Rịba ama amaokwu a dị n'okpuru ma zaa ajụjụ ahụ mgbe e mesịrị n'otu asụsụ ahụ dị ka amaokwu ahụ:  Njem: A mụrụ Downey na Manhattan, New York, nke ọdụdụ n'ime ụmụ abụọ. Nna ya, Robert Downey Sr., bụ onye na-eme ihe nkiri na onye na-eme ihe nkiri, ebe nne ya, Elsie Ann (née Ford), bụ onye na-eme ihe nkiri nke pụtara na fim Downey Sr. Nna Downey bụ ọkara ndị Lithuanian Jewish, otu ụzọ n'ụzọ anọ ndị Hungary Jewish, na otu ụzọ n'ụzọ anọ ndị Irish, ebe nne Downey nwere ndị Scotland, German, na Switzerland. Aha mbụ nke ezinụlọ Robert bụ Elias nke nna ya gbanwere iji sonye n'usuu ndị agha. Downey na nwanne ya nwanyị nke okenye bụ Allyson toro na Greenwich Village. Mgbe Downey bụ nwata, "ọ bụ ọgwụ ọjọọ gbara ya gburugburu". Nna ya, onye ọgwụ ọjọọ riri ahụ, kwere ka Downey jiri wii wii mgbe ọ dị afọ isii, ihe nna ya mechara kwuo na ọ kwara ụta. Downey mesịrị kwuo na iji ọgwụ ọjọọ eme ihe mere ka ya na nna ya nwee mmekọrịta chiri anya: "Mgbe mụ na nna m na-eji ọgwụ ọjọọ eme ihe, ọ na-adị ka ọ na-anwa igosi m ịhụnanya ya n'ụzọ nanị ya maara". Ka oge na-aga, Downey malitere ịṅụ mmanya na-aba n'anya kwa abalị ma "na-eme ọtụtụ puku oku ekwentị na-achọ ọgwụ ọjọọ. "N'oge ọ bụ nwata, Downey nwere obere ọrụ na fim nna ya. O mere ihe nkiri mbụ ya mgbe ọ dị afọ ise, na-egwu nwa nkịta na-arịa ọrịa na ihe ọchị na-enweghị isi Pound (1970), mgbe ahụ na asaa pụtara na Greaser's Palace (1972). Mgbe ọ dị afọ 10, ọ bi na England ma mụọ ballet oge gboo dịka akụkụ nke usoro ọmụmụ buru ibu. Ọ gara Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center dị n'ebe ugwu New York mgbe ọ dị afọ iri na ụma. Mgbe nne na nna ya gbara alụkwaghịm na 1978, Downey kwagara California na nna ya, mana na 1982, ọ kwụsịrị na Santa Monica High School, wee laghachi na New York ka ọ na-arụ ọrụ na-arụ ọrụ oge niile. Downey na Kiefer Sutherland, onye kesara ihuenyo na ihe nkiri 1988 1969, bụ ndị otu ụlọ ruo afọ atọ mgbe mbụ ọ kwagara Hollywood ka ọ na-arụ ọrụ na-eme ihe nkiri.  Ajụjụ: Gịnị bụ aha nne Downey?
Elsie Ann