Robert Downey Jr. made history by winning his first ever Oscar for Best Actor. The talented actor, known for his charismatic performances and versatility on screen, finally received the recognition he deserved from the Academy.
Downey's journey to this moment was not without its challenges. He has faced personal struggles and setbacks throughout his career, but he has always managed to rise above them and deliver memorable performances that have captivated audiences worldwide.
Downey won best supporting actor for his portrayal of Rear Adm. Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer,” hailed as one of his best performances in years.
Oscar nod for one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers but whose career has been marked by extreme setbacks.
“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood” Downey said in a light-hearted speech, pausing for the audience’s laughter, “and the academy — in that order.”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who won Best Supporting Actress tonight, is in a similar situation. Randolph, playing boarding school cook Mary in The Holdovers, makes her character work in full defiance of the script. Mary is the most underwritten part in the trio at the heart of the film, but Randolph makes her tragically human through the sheer force of her presence.
These two wins function as a case study of sorts. They ask the question: Do the Best Supporting categories simply reward quality of performance, taking nothing else into account? Or do they reward performances for how well they support a larger story? Historically, the Academy has had trouble coming to a consensus on how to answer that question.
Downey dominated awards shows this season with his charismatic acceptance speeches. At the Critics Choice Awards, he decided to read directly from reviews he earned over the years that weren’t exactly kind to him.
“I was thinking this morning: I love critics,” Downey said sarcastically. “They’ve given me such beautiful feedback, really just so many great moments, and some of it is so poetic, I just want to share some of their thoughts with you over the years.”
The actor was the favourite for the award, having already won a string of major best supporting prizes for the role, including the Golden Globe, Bafta, and Screen Actors Guild awards. However, he had to overcome a strong field, including Robert De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon, Ryan Gosling for Barbie and Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things.
Downey Jr thanked his “terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order” as well as his “veterinarian … sorry … wife, Susan Downey. She found me a snarling refuge pet and loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here.”
Downey Jr’s “little secret”, he said, was that “I needed this job more than it needed me … I stand here before you a better man because of it.”
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