Is Robert Downey Jr.’s Son, Indio Falconer Following In His Dad’s Footsteps?

Indio Falconer Downey has followed in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one.

Fans think Robert Downey Jr. is just like his Marvel character, Tony Stark, in real life. So how do you live up to that kind of stardom, when you’re Iron Man’s son?

There are tons of celebrity children who cave and choose to follow in their parent’s footsteps, but Indio Falconer Downey has big shoes to fill. He’s started his acting career, but that isn’t the only way Indio has been following in his father’s footsteps.

He’s apparently struggled with drug addiction just like his father. Downey did some jail time in the ’90s and was able to revive his acting career. Thankfully, Downey helped save his son from a similar fate.

THETHINGS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Here’s how Indio is following in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one.

Indio’s First & Only Acting Credit Is ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ With His Dad

When an actor or actress has a child that starts to grow up looking like them, fans go wild. A lot of times this leads to executives having the genius idea to cast real-life father and son in films. Will Smith has done it with his son, Jaden, in The Pursuit of Happyness and later, After Earth.

Indio is the spitting image of his dad, but that wasn’t what got him in his father’s film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Sometimes celebrity children just appear in their parent’s films, even if they aren’t actually playing parent and child.

Related: Robert Downey Jr Writes A Beautiful Message Wishing His Wife A Happy Birthday

Indio was nine when he appeared in the film. So far, it’s turned out to be his only acting credit. Just because acting didn’t seem to work out, doesn’t mean Indio didn’t want to go into some other form of performing arts.

Even though Downey’s children have remained out of the spotlight for most of their lives, we do know that Indio clearly likes music. In a way, he is following in his father’s footsteps just not in his movie-making footsteps.

Downey senior had a very short-lived music career too. He released a pop-rock studio album called The Futurist in 2004, a couple of years after he became sober. He even designed the tracklist label with Indio. He had a song called “Broken” which plays in the ending credits of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Related: Here’s How Robert Downey Jr. Spends His $300 Million Net Worth

Indio was part of the alt-rock band, The Seems, who released a song called “Bisexual” in 2012. He also contributed some music for the film, Jackie, in 2013, and has another band called The Dose (Is that a bad joke?), in which he plays guitar.

The Dose released their first self-titled album in 2016, and their second album Saline in 2019.

The band’s website says, “The Dose delivers an invigorating signature sound with boots planted firmly in rock n’ roll’s past and every finger grabbing toward the future.”

He’s Had His Father’s Help With His Addiction

During Downey’s tenure as Iron Man, Indio was arrested in 2014 for possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia, after police pulled him over in West Hollywood. He agreed to go to a drug rehab program for 18 months after he pled guilty to count one of felony possession of cocaine. He had his father’s support the whole way.

“I appreciate this opportunity and I intend to make the most of it,” Indio told the judge when he sentenced him to the program. Luckily, Indio passed without any problems or setbacks, so the judge dismissed his charges in 2016.

“Unfortunately, there’s a genetic component to addiction and Indio has likely inherited it,” Downey said during his son’s arrest. “Also, there is a lot of family support and understanding, and we’re all determined to rally behind him and help him become the man he’s capable of being.

Related: Robert Downey Jr. And Other Actors Talk About Working On ‘Iron Man’ Films

“We’re grateful to the Sheriff’s department for their intervention, and believe Indio can be another recovery success story instead of a cautionary tale.”

RDJ also opened up about the incident in an interview with Vanity Fair.

“He’s his mother’s son and my son, and he’s come up the chasm much quicker than we did,” Downey said. “But that’s typical in the Information Age; things get accelerated. You’re confronted with histories and predispositions and influences and feelings and unspoken traumas or needs that weren’t met, and all of a sudden you’re three miles into the woods. Can you help someone get out of those woods? Yes, you can. By not getting lost looking for them. Pick a dysfunction and it’s a family problem.”

Thankfully Indio seems to have kept his sobriety like his father throughout the years since his arrest. He is clearly driven with his band and has a very good family unit to help him through it all. But it’s a shame his acting career never really took off. Maybe there’s still time for him to play a younger version of Tony Stark. We can hope.

Next: MCU: How Much Did Robert Downey Jr. Make For Avengers: Endgame?