'Happy Day': Here's How Robert Downey Jr Celebrated His Oscar Win For Oppenheimer

The celebrations are just getting started for Hollywood icon Robert Downey Jr. as he took to his handle to share a 'happy' photo of himself clutching his newly acquired Academy Award trophy.

By Barsha Dutta

Updated on Jun 16, 2024 | 05:22 AM IST | 133.7K

Everything to know about how Robert Downey Jr Celebrated His Oscar Win For Oppenheimer

Robert Downey Jr. (PC: Instagram)

At the 96th Academy Awards, Robert Downey Jr. appeared uneasy during host Jimmy Kimmel's opening monologue, but the event turned into a joyous occasion for the Hollywood icon. Despite previous nominations in 1993 and 2009, Downey won his first Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role as Admiral Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Nolan's film also won awards in six other categories.

To celebrate the big moment, Downey recently shared a jubilant photo on his Instagram account, proudly displaying his newly acquired Academy Award trophy.

Robert Downey Jr. celebrated his Oscar win with a "happy" picture

On 12th March, Robert Downey Jr. shared a picture of himself posing with his statuette, but the best part of it all had to be him matching it.

Breaking away from his typical polished appearance, the Marvel star was clad in a gold robe, clutching his Academy Award trophy in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Accompanying the picture, Robert penned the caption, “Oh happy day.”

Beyond celebrating his latest addition to the awards collection, he cleverly capitalized on the moment to promote his brand, Happy Products. This coffee company, which Downey co-founded earlier in the year with Craig Dubitsky, was strategically highlighted in his post.

Robert Downey Jr. (Instagram)

Downey beat out American Fiction's Sterling K. Brown, Killers of the Flower Moon's Robert De Niro, Barbie's Ryan Gosling and Poor Things' Mark Ruffalo.

Downey started off his acceptance speech with lighthearted jests. "I'd like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order,” he began. He then cracked a joke at his partner, saying, “I'd like to thank my veterinarian — I meant wife — Susan Downey over there. She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That's why I am here. Thank you."

Later, he thanked director Christopher Nolan, who’s also the writer and producer of Oppenheimer, as well as producer Emma Thomas and his costars.

"Here’s my little secret: I needed this job more than it needed me. Chris knew it, Emma made sure she wrapped — surrounded me with one of the greatest cast and crews of all time," he said. "Emily [Blunt], Cillian [Murphy], Matt [Damon] ... it was fantastic and I stand here before you a better man because of it. You know, what we do is meaningful, and the stuff that we decide to make is important." He then closed out his speech by shouting out his three kids Avri, Exton and Indio.

Though he clearly ended his Oppenheimer era with a bang, Downey Jr. is not done yet. “I got a couple other tricks up my sleeve,” the actor, who stars in HBO’s upcoming The Sympathizer, based on the bestselling 2015 novel from Viet Thanh Nguyen, told PEOPLE exclusively.

About The Sympathizer

The Sympathizer is an upcoming historical black comedy drama television series based on the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen. The series was created by co-showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, with Park directing for the series as well. The series is produced to air on HBO by A24 and Rhombus Media, premiering on April 14, 2024.

The series is based on the story of the Captain, a North Vietnam plant in the South Vietnam army. He is forced to flee to the United States with his general near the end of the Vietnam War. While living within a community of South Vietnamese refugees, he continues to secretly spy on the community and report back to the Viet Cong, struggling between his original loyalties and his new life.

In April 2021, Viet Thanh Nguyen announced that his novel The Sympathizer had been optioned by A24 to be adapted into a television series with Park Chan-wook directing. Rhombus Media is also involved in the production.In July, HBO ordered the series from A24, and Robert Downey Jr. joined the project in a producer and co-star role.

Casting director Jennifer Venditti opened a worldwide casting call in order to find a main cast of Vietnamese descent, ultimately hiring Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Vy Le, and Alan Trong. Recurring roles for Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, and Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen were also announced in November 2022, and Downey was portraying several supporting antagonistic roles representing the American establishment. In May 2023, Scott Ly and Marine Delterme joined the cast, in recurring roles.

Following are the cast and the characters which they are going to play;