Many couples aspire to have enduring marriages, and seeking advice from those who have successfully maintained one can be beneficial.
Robert Downey Jr is someone who understands this well, having been happily married to Susan Downey since August 2005.
Before this period, Downey Jr faced numerous challenges, frequently finding himself in legal trouble due to his struggles with drug addiction.
The actor even faced a prison sentence of three years after failing to attend a mandated drug test in 1999.
Despite these setbacks, Downey Jr managed to turn his life around, crediting his wife during his Oscar’s acceptance speech after winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Oppenheimer.
Expressing gratitude to his wife for aiding in his recovery, Downey Jr said: “She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That’s why I am here. Thank you.”
The couple initially met during the production of the 2003 film Gothika and were married two years later.
They have two children together, Exton, who is 12, and Avri, who is nine.
Many are curious about how the pair have maintained such a successful marriage; fortunately, Susan has shared their secret.
Susan revealed that they adhere to an important rule: they never go more than two weeks without seeing each other.
“We do have a two-week rule, which often feels too long, but we don’t go more than two weeks without seeing each other and the family being together,” Susan told PEOPLE.
“Fortunately, we prefer to be a traveling circus when we can be,” she continued.
While they aim to follow this ‘basic rule,’ they are aware that life can be ‘oddly unpredictable,’ so they avoid planning ‘too far ahead’.
“Someone might get sick, or there might be a shutdown, or this or that,” she explained.
“So you just have to have some basic things in place, and then you have to be willing to flow with the rest of it,” she added.
Susan also mentioned that her career as a producer allows her greater flexibility compared to those who need to be in front of the camera, making it easier for her to prioritize family time.
Susan added: “The good news is I’m not in front of the camera, and so as a producer I end up with a little bit more flexibility in terms of location, of where I would need to be.
“I really admire and have a lot of empathy for couples who both have to be in front of the camera, because you get stuck and you have to make those choices.”