Robert Downey Jr. Reflects On His Prison Experience: ‘Evil In The Air’

Prior to Robert Downey Jr.’s starring as Iron Man, the talented actor struggled with substance abuse—cocaine and heroin. In 1996, he was arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine, and an unloaded firearm while driving under the influence. This incident resulted in a highly publicized legal battle and multiple stints in rehab and jail.

Also, the 58-year-old violated his probation several times and was re-arrested again in 1999 for drug possession and abuse. Following his indictment, he was sentenced to three years in state prison but was released after serving one year in the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran.

Robert Downey Jr. recounts his prison experience

During an appearance on a recent episode of the Armchair Expert podcast to promote his upcoming Max show, Downey’s Dream Cars, the actor recounted the events leading to his incarceration. “I’m gonna try to give you the flashcards: I’m in court, I’m being over-sentenced by an angry judge, and at some point, he said something in Latin,” Downey admitted to hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. “I thought he was casting a spell on me.”

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He further disclosed that his first experience in prison was horrible as he came face to face with different types of criminals. “Two weeks later, I’m in a place called Delano, which is a receiving center where they decide where you’re going to go. Arguably the most dangerous place I’ve ever been in my life because nobody is designated,” Downey confessed. “If they’re a level 1, 2, 3, or 4 criminal, [everyone’s there], You could just feel the evil in the air. It was kind of like just being in a really bad neighborhood, and there was no opportunity there; there was only threats. So, yes, everyone is going to take your wallet, so watch it.”

Robert Downey says his time in prison was the most horrible time of his life

The 58-year-old further stated that his time at the facility was the most horrible experience of his life so far. “Walking onto the yard that you’re gonna be doing more than a year on for the first time, the closest thing I can associate it to is being sent to a distant planet where there is no way home until the planets align…, We are programmed to, within a short amount of time, be able to adjust to things that are seemingly impossible, and for me, there’s worse things that could have happened than being sent to an institution, by far,” Downey explained.

“However, we can only go by what we know, and I would imagine if I had to guess, that was the worst thing that happened to me,” he stated.