Robert Downey Jr. wins best supporting actor
Robert Downey Jr. won the Oscar for best supporting actor.
The actor won the award for his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in "Oppenheimer."
The award was introduced by previous Oscar winners in the category including Ke Huy Quan, Sam Rockwell, Tim Robbins, Christoph Waltz and Mahershala Ali. They all shared words honoring each nominee before the Oscar was given to Downey.
"Thanks Sam, thanks fellas. You only flubbed one line," Downey joked during his acceptance speech. "I'd like to thank my terrible childhood and the academy, in that order. I'd like to thank my veterinarian -- I mean wife, Susan Downey, over there. She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and you loved me back to life, and that's why I'm here. Thank you."
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"Here's my little secret. I needed this job more than it needed me," he continued. "Chris knew it, Emma made sure that she surrounded me with one of the great casts and crews of all time: Emily, Cillian, Matt Damon, Blunt -- it was fantastic. And I stand here before you a better man because of it."
Downey ended his speech by saying, "What we do is meaningful and the stuff that we decide to make is important," before thanking his stylist, entertainment lawyer and others.
This awards season, Downey's role in "Oppenheimer" earned him a Golden Globe for best performance by a male actor in a supporting role in any motion picture and a Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role. Downey and the rest of the "Oppenheimer" cast also won a SAG Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.
Other nominees in the category included Sterling K. Brown for "American Fiction," Robert De Niro for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Ryan Gosling for "Barbie" and Mark Ruffalo for "Poor Things."