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Robert Downey Jr. Reveals He Was 'Jealous' Of Rob Lowe During Their High School Days; Says He Thought It Was 'High Functioning'
Robert Downey Jr. revealed his high school jealousy towards Rob Lowe, reflecting on their formative years, as RDJ opened up about his high school memories, including a terrible prom night.
Robert Downey Jr., the iconic Iron Man star, recently opened up about his high school days, revealing a surprising emotion: jealousy towards fellow actor Rob Lowe. In a candid conversation on Lowe's Literally podcast, Downey expressed his bewilderment at how Lowe effortlessly balanced Hollywood stardom and academic commitments during their time at Santa Monica High School in the 1980s.
Robert Downey Jr admits being jealous of Rob Lowe
During the podcast episode, Robert Downey Jr. shared his amazement at Rob Lowe's ability to navigate the demanding worlds of Hollywood and academia simultaneously. Downey admitted, "I want to say I was jealous, but that's not deep enough." He confessed to being unable to comprehend how someone could maintain star status in Hollywood while excelling in school attendance. The Marvel actor commented, "I didn't understand how anyone could get where you were, let alone still have attendance in school. It just seemed like there was something so high-functioning going on that there was no point for me to even attempt to understand it."
Rob Lowe acknowledged the differences in their personalities at the time, stating, "We're wired similarly and also super differently — you would be impossible to pin down for that kind of structure at that point in your life." After reminiscing about his state, Downey humorously added, "I was a hot mess." The West Wing actor has already marked his presence in the entertainment industry just back when he was in high school, playing the role of Tony on the ABC sitcom A New Kind of Family.
Lowe recalled the challenges of managing fame and academics in an era before smartphones and modern communication, stating, "You'd walk by the bulletin board, and there'd be like, 'Rob, call your agent,' and I'd go to the phone booth." Downey, finding humor in the situation, pondered how it must have felt for other students at Santa Monica High School to see notifications like that for Lowe contrasting it with his hypothetical message of school suspension. The reel life Tony Stark mentioned laughingly, "Can you imagine what it was like for the rest of us at SanMo High to see that notification for you? You're f-**king suspended.'"
Robert Downey Jr. playfully reflected on Lowe's impressive champagne-colored Mazda 626, a symbol of fresh success. The car's appearance on campus, accompanied by Lowe's Hollywood lifestyle, only fueled Downey's envy. "You had a champagne-colored Mazda 626 that only fresh money could grab you the lease on. I remember you driving by in that car to get into the parking lot and was like, 'Welp, that's how the other half live,'" he remarked.
Robert Downey Jr.’s failed high school prom night
In a surprising revelation, Robert Downey Jr. shared his recollections of high school, mentioning that he dropped out in 1982 to pursue acting. Despite their shared history in Santa Monica High, he expressed surprise that he and Lowe "weren't drawn toward one another immediately". The actor painted a picture of his high school days, which involved finding creative ways to skip classes, including climbing tall fences to escape unnoticed.
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The Avengers actor stated, "I was in school as infrequently as possible. I actually managed to figure out how to climb the only super-tall fence, which led out onto Lincoln, because that was the only place that hall monitors weren't looking for people trying to ditch school. It had to have been a 28 to 30-foot-tall fence."
Downey also recalled his high school prom, admitting to attending the event in a less-than-conventional outfit. Downey's father, Robert Downey Sr., refused to buy him a tux and left him with a mohair black sateen suit, giving him a complete gangster look. "I went to prom like a gangster," he said. "I believe with a gal named Kelly McReynolds, who, understandably, didn't like me very much after prom night," he shared.
In a broader context, Lowe and Downey were part of a notable group of Santa Monica High students who went on to become Hollywood stars, including Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, and Sean Penn. The candid conversation between the two actors offered a glimpse into their sweet high school memories.
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