Jay Leno Interviews Robert Downey Jr 2003

Another candidate, an old friend of ours, who couldn't be happier for him that he's entered the race. Gary Coleman, actor Gary Coleman. Gary... Gary is an expert in national security, mall security, grocery store security, and parking lot security. And finally, I think the candidate Kev you're most familiar with, the porn actress Mary Carey. There's Mary. She's the only hole in the balance that's already been punched. Alright folks, we'll be right back. Alright, that's... that's how I like to see the candidates act. We'll be right back with Ross at the Emmys and Robert Downey Jr. Say hello to Kevin DuPage. Our first guest, Oscar nominated actor, I bet he gets nominated again for this one. His films include Soap Dish, Chaplin, and Wonder Boys. His latest film was called The Singing Detective. It opens everywhere October 24th. Please welcome, Robert Downey Jr. Good to see you. Do you have an opinion on this whole recall thing? I think it's a sick, pathetic circus. Uh, that's why, uh, actually I'm here to announce my candidacy. Wow. Ladies, gentlemen, this state needs an enema. Mama needs a new pair of shoes. In fact, if we skim a little off the top, I gave my mom some in Pennsylvania. Robert, Robert, Robert, Robert. If you're transported against state lines, is that... What's the problem? You can't run. Two words. Huh? Convicted felon. That's cool. I ain't even trippin'. I ain't even trippin' anymore. But you look great. How's your health? Your health is good? Things are good, yeah. Well, you really look good. We're real proud of you. Everything's been going good? Yeah. Has it been easy? A little heartburn there? Don't hit your leg. Yeah, that was just my, uh... I mean, the sobriety thing, is it hard? Is it easy? I mean, you getting into it? Is it day by day? It's, uh, you know what it is? It's, it's mandatory. You know? Well, yeah. Yeah. Is it strange dealing with it in such a public way? I mean, like, I mean, everybody knows your every move. Yeah. I mean, is it weird dealing with it like that? Uh, what, you want me to pee in a cup or something? Let's go. No, no, I don't know, I don't know. What's going down here? I know we just threw a guy out for that a minute ago. Oh, yeah. Uh, you know what it's like? It's like, um, I think sooner or later, anybody's stuff goes public. Even if it's just in the country club or the triple-A club or the, uh, Starbucks. Mine just happened to be a little bigger. Well, how many times did you hit bottom, would you say? Uh, how many grains of sand in the desert, sir? Yeah, yeah. A bunch. Can anybody relate, or am I just dying out here? No, no, I don't care, right? No, I think it's great. Okay, good. No, I mean, people love a comeback story, a success story. Yeah. I mean, I think, uh, you, you really do seem to be getting your act together. I mean, it's been... Right. It's been a few years now, and you've been straight and clean, and things are going good. It's, uh, yeah, you know, I think, basically, it's about having, uh, support and some people who hold you accountable. Yeah, well, you do have a lot of friends, you know, like... I mean, tell me about prison. How, how bad is... I mean, you're a movie star, you go to prison. I mean, you go from being at the Oscars, and then, boom, you're in prison. How, how bad is that? Kind of a transition. Yeah. I would say, uh, it's like, it's like, hey, bro. Hey. You're a chaplain, right? Yeah. Did you screw Molly Ringwald? Anyway, so, what you're saying is... It's kind of a blast, too. There were theater critics in prison, is what you're saying. There are people who enjoy film. How would your lifestyle change in other ways? I mean... Uh, well, you're, you're present in your life. Yeah. You show up on the set. Yeah. You, they don't, they don't have to pull out, like, a, you know, a crane to do your makeup and make you look alright. Yeah, yeah. That's kind of important. But, you know, generally, it's either kind of like, uh, look. You either have a quality of life or you have no life, really, whatsoever. Yeah. Past a certain point, you know? I think. I think California needs to get clean. Yeah. Well, here's my question, I guess. Is this, is this, obviously, you need to stay away from those old friends. Yep. Okay. I mean, each day, is it hard? Do you go, like, when you wake up in the morning, do you go, ah, I'd like to do this? Or, can you put it behind you? I mean, I don't... It, uh, it, uh, it varies. But there's stuff, too. You know, they say the devil finds work for idle, you know. Hands and all that. Sure. And so I, I stay, it's not like staying busy is the answer, either. Because then you're just all spun out and like, I'm really busy. Well, let me ask you a serious question. You, you, you have a son. Yeah. My people. Yeah. Your son. Number, you nailed it. It's number one. Your son is 10? Yes. Okay. Now, I, I guess this is kind of hereditary. Because they could... Yeah. You had a problem with drugs. How do you keep your son? I mean, how do you... Do you show your son what your life has been like? And does, does he get it? I mean, I do a bunch of stuff. Sometimes I just play Jailhouse Rock over and over again. Yeah. However, the truth is, yeah, there might be a genetic element. How... The most important thing, I think, is, again, if it's not, uh, if you're honest about it, and you get help, it's like, you know how kids are. They're like, they're like friends who really care about you. Except you have to, you wait on them hand and foot until they're 18. Um, and what you do is you show up for them. And I think it's really important. All the stuff that I used to hear when I was growing up about, like, why don't you get involved in some, you know, group sports? And I'd be like, uh-huh. I don't think so, bro. Now, it's like I see my kids on the soccer team, and I go there, and I get into it, because I'm like, let's