Many people have wondered if Chris Downey, the writer and producer of shows like Leverage and Pearson, is related to Robert Downey Jr., the famous actor who played Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. The two share the same last name and both work in the entertainment industry, but are they really family? The answer is no, they are not related by blood or marriage.
How Do We Know They Are Not Related?
The easiest way to find out if two people are related is to look at their family trees and see if they have any common ancestors. Fortunately, both Chris Downey and Robert Downey Jr. have public records of their genealogy that we can use to compare.
According to Wikipedia, Chris Downey was born in New York City and lived with his parents, who were both journalists. His father was of half Lithuanian Jewish, one-quarter Hungarian Jewish, and one-quarter Irish descent, while his mother had Scottish, German, and Swiss ancestry.
According to Biography.com, Robert Downey Jr. was also born in New York City, but his parents were both actors and filmmakers. His father was of half Lithuanian Jewish, one-quarter Hungarian Jewish, and one-quarter Irish descent, while his mother had English, Scottish, German, and Swiss-German ancestry.
At first glance, it seems like they have a lot in common, especially their paternal lineage. However, a closer look reveals that they are not related at all. According to Ancestry.com, Chris Downey’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Downey, who was born in Lithuania in 1898 and immigrated to the United States in 1913. His paternal grandmother was Helen Cohen, who was born in Hungary in 1900 and also immigrated to the United States in 1913.
According to Ancestry.com, Robert Downey Jr.’s paternal grandfather was Robert Elias Sr., who was born in New York in 1904 and changed his surname to Downey when he married his wife Elizabeth McLoughlin, who was born in Ireland in 1908. His paternal grandmother was Stella Adler, who was born in New York in 1901 and was a famous actress and acting teacher.
As you can see, Chris Downey and Robert Downey Jr. have different paternal grandparents and therefore different paternal surnames. They are not cousins or siblings or any other kind of relatives.
Why Do People Think They Are Related?
There are several possible reasons why people might think that Chris Downey and Robert Downey Jr. are related. One is that they have the same last name, which is a common source of confusion for many people who share surnames with celebrities. Another is that they both work in the same industry and have similar careers as writers and producers. A third reason is that they both have connections to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which is a popular franchise that has millions of fans around the world.
Chris Downey was a co-creator and executive producer of Leverage, a TV show that starred Christian Kane as Eliot Spencer, a former soldier turned thief who helps people fight against injustice. Christian Kane also played a minor role as one of Aldrich Killian’s henchmen in Iron Man 3 (2013), which starred Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man.
Chris Downey was also a writer and executive producer of Pearson, a spin-off of Suits that starred Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson, a former lawyer who becomes a political fixer in Chicago. Gina Torres also played a minor role as Casandra Webb/Cassie Lang’s teacher in Avengers: Endgame (2019), which also starred Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man.
These connections might make some people think that Chris Downey and Robert Downey Jr. are related or at least know each other personally. However, there is no evidence that they have ever met or worked together directly.
Conclusion
Chris Downey and Robert Downey Jr. are not related by blood or marriage. They have different family histories and backgrounds. They share the same last name by coincidence and work in the same industry by choice. They have some connections to the MCU by association but not by collaboration. They are both talented and successful individuals who deserve recognition for their own achievements and not for their supposed relation to each other.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned something new about Chris Downey and Robert Downey Jr. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below.
