Table of Contents
Robert Downey Jr.’s struggle with addiction will always be a topic that opens up the actor’s old wounds. The 58-year-old star‘s battle with addiction contributed to some of Downey’s darkest days. During a recent chat with Dax Shepard, the Iron Man actor opened up about his struggles. He spoke about his addiction, which started because of Robert Downey Jr.’s late dad. The star also detailed his time in prison and his reconciliation with his father.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Addiction Explained
Robert Downey Jr. recently dropped by the Armchair Expert podcast, where he spoke to his friend, Dax Shepard, and co-host Monica Padman about his addiction. Before his sobriety and career success, the actor struggled with substance abuse. Sadly, Robert Downey Jr.’s late dad played a role in his addiction. When Downey was only six, his father gave him a joint and asked him to smoke it. While it was a one-time thing, that action was the starting point of Robert Downey Jr.’s addiction issues. During the podcast, the actor also admitted that his environment and upbringing contributed to his addiction.
Unfortunately, Downey’s addiction landed him in prison for a three-year sentence. The Sherlock Holmes star served one year before being released and was eventually pardoned from the conviction in 2015. To date, Downey’s time in prison isn’t a topic the star usually discusses. However, when Shepard asked on the podcast, Downey couldn’t help but share his prison experience.
“I’m in court, and I’m being over-sentenced by an angry judge, and at some point, he said something in Latin, and I thought he was casting a spell on me,” Downey began.
Robert Downey Jr. Reconciles With His Late Dad
Robert Downey Jr. then noted that he spent some time at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran. According to Downey, it was the most dangerous place he had ever been, as it was similar to a “really bad neighborhood.” After some time, Downey got transferred to where he would serve his remaining sentence. The actor described stepping into the yard for the first time as being sent to a distant planet with no way home until the planets aligned. But eventually, Downey adjusted and learned to get by.
Since Robert Downey Jr.’s late dad introduced his young son to drugs, it is unsurprising that their relationship was complicated. However, the memories of Robert Downey Jr.’s addiction didn’t stop the two from reconciling. While filming Sr., a documentary about his dad, Downey Jr.’s wife told him to consider getting closure with his father. Downey said he considered it, especially as his dad’s health rapidly declined. Eventually, MCU star Downey went on one last trip to New York to see his late Father – a journey he would never forget. Sadly, after reconciling with his dad, the latter passed away in July 2021.