"The American Cinematheque is extremely pleased to honor Robert Downey Jr. .as the 25th recipient of the American Cinematheque award at our celebration this year," said Rick Nicita. "The pleasure that we receive from his charismatic and nuanced performances is matched only by the respect that he has earned for his personal and professional journey. The wide range of his talent has kept us enthralled in movies from a biopic like "Chaplin" to outrageous comedies like "Tropic Thunder" to franchises like "Sherlock Holmes" and, of course, "Iron Man." While we have been enjoying him for years, it seems that he’s just getting started all over again. The Cinematheque is thrilled to mark this milestone in the flourishing career of Robert Downey Jr."
Downey was the unanimous choice of the Cinematheque Board of Directors selection committee, which since 1986, has annually honored an extraordinary artist (actor, director or writer) in the entertainment industry, who is fully engaged in his or her work and is committed to making a significant contribution to the art of the motion picture.
The executive producers of the show are Paul Flattery, Barbara Smith and Michael Dempsey. Irene Crinita is the producer and Kelly Brock co-producer. Corrinne Mann is the benefit producer. Co-chairs and presenters of the event will be announced as they are confirmed
ROBERT DOWNEY JR., a two-time Academy Award® nominee, earned his most recent Oscar® nomination, for Best Supporting Actor, for his work in Ben Stiller’s comedy hit "Tropic Thunder." His performance as Kirk Lazarus, a white Australian actor playing a black American character, also brought him Golden Globe, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® nominations. Downey was honored with his first Oscar® nomination, in the category of Best Actor, for his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Richard Attenborough’s acclaimed 1992 biopic "Chaplin," for which he also won BAFTA Award and London Film Critics Awards and received a Golden Globe Award nomination.
In early 2010, Downey received another Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the title role of the 2009 hit "Sherlock Holmes," under the direction of Guy Ritchie. Downey has once again teamed up with Ritchie and co-star Jude Law to return to the role of the legendary detective in the sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," currently slated for release in December 2011.
Downey starred alongside Zach Galifianakis in Todd Phillips’ "Due Date" released in late 2010. In the Warner Bros. film, Downey played the role of an expectant father on a road trip racing to get back in time for the birth of his first child.
Additionally in 2010, Downey and his producer/wife, Susan Downey, launched production company, Team Downey, which has a first look deal with Warner Bros.
Downey was honored by Time Magazine’s "Time 100" in 2008, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In summer 2008, Downey received praise from critics and audiences for his performance in the title role of the blockbuster hit "Iron Man," under the direction of Jon Favreau. Bringing the Marvel Comics superhero to the big screen, "Iron Man" earned more than $585 million worldwide, making it one of the year’s biggest hits. Downey reprised his role in the successful sequel, which was released in Spring 2010. He returns to the role in Josh Whedon’s upcoming actioner "The Avengers," which teams Iron Man with other Marvel Comics superheroes.
Downey’s other recent films include "The Soloist," opposite Jamie Foxx; "Charlie Bartlett;" David Fincher’s "Zodiac," alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo; Richard Linklater’s "A Scanner Darkly," with Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder and Woody Harrelson; "Fur," opposite Nicole Kidman in a film inspired by the life of revered photographer Diane Arbus; and "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang." He also shared in a SAG Award® nomination as a member of the ensemble cast of George Clooney’s true-life drama "Good Night, and Good Luck," and in a Special Jury Prize won by the ensemble cast of "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," presented at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
Downey’s long list of film credits also includes "Gothika" "The Singing Detective;" Curtis Hanson’s "Wonder Boys;" "U.S. Marshals;" Mike Figgis’ "One Night Stand;" Jodie Foster’s "Home for the Holidays;" "Richard III;" Oliver Stone’s "Natural Born Killers;" Robert Altman’s "The Gingerbread Man" and "Short Cuts," sharing in a Golden Globe Award for Best Ensemble for the latter; "Heart and Souls," "Soapdish," "Air America," "Chances Are," "True Believer," "Less Than Zero," "Weird Science," "Firstborn," and "Pound," in which he made his debut under the direction of Robert Downey Sr.
Marking his debut into music, Robert Downey Jr. released his first album titled "The Futurist" on the Sony Classics Label on November 23rd, 2004. The album’s eight original songs that Downey wrote and his two musical numbers debuting as cover songs revealed his sultry singing voice and his musical talents.
In 2001, Downey made his primetime television debut when he joined the cast of the Fox-TV series "Ally McBeal," as attorney Larry Paul. For this role, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, as well as the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Comedy Series. In addition, Downey was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Matt Damon received the 2010 American Cinematheque Award. Previous honorees are as follows: Eddie Murphy (1986); Bette Midler (1987); Robin Williams (1988); Steven Spielberg (1989); Ron Howard (1990); Martin Scorsese (1991); Sean Connery (1992); Michael Douglas (1993); Rob Reiner (1994); Mel Gibson (1995); Tom Cruise (1996); John Travolta (1997); Arnold Schwarzenegger (1998); Jodie Foster (1999); Bruce Willis (2000); Nicolas Cage (2001); Denzel Washington (2002); Nicole Kidman (2003), Steve Martin (2004); Al Pacino (2005) George Clooney (2006), Julia Roberts (2007) and Samuel L. Jackson (2008).
One thousand entertainment industry notables are expected to attend the Tribute. This annual event is the American Cinematheque’s most important benefit, providing funds for the non-profit film exhibition organization’s programs throughout the year and operation of the historic landmark Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard as well as the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica on Montana Avenue.
Tickets to the Cinematheque Tribute, an elegant black-tie dinner followed by a multi-media award show start at $550. Call Mann Productions for tickets and further information: 424.832.7434. Please note that this event was formerly known as the Moving Picture Ball.
Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a non-profit viewer-supported film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. At the Egyptian Theatre, the Cinematheque presents daily film and video programming which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema to new independent films and digital work. Exhibition of rare works, special and rare prints, etc., combined with fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are a Cinematheque tradition that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on December 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre which celebrates its 89th anniversary on October 18. This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre housed within Sid Grauman’s first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The exotic courtyard is fully restored to its 1922 grandeur.
The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922. In early 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.
