The Comeback Kid

Robert Downey Jr.'s life reads like one of his movies' scripts. By the mid-'80s, Robert had earned a rightful spot in young Hollywood's elite with such roles as the desperate drug addict in Less Than Zero. He had the money, the fame, the actress girlfriend, the whole fantasy life. He also had a big drug problem. Despite his addiction to cocaine and heroin, Robert continued acting, even earning an Oscar® nomination for his triumphant performance as Charlie Chaplin in 1992.

However, Robert's addictions became front-page news in 1996. On a routine stop, police found heroin, crack cocaine and a gun in his car. After skipping mandatory drug tests, there were more arrests and jail time. In 1999, a judge sentenced Robert to hard time in Corcoran State Prison, home to Charles Manson. Despite a stint in prison and his escalating trouble with drugs and the law, Hollywood kept calling. Ratings soared when Robert joined the cast of the hit TV show Ally McBeal—he even won a Golden Globe for his performance as Ally's boyfriend—yet, he still could not control his life-threatening addiction. After two more arrests, he was sentenced to a yearlong live-in treatment program. Today, Robert Downey Jr. says he's been off drugs for two years.

Oprah: Do you still get urges to do drugs?

Robert: I have not even an inkling of a desire.