“There are two kinds of people, and I’m the one who worries about the curtains,” the Oscar winner told PEOPLE
Robert Downey Jr. he is a man of many talents.
After winning his first Academy Award this month for his performance in OppenheimerDowney reveals his secret passion: interior design.
In the latest PEOPLE cover story, the 58-year-old actor and his wife, Susan Downey, talk about how they’ve built a home and a life together during their nearly two decades of marriage, with Robert joking about his sense of decor.
“I love being able to ask her if she thinks we should paint the kitchen a different color or maybe put a new rug in her office,” Robert says of his wife and their household.
“I’m not saying I’m like a fledgling interior designer, but there are two types of people, and I’m the one who takes care of the curtains,” said the star, who next tackles four roles in the HBO spy drama Sympathizer (releases April 14).
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That means even the hotel room the couple checked into before Robert’s big night at the Oscars got a quick makeover from the star.
“Even when we just checked into the hotel where we got ready, [Susan] he comes in, puts down his purse, sits down and starts,” says Robert. “I have an 85-point process to make the room ours.”
His efforts included assessing the adjoining terrace room. “I was outside, rearranging the furniture,” he says. “I mean, it’s pretty creepy.”
Robert even added “sage” and “frankincense,” says Susan, 50. “It was a little musty in there,” the Avengers crack actor. “So I feel like I’m in charge of . . .”
“The ambiance,” Susan says, finishing her husband’s sentence.
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“Yeah, I’m an ambience guy,” jokes Robert.
Susan tells PEOPLE that their children are their priority when it comes to life at home, where her husband hosts a dinner party with improv and wordplay. The couple has a daughter Avri Roel (9) and a son Exton Elias (12). Robert is also the father of a son, India (30), from a previous marriage.
Robert Downey Jr.
Kayla Oaddams/FilmMagic
“Whatever we’ve built—and the wonderful cast of characters that we get to cycle through lunches and dinners and hang in our house—for the kids, it’s just created a really safe space for them to figure out who they are and express themselves,” she says. “And that’s the part I love.”
For more on Robert Downey Jr., pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands now.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education