Robert Downey Jr.’s Marriage Secret
The Unpredictable Life of an A-List Actor
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most sought-after and acclaimed actors of our time. With a career spanning decades, he has starred in some of the biggest blockbusters, from the iconic Iron Man franchise to the recently released Oppenheimer, which earned him an Academy Award. However, such a thriving career comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining a stable personal life.
As an in-demand actor, Robert Downey Jr. is frequently required to travel to various locations around the world for extended periods to film his latest projects. This unpredictable lifestyle could easily put a strain on even the strongest of relationships. Yet, despite the demands of his career, Robert Downey has managed to maintain a successful 18-year marriage with his wife, Susan Downey.
The Two-Week Rule: Keeping the Spark Alive
In a recent interview with People magazine for their Oscars issue, Susan Downey revealed the secret behind their thriving marriage: the two-week rule. “We do have a two-week rule—which often feels too long—but we don’t go more than two weeks without seeing each other and the family being together,” Susan shared.
The couple, who met in 2003 on the set of the film Gothika, which Susan produced, are parents to two children, Exton and Avri. Robert Downey also has a son, Indio, from his previous marriage to Deborah Falconer.
Flexibility and Adaptation: Keys to a Successful Marriage
With Robert’s acting commitments taking him to various parts of the world at any given time, the couple has learned to embrace flexibility and adaptation as essential components of their relationship. Susan explains, “You keep the basic rule of two weeks, and then, you don’t try and think too far ahead because so much of what we do is oddly unpredictable. You just need to know—someone might get sick, or there might be a shutdown, or this or that. So, you just have to have some basic things in place, and then, you have to be willing to flow with the rest of it.”
Balancing Work and Family
While Robert Downey’s career demands frequent travel and extended periods away from home, Susan’s role as a producer and executive allows her a bit more flexibility in terms of location and schedule. “The good news is I’m not in front of the camera, so as a producer, I end up with a little bit more flexibility in terms of location of where I would need to be,” she notes.
Susan also expresses empathy for couples who both have demanding on-camera roles, as it can be even more challenging to coordinate their schedules and maintain a work-life balance. “I admire and have a lot of empathy for couples who both have to be in front of the camera because you get stuck and you have to make those choices,” she says.
Appreciation and Admiration
Despite the challenges that come with Robert Downey’s unpredictable career, Susan remains in awe of her husband’s talent and dedication to his craft. “He approaches everything he’s done—every Marvel movie, every other movie—with the same level of commitment and belief that he is an actor and that he’s doing his best to create a role,” she says.
However, Susan acknowledges that Robert Downey’s remarkable performances often appear effortless to the untrained eye. “Sometimes, I think it looks so effortless that it’s just like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s just Downey being Downey.’ When it’s like, ‘No, there’s a lot of craft and skill that is going into the performance,'” she explains.
Conclusion
In a world where celebrity marriages often face immense scrutiny and challenges, Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey have managed to create a lasting and successful union. Their two-week rule, coupled with a willingness to adapt to the unpredictable nature of Robert Downey’s career, has proven to be the key to keeping their relationship strong and their family together, even in the face of the demands of Hollywood’s fast-paced lifestyle.