Robert Downey Jr. Reacts to Jimmy Kimmel's Oscars Joke About Actor's Past Substance Abuse Struggles

It seems like Robert Downey Jr. can take a joke! After Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the 2024 Oscars on March 10, took a jab at the actor's past substance abuse struggles, people were less than pleased with the late-night talk show personality.

Now, the Iron Man star, 59, revealed he's unbothered by the incident.

“I don’t care. I love Jimmy Kimmel,” Downey Jr. told Esquire in an interview published on Monday, April 8. “I think he’s a national treasure.”

As OK! previously reported, Kimmel, 56, took aim at Downey Jr. during the event.

"Congratulations to [Cillian Murphy's] costar Robert Downey Jr. This is the highest point of Robert Downey Jr.'s career," Kimmel said about Oppenheimer, which took home a slew of awards at the star-studded event. "Well, one of the highest points."

The Hollywood star then tapped his nose as people laughed out loud to Kimmel's remarks.

"Was that too on the nose or was that a drug motion you made?" Kimmel asked the Due Date alum.

Downey Jr., who has been sober since 2003, motioned to "wrap it up," but then changed his mind and said "keep it going" as the camera stayed on him.

Kimmel then continued to roast him.

"Look at this guy, he's so handsome, so talented. He's won every award there is to win. Is that an acceptance speech in your pocket or do you just have a very rectangular p----?" he said about Downey Jr.'s manhood. "Not even 20 years ago, things weren't going that great for Robert. He played the villain and, correct me if I have this wrong, in a movie where Tim Allen turns into a dog?"

"If you ever decide to remake that film, I have just the guy to play Tim Allen," Kimmel added, before the camera showed the dog Messi from Anatomy of a Fall. "Messi has an overdose scene, if you've seen it, you know it is incredible."

Fans then weighed in, slamming Kimmel for bringing up Downey Jr.'s past.

One person wrote, "Dude...!! Seriously, with the Robert Downey Jr. thing!!! WTF!!!!!! Not cool!!!" while another said, "I wish Robert Downey Jr. slapped Jimmy Kimmel."

A third person added, "Jimmy Kimmel should know better than try and make fun of Robert Downey Jr. — specially about that, I'm so done with a------ presenters," while a fourth stated, "Jimmy Kimmel lost me with the 'joke' directed to Robert Downey Jr. The rest really are awful."

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Downey Jr. has been open about his past and how a chat with his wife, Susan Downey, changed his perspective about addiction.

“It was the clearest conversation I’ve ever had in my life,” he recalled. “You know when someone is being so clear with you with something you go, ‘There is zero wiggle room here’?”