go, Downey! Let's go, Celtic Pride! You know, and I'm there supporting him, and it helps him, and it's all that stuff. Plus, uh, you know, it's really, you know, a friend of mine has three words. He goes, smell the cell. That kind of works, too. Yeah. We'll take a little break. All right, more of Robert Downey Jr., everybody. Welcome back. We're talking with the new and improved Robert Downey Jr. You look happy, you got a new girlfriend? Oh, yeah. Yeah, how's that going? It's great. Hey, honey, is the hair okay? Because I did it exactly how you told me to do it. So if you don't like it, I don't want any guff later. She told you to... Well, she just said, you know, just don't look ridiculous. You look fine, you look very stylish, you look very nice. Thank you very much. I mean, is she pretty strict, keep you on a short leash? Choke chain. Susan. Hi, Susan. However, no, it's not like that. I think eventually you fall into somebody who's kind of like, well, I see that you are a tall order and let's make it work. Otherwise, sayonara. Kind of like that. Yeah, okay. You know what I'm talking about? Did she leave you over some crap? Keep it together, bro, you'll be fine. Just as directed. As directed. When did you meet her? On location. We were doing this movie, Gothika. Yeah. Which is this Halle Berry movie that comes out. It's kind of good, it goes from one time to the other. Yeah. More importantly, I met her there and I was like, you know, I think you really kind of dig me. I said, I really think I'm your boss and you should talk to me when we're done working and stop trying to mack me like crazy here. I said, can I get a foot rub? She's like, you know, I don't really give foot rubs. Then I got a foot rub, then I knew I was in. Oh, that's all right, that works. Well, let me ask you something about movies. Because, you know, you're one of these guys I hear these sort of urban legends about. And I heard that, like, when you do movies, you essentially almost have to work for free because the insurance bond is so high. Okay. Because of your past arrests. Right. No, no, seriously. My past arrests, yes. Right, and, you know, and the trouble, and because obviously you get arrested in the middle of filming, the film shuts down. Is that true? Is it prohibitively high? You know what it is nowadays? And it's kind of like they take a bunch of the dough up front that I'm supposed to get, and then when I finish the movie and I haven't, you know, snorted half of Bolivia or ruined them, they go, oh, well, thank you. It's not that we don't trust you. Here's your money back. Kind of like that. That's been working a treat. I mean, have you lost films because of the reputation? I wouldn't say that I haven't, but as often as not, it's just something happens in negotiations where it's like, you know, I'm a little more difficult than some other actors. The truth is, y'all know my past. What about all these other people you don't know? They might just out of left field start flipping out on you like that guy before the last commercial, right? Exactly, exactly. The guy from the PCP party. Yeah, that's right. You know my story. You want to drop a cup on everyone here right now? I know I'm cool. Exactly. Very good, very good. Now tell us about your friendship with Mel Gibson because he's a great guy. He's my big brother. Well, he is, isn't he? He's Mad Max. He's Martin Riggs. I mean, you know, he's all that stuff, but he's a real friend. And this movie, Singing Detective, which is real good, was all his idea. Yeah. I mean, his idea to put it together, it was a British series, and it's really wild, and he came by where I was staying last rehab and said, anyway, take a look at these tapes. I thought he was cleaning out his trunk. I didn't know what he was doing. So I saw these tapes, and they were great, and I said, he says, yeah. And then when we started making the movie, one of the people on the crew said, you know, I don't know why Mel's not doing this himself. He'd be a lot better at it than you. Somebody on the crew said that? Well, Patricia Norris, in fact, the production designer. Wow. I don't resent you. But anyway. Wow. So then I said, yeah. But he's like that. I mean, for his friends, he's really giving. But, you know, as you know, he's in it a little bit, and he's amazing. Yeah. Well, you guys go back. You first worked together, what, about 13 years ago? On Air America. Air America, okay. And that's where you kind of bonded and did the whole thing? And he sort of kept an eye on you all through the different rehabs? Right, and years, and friendship, too, yeah. I mean, it's not like I've just been, you know, stuck in Betty Ford since then. No, no. When is this going to be behind me? About 30 years. It's behind you now. It's behind me now, correct. You do a wonderful job in this film. Yes, I do. It's a terrific performance. Because when I first saw it, I didn't quite get it. And then someone explained it. I went, okay. Because it's a thinking film. How do you think I felt? Yeah. I don't get it. But it's good. No, it is good. I mean, the acting is unbelievable. And I'm watching this one guy move, and I go, boy, that old bald doctor looks familiar. And then I realized, oh, that was Mel. Yeah. I didn't realize it was Mel. He's that good. Lots of music in the film. Correct. Yeah, yeah. All right, let's see a clip. Do you know what this scene is we're going to see? This scene is, I am a miserable wretch, and they send me to therapy. I think in my fantasy life I'm a detective story writer. Anyway, he gets me to stand up, because I can't stand up. And when I do, something strange happens. Yeah. Well, this is good, because Mel is bald and isn't. I go, look, honey. That's Mel. Take a look. Singing detective. Good to see you again, buddy. Good luck. Continued success. Thank you. Robert Downey Jr. Be right back with Tess right after this. Come on.