Robert Downey Jr. Wins His First Oscar for ‘Oppenheimer’

American actor Robert Downey Jr. bagged the best supporting actor award at the Oscars 2024 for his role as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss in the 2023 epic biographical thriller film ‘Oppenheimer.’

In his acceptance speech, Robert said,

“I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy — in that order.”

He further went on with his speech and thanked his wife,

“I’d like to thank my veterinarian — I meant wife, Susan Downey over there. She found me a snarling rescue pet and you loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here.”

Robert Downey Jr. has been nominated twice before, first in 2009 for ‘Tropic Thunder’ (Supporting) and in 1993 for ‘Chaplin’ (Leading). He thanked his ‘Oppenheimer’ cast and crew in his speech, including director Christopher Nolan, producer Emma Thomas, and his co-stars and fellow Oscar nominees Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt. He said,

“Here’s my little secret. I needed this job more than it needed me. Chris knew it. Emma made sure that she surrounded me with one of the great casts and crews of all time — Emily, Cillian. It was fantastic. And I stand here before you a better man because of it. What we do is meaningful, and the stuff that we decide to make is important.”

Before wrapping up his speech, Robert thanked his entertainment lawyer, stylist, publicist, and manager. He said,

“Back to my publicist, my agent Philip Raskind, and Andrew Dunlap, and my den mother, Joy Fehily, thank you very much. I’m going to thank my stylist in case no one else does. Thanks, Erika, thank you very much. And I’m just going to say this, my entertainment lawyer, Tom Hansen, of 40 years, half of which he tried getting me insured and bailing me out of the hoosegow — thanks Bro!”

As of yet, Robert Downey Jr. has bagged every major award in the Best Supporting Actor category for ‘Oppenheimer’, including the BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG Award, and Critics Choice.