Robert Downey Jr. had always been open about getting high since he was young, but the actor spiraled just when he was gaining popularity. Per ABC News, his first run-in with the law was in 1996 when the police had found multiple kinds of drugs and a gun in his car. There was also a point where he trespassed into a neighbor’s home and passed out in one of their beds.
Downey was then sentenced to spend time in rehab twice and served time in jail. It wasn’t until 2003 that he decided to become clean, thanks to his then-girlfriend Susan Levin, also known as the “Miracle That Saved Robert Downey Jr.” per Harper’s Bazaar.
Downey and Susan met on the set of “Gothika” in 2003. While the two didn’t hit it off right away, they eventually clicked and started dating. At the time, Downey wasn’t quite finished with what he called his “Darth Vader” phase, but Susan gave him an ultimatum: either he pull himself together or they will break it off. “I did meet Darth Vader, for like a minute,” Susan divulged. “…I said immediately, ‘This isn’t gonna work.’ I made it clear that to stay with me, nothing could happen.” It worked, and in July of 2003, Downey threw his drugs in the ocean and started his road to complete recovery. “I think he saw what we had,” Susan confided. “There was something magical there.”