Actor Robert Downey Sr. has died at the age of 85, according to reports.
The actor and filmmaker, who appeared in movies like “Magnolia” and “Boogie Nights” and directed films including “Putney Swope” and the 2005 documentary “Rittenhouse Square,” died early Wednesday morning in his sleep, reports the New York Daily News.
The father of actor Robert Downey Jr. reportedly had been battling Parkinson’s disease for more than five years and succumbed to the illness.
“Last night, dad passed peacefully in his sleep after years of enduring the ravages of Parkinson’s,” wrote his son in an emotional tribute on Instagram. “He was a true maverick filmmaker, and remained remarkably optimistic throughout,” continued the actor.
Downey died at his home in New York City according to his wife Rosemary Rogers, report multiple outlets including The Sun and The Daily Mail.
The New York Post reports that the filmmaker largely stayed away from the press in an effort to protect his children, but in a 2001 interview with the outlet, said that “life is too easy when you’re a movie star. People will do anything you want and get you anything you want. Hollywood is a horrible place.”
Downey's last credited on-screen performance, according to IMDB, was a 2015 appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” His last film role was in the 2011 action-comedy “Tower Heist” alongside Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller.
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