Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr.‘s wife, Susan Downey, shared an interesting rule their family abides by that has helped keep them together throughout their 18-year marriage.
Susan acknowledged the unpredictability of their schedules, highlighting flexibility in her producing role compared to Robert’s acting commitments.
Robert has credited Susan for his career resurgence, especially with iconic roles like “Iron Man” and “Sherlock Holmes.”
Susan Downey Reveals Special ‘Two-Week Rule’ In Her Family
In a new interview with People magazine, Susan Downey revealed that she and Robert Downey Jr. prioritize family time, adhering to a “two-week rule” where they avoid being apart for more than 14 days.
Susan explained: “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. Fortunately, we prefer to be a traveling circus when we can be.”
However, despite their preference for being together as a family, Susan acknowledged the need to adapt to unexpected circumstances, noting: “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,” she told the news outlet.
The “Sherlock Holmes” producer continued: “Someone might get sick, or there might be a shutdown, or this or that. So you just have to have some basic things in place, and then you have to be willing to flow with the rest of it.”
Robert Downey Jr. Is Grateful For A Stable Family Life
During the interview, Susan acknowledged the flexibility her producing role offers compared to her husband’s demanding acting schedule, stating: “The good news is I’m not in front of the camera, and so as a producer, I end up with a little bit more flexibility in terms of location, of where I would need to be.”
The Mom of two also admitted that things would have been different if they both had an acting career, adding: “I really admire and have a lot of empathy for couples who both have to be in front of the camera, because you get stuck and you have to make those choices.”
Robert then shared that he appreciates the stability their family life provides as it gives him “something to attach my neurosis to that’s positive.”
The couple, who have been married for 21 years, first met on the set of the 2003 film “Gothika.”
Robert often credits his wife for his career resurgence, particularly with iconic roles like “Iron Man” and “Sherlock Holmes.”
They have two children together: Exton Elias, 12, and Avri Roel, 9. The Academy Award-winning actor is also a father to musician Indio Falconer, 30, from a previous marriage.
Susan Downey Speaks On Her Husband’s Dedication To His Roles
In his upcoming film project, Robert embraces a challenging role in the HBO series “The Sympathizer,” where he portrays four distinct characters.
Shedding his iconic look for the role, Downey’s commitment to his craft is evident as he shaved his head, lost weight, and changed how he walked to embody each character authentically.
Susan acknowledged her husband’s dedication to his roles, stating: “He approaches everything he’s done, every Marvel movie, every other movie, with the same level of commitment and belief that he is an actor and that he’s doing his best to create a role.”
She emphasized the depth of skill and effort he invests in his performances, even when they appear effortless.
“Sometimes I think it looks so effortless that it’s just like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s just Downey being Downey,’ when it’s like, ‘No, there’s a lot of craft and skill that is going into the performance,” Susan said.
“The Sympathizer,” which is based on the 2015 bestselling novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, premieres on April 14.
Susan Downey Gushes About Upcoming Team Downey Projects
Looking ahead, Susan shared her excitement for future endeavors alongside Robert, starting with their production of “The Sympathizer” under Team Downey.
“We’re just getting started,” she said.
Additionally, the couple anticipates the upcoming third season of their Emmy-winning Netflix series, “Sweet Tooth.”
Expressing their shared aspirations, Susan added, “We talk about it all the time. There’s so many more things we want to do together and achieve together and play together, create together.”
Robert Downey Jr. Jokingly Calls His Wife His ‘Veterinarian’
On his part, Robert humorously described his collaboration with his wife as an “inside job,” adding, “I believe that in our own way, we have mountains yet to climb.”
In his heartfelt Oscars acceptance speech for his first-ever Academy Award win, the actor extended gratitude to his family, including his three children and his supportive wife, Susan.
Fondly acknowledging her role, he humorously referred to her as his “veterinarian, I mean wife.”
“She found me a snarling rescue pet and loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here,” he said.