Before his rise as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. faced a highly publicized battle with substance abuse and the law between 1996 and 2001.
1996: His legal troubles began when he was arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine, and an unloaded .357 Magnum handgun while speeding down Sunset Boulevard. A month later, while on bail, he was arrested for trespassing after wandering into a neighbor’s home and falling asleep in one of their beds.
1999: After repeatedly violating probation and missing court-ordered drug tests, he was sentenced to three years in prison. He served nearly a year at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran.
2000-2001: Shortly after his release, he faced additional arrests involving possession of cocaine and Valium in Palm Springs and Culver City.
Resolution: After getting sober in 2003, his record was eventually cleared. In 2015, he received a full pardon from California Governor Jerry Brown, citing his rehabilitation and good conduct.