Robert Downey Jr. And His Wife Share a Unique 'Two-Week Rule' That Keeps Their Marriage Strong

Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. have discovered their own way of making love last in the flashy world of Hollywood where many marriages end before you even finish a movie. Their 19-year marriage is based on a straightforward but effective approach known as the "two-week rule." "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 said.

Flexibility and tolerance are necessary for the couple's commitment to preserving their relationship while balancing hectic occupations. "You keep the basic rule of two weeks, and then you don't try and think too far ahead, because so much of what we do is oddly unpredictable," Susan