14 March 2024 , 08:25
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Robert Downey Jr's wife has shared the key to the couple's healthy marriage after his heartwarming Oscars speech in which the actor thanked her for saving him.
The Hollywood star, 58, mentioned his troubled past in his acceptance speech as he won his first ever Academy Award for n Best Supporting Actor in Oppenheimer. Saying he needed the job more than it needed him, he went on to heap the praise on his wife of 18 years.
Robert gushed at the prestigious event: "I’d like to thank my veterinarian, I mean wife, Susan Downey over there. She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That’s why I am here."
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Susan described how she and husband Robert Downey Jr keep their marriage working (Variety via Getty Images)
Susan and Robert have been married for 18 years (Getty Images for BAFTA)He has long given her credit for helping put him on the right path. And now, Susan has revealed their secret recipe to marital success - not spending longer than a fortnight apart.
Speaking to PEOPLE, she said: "We do have a two-week rule, which often feels too long, but we don't go more than two weeks without seeing each other and the family being together."
She added: "Fortunately, we prefer to be a traveling circus when we can be. You keep the basic rule of two weeks, and then you don't try and think too far ahead, because so much of what we do is oddly unpredictable. You just never know."
Susan is the producing partner of the couple's company, Team Downey. They share son Exton, 12, and daughter Avris, nine, while Robert is also dad to Indio, 30, from a previous marriage.
She added that sometimes it helps just knowing the basics are in place so they can deal with whatever unpredictable occasions life might throw at them.
Robert appeared angry at the Oscars before accepting his award as host Jimmy Kimmel continued to target him in his monologue. It was thought the Iron Man actor was left fuming after the comedian poked fun at his manhood. The TV talk show presenter made two brutal quips in Robert's direction as he was seen shrugging it off live on-air.
A body language expert told us Robert's actions clearly showed his dissatisfaction. Judi James said:" Robert's two emphatic blinks, one head tilt and a shoulder shrug were his body language response to Kimmel's penis joke. There was no grinning or signals of taking the banter under the chin from Downey, unlike other stars who had performed overkill laughter to pretend to be good sports."