Robert Downey Jr. has achieved quite a lot in his Hollywood career since making his movie debut in his dad’s 1970 film, Pound. He was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world In 2008 and was also listed by Forbes magazine as Hollywood’s highest-paid actor from 2013 to 2015.
Despite his success in show business, more than anything the actor treasures spending time with his family, especially his three kids, Indio Falconer Downey, Exton Elias Downey, and Avri Roel Downey, whom he had from his two marriages.
Robert Downey Jr.’s relationships and marriages
Downey met Sarah Jessica Parker on set while filming the 1984 Michael Apted movie, Firstborn, and they started dating soon after. However, the relationship did not last long as they broke up in 1991 due to the 59-year-old’s drug abuse history.
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In an interview with Parade Magazine, Downey admitted that he was not proud of how he lived his life during that time. “I was so selfish, I liked to drink, and I had a drug problem, and that didn’t jibe with Sarah Jessica, because it was the furthest thing from what she is,” he told the outlet. “She tried to help me. She was so miffed when I didn’t get my act together… She would pull me out of a hangover and we’d go pick out furniture together. She is a force of nature!”
A year after his split from Parker, he began a relationship with Deborah Falconer and they tied the knot in 1992. However, his drug problem and wild lifestyle affected his marriage and his young family. Their relationship got more strained in 1999 when he was charged with substance abuse and sentenced to an extended rehab stay. Falconer left him and they finalized their divorce in 2004.
Downey found love again after meeting his second wife, Susan Levin, in 2003, and they got married two years later in August 2005.
Meet Robert Downey’s children:
Indio Falconer Downey
Out of all three kids, Indio embraced the limelight the most as he’s older. He was born on September 7, 1993. The 30-year-old chased a career in the entertainment industry by becoming a musician. He joined the hard rock band The Dose, for which he sings and plays guitar. The group released its debut album Saline in 2019.
Aside from music, Indio is also an actor and he has appeared in his father’s 2005 film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. He also helped produce music for 2013’s Jackie. Unfortunately, just like his father, Indio also struggled with drug addiction and was arrested in December 2020 for cocaine possession.
Downey Jr. revealed how sad he is about the incident while blaming his son’s drug problem on genetics. “Unfortunately, there’s a genetic component to addiction and Indio has likely inherited it,” he said. “Also, there is a lot of family support and understanding, and we’re all determined to rally behind him and help him become the man he’s capable of being.”
It seems, based on an interview Indio gave to PEOPLE in November 2023, that there is indeed hope as the conversation was celebrating 18 months of sobriety, doing so in the reflective Cigarettes in Bed five-song EP that was released in January of this year.
“I was in a place of suffering when making Cigarettes in Bed,” he told the magazine, “but I was also praying and meditating and trying to find a way to overcome that. [The song] ‘Dume’ is about past addiction. ‘Dume’ is my biggest fear, but within the context of a song. It’s a metaphor for the fatal attraction to self-destruction. I hope people who hear the song remember that there’s beauty in the darkness.”
As to his sobriety, he commented, “I feel I’m going through a transformation. I’m trying to push myself to just improve in a lot of areas that I haven’t done that need improvement. I’m changing, slowly but surely.”
Exton Elias Downey
Downey and his second wife, Susan Levin, welcomed their first child, son Exton Elias (now 12), in February 2012. The actor revealed the inspiration behind his son’s name while appearing on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.
“My wife’s great-uncle Joe was kind of eccentric — when he was in fourth grade,” Downey said. “He realized he didn’t have a middle name, so he changed his name to J. Exton.” There’s actually a reference to that eccentric uncle in a moment of dialogue between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts in Avengers: Infinity War.
Avri Roel Downey
Downey and Susan gave birth to his only daughter, Avri Role (who’s now 9), in November 2014. The actor took to Facebook to excitedly announce her birth. “After 9 months of intensive development, Team Downey is pleased to announce our 2014 fall/winter project,” Downey wrote. “Principal photography commenced 11-14 and will continue until she says, ‘Dad! You are embarrassing me…I’m 30, this has gotta stop.’”
It is rumored that Roel got her name from the first two letters of her grandparents on both sides. Downey’s father was also named Robert, and his wife’s mom’s name is Rosie Levin while Robert’s mom was Elsie Ford, and Susan’s dad’s name is Elliot Levin.