Robert Downey Jr. proves he’s the ultimate comeback kid and the ultimate dad

AFTER earning $40 million for playing Iron Man again, Robert Downey Jr is still struggling with the simple stuff.

ROBERT Downey Jr. should be feeling the pressure.

The 51-year-old actor lives under a bigger microscope than most of his peers after famously falling off and on the wagon with heroin and cocaine. And he’s playing Iron Man for the sixth time in Captain America: Civil War. So can he keep keeping it together?

“Jesus Christ, you’re right. I should flip the f*** out right now, shouldn’t I?” he tells news.com.au from West Hollywood.

“Everybody rises from the ashes many times in a lifetime And at the end of the day, pressure is just pressure,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.

“If I’m thinking in any morose way about yesterday, I’m just inviting a depressive attitude. If I’m concentrating on the things that are ahead of me that I have to do or what’s expected of me, I’m just going to be anxious.”

Tony Stark has to be one of the most profitable characters of all time. Downey Jr. was paid $40 million for his latest outing.

He speaks candidly about his recovery from drug addiction. “It was only a couple of clicks back I was wondering how I was going to pay my rent or if I’d ever be in a functional relationship.”

But he was given a new lease of life when Mel Gibson, against the advice of Hollywood studios, cast him in The Singing Detective, in 2003.

That spawned a 180-degree turn around for Downey Jr., who earned upwards of US$40 million for his latest role, and lives a healthy lifestyle as a happily married man of 11-years to producer Susan Levin with whom he is raising their two kids: Exton, four, and daughter, Avri, one. He also has a son, Indio, 22, from his previous marriage to actress Deborah Falconer.

With a full house at his Malibu estate, he illustrates a typical day at casa Downey. In good form, he offers, “I hesitate to say what my daily routine is because there’s nothing glamorous about it. I wish I could tell you, ‘Well, first I arrange the flowers and then I make a petite filet for my wife, and by that time the souffle will be almost ready. Then I prepare myself for some inevitable Kama Sutra encounter with her,’” he jokes.

“No. I usually just walk around all day long thinking about myself unfortunately.”

Robert Downey Jr with his wife of 11 years Susan Levin.

He straightens himself. “Okay, no, this is how it is. I changed my daughter’s diaper this morning and it was a hot mess. And yesterday morning she insisted I share her pasta with her, so she is just delightful. Also what happened yesterday, we have this gal who comes in and does Tracy Anderson bandercise. Exton, came in the room and I said, ‘Would you like to take a bath?’ He said, in front of her, ‘Yes, dad. I should probably take a bath because my nuts are itchy.’”

“I sat him down and said, ‘We don’t talk about our nuts when there’s a girl in the room.’” He leans forward. “Obviously I’m battling a thousand in the parenting department!” He laughs. “It seems to me that being a grandparent is probably a great deal.”

Having just celebrated his birthday, at 51 years old, he is in fantastic shape though he can no longer be described ‘baby-faced.’ “Trust me, I do not have the face of a baby. I have to say, it would not be terrible to wake up tomorrow morning and say, ‘Oh my God! I’m Chris Hemsworth! I’m going to go surfing!’” he says.

He might not be Chris Hemsworth, but the fans still love him. Picture: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Captain America: Civil War marks his sixth outing out as Tony Stark/Iron Man. The Oscar-nominated actor (Chaplin, 1992) initially copped some flack for jumping on the super hero bandwagon in 2008, which marked the beginning of the Iron Man franchise. Clearly, he isn’t precious about his image.

“I’ve done movies that weren’t put together as well and weren’t as enjoyable to make or watch as some of these Marvel films,” he insists. “And with this Captain America, it’s good to know that fans aren’t pissed off at us or think we blew it. That’s some pressure lifted; you feel a small victory.”

Throughout the extreme highs and lows of his well-documented life, one thing remains consistent — Downey Jr. has always been his own person. “Well, I mean, yes, considering I’m completely dependent on my wife,” he admits, laughing.

“I would say that I thrive best when I’m a worker among workers. I think that anybody who demonstrates good leadership characteristics, someone who is able to really listen and learn is the goal,” he says. “Maybe some day I’ll be a shining example of all that.”

Originally published as Robert Downey Jr. proves he’s the ultimate comeback kid and the ultimate dad