuge pet and loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here.–I needed this job more than it needed me … I stand here before you a better man because of it.”
The actor’s victory over his best friend Mark Ruffalo, the heavily debated Ryan Gosling who the internet was also rooting for to win, and the iconic Robert De Niro, added another feather to his cap. Downey Jr. has absolutely swept through this awards season, having secured the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild awards for the same role. Thus, his journey to Oscar glory is nothing short of spectacular.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Comeback Is One for the History Books!
It is indeed true that people witnessed Robert Downey Jr. in a new color for his role in the rather not-so-colorful parts of Oppenheimer. For years, fans have been rooting for the actor, from his Iron Man days to now. It has been a whole journey that the man has taken his fans along for the ride.
Here are some of the fan reactions to his win,
The comeback of a lifetime 🥹 pic.twitter.com/1OBKDL5SS2
— The Moonlight Warrior 🌙 (@BlackMajikMan90) March 11, 2024
Robert Downey Jr. is my favorite comeback story. It was really scary hours for him for a long time!
— The Morally Corrupt Tay Resnick (@SweetTayPie0104) March 11, 2024
I was 10 and I never forgot when he begged the judge to give him prison time. He was that messed up. His comeback story is once-in-a-lifetime.
— InTheCut-Magazine (@ComplexCut) March 11, 2024
The Greatest comeback in the history or Earth has been completed!!
Robert Downey Jr. Just won an Oscar!!!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Living, walking, proof that Rock Bottom is just an illusion!!! pic.twitter.com/7vm3UKtaBD
— Sosa Picks (@SosaPicks) March 11, 2024
Robert Downey Jr completes one of the greatest comebacks in showbiz history by winning an Oscar 25 years after a drug spiral landed him in prison.
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) March 11, 2024
Robert Downey Jr’s comeback arc is a movie within itself. Well earned #Oscars
— Jeff Johnson (@JeffJSays) March 11, 2024
The actor faced remarkably difficult times throughout his life, particularly during the late 90s. After grappling with substance abuse and spending time in jail, many had lost hope for him until he made a powerful comeback with Iron Man in 2008. While this role undoubtedly launched him into unimaginable fame, Robert Downey Jr. was always hungry for something more challenging, and Christopher Nolan served him just that in the form of Oppenheimer, at just the right time.
RDJ doesn’t hesitate to show how grateful he is for all the love and support that countless people have shown him over the years!
Oppenheimer is now streaming on Peacock.
