Robert Downey Jr. describes year in prison, says you could 'feel the evil in the air'

Name: Robert Downey Jr. honors Jon Favreau at Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony
Uploaded: 2023-02-13T18:07:45-05:00
Duration: 1 min 31 s
Description: Robert Downey Jr. praised Jon Favreau for being ambitious in his filmmaking, shouting out many films he has directed, including "The Lion King" and "The Jungle Book."

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Robert Downey Jr. honors Jon Favreau at Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony

Robert Downey Jr. praised Jon Favreau for being ambitious in his filmmaking, shouting out many films he has directed, including "The Lion King" and "The Jungle Book."

Robert Downey Jr. described his experience behind bars in a new interview.

The "Oppenheimer" actor spent time in prison in the '90s and after his release was later sentenced to federal prison for skipping out on probation after being arrested while driving under the influence.

Downey served one year of his three-year prison sentence.

"I'm gonna try to give you the flashcards: I'm in court, I'm being over-sentenced by an angry judge, and at some point he said something in Latin," Downey Jr. recalled during the "Armchair Expert" podcast. "I thought he was casting a spell on me."

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Robert Downey Jr. spoke out about his time in prison in a new interview. (Getty Images)

"Two weeks later, I'm in a place called Delano, which is a receiving center where they decide where you're going to go. Arguably the most dangerous place I've ever been in my life because nobody is designated. If they're a level 1, 2, 3 or 4 criminal, [everyone's there]," he said. "You could just feel the evil in the air."

"It was kind of like just being in a really bad neighborhood, and there was no opportunity there; there was only threats," Downey added. "So, yes, everyone is going to take your wallet, so watch it."

The "Iron Man" star also recalled his first moment in the prison facility.

"Walking onto the yard that you're gonna be doing more than a year on for the first time, the closest thing I can associate it to is being sent to a distant planet where there is no way home until the planets align...," the actor explained.

Robert Downey Jr. is taken into custody after a court appearance on Dec. 8, 1997. (Getty Images)

Robert Downey Jr.'s mugshot taken in September 1999. (Photo by Kypros/Getty Images)

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Downey was arrested in 1996 and charged with driving under the influence. Police also found heroin, cocaine, crack and a .357 Magnum in his vehicle.

California's governor pardoned Downey in 2016, which ultimately restored the actor's voting rights. The pardon didn't erase the actor's conviction, but was a public proclamation that the person has demonstrated "exemplary behavior," according to the governor's office.

Downey was also once arrested at Disneyland for "smoking pot in a gondola."

"I was brought to a surprisingly friendly processing center, given a stern warning and returned to, if memory serves, one very disappointed group chaperone," Downey said.