by Tanya Smith

Created on: February 12, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2009

Audacious and irresistible, Robert Downey Jr. may just be the ultimate Pick Up Artist of 2009. Only this time, he won't be picking up Molly Ringwald. He could finally be going home with an old friend named Oscar. Downey's role in Tropic Thunder (www.tropicthunder.com) brought back an era of comedic genius that hasn't been seen since the days of Mike Meyers' portrayal of Austin Powers or Jim Carrey's "Ace Ventura". In the summer of 2008, Downey had a blockbuster with "Iron Man" and was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential people. His talent and life have always been an up and down rollercoaster, but Downey has never been afraid to take the world on a truly heart-stopping ride, be it watching him recover from the worst moments of despair, to bringing crowds to their knees with laughter. Downey has been a fixture in the comedy world since 1975 when he first appeared on Saturday Night Live. An 80's icon and Hollywood golden boy, he lived with Sex in the City Star Sarah Jessica Parker through most of the 1980's. Downey moved on to roles that took a long, stark look into the human soul, such as his stunning portrayal of Charlie Chaplin. Despite his trouble with addiction and the law, Downey has always found the inner strength and talent to get the show back on the road and do it with clarity and precision. He landed a plum television role in the 1990s hit show Ally McBeal, which won him a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series. His other movies have included Less Than Zero, Soapdish and the spine-tingling lead in 2003 thriller Gothika opposite Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry.

In Tropic Thunder, Downey plays Kirk Lazarus, a white Australian actor who is taking on the role of an African-American soldier in an action film that has gone terribly wrong. Downey's portrayal was nothing less than zany and brought him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor by the British Academy Awards (BAFTA), as well as a nod for the 81st Annual Academy Awards (www.oscar.com) in the Best Supporting Actor category. Downey goes up against another favorite, the late Heath Ledger who played a stunningly eerie Joker in Dark Knight and has posthumously gained a cult following for the role. It won't be an easy win for Downey. The role is a reversal in some ways on the famous Wayans brothers "White Chicks", but Downey is no stranger to the blood, sweat and tears it takes to create a role that audiences will remember long after fads have been forgotten. Like his 1992 portrayal of Charlie Chaplin, the role of Lazarus spans multi-cultural oceans and is perhaps one that only an actor with Downey's grit and complexity could turn into a celebration of Hollywood's own frailties and humanity. The character is engaging and humble, poking fun at Downey's own tendency to take life too seriously and giving Hollywood the rare chance to prove it doesn't have to take itself so seriously, either. Currently, Downey is filming Sherlock Holmes - a Guy Ritchie film that plunges deep into the dark heart of London, alongside Jude Law as Dr. Watson and with Rachel McAdams (star of "The Notebook") as Downey's beautiful leading lady. Check out Downey's 2004 album "The Futurist" at www.robertdowneyjrmusic.com for a taste of his unique musical stylings. Whether he is gracing the cover of Men's Vogue Spring issue with a debonair and stylish pose that just dares Hollywood to fearlessly celebrate him, Robert Downey Jr. is truly Hollywood's most successful "Come Back King". Let's hope he gets his crown or rather his statue - on Oscar night!

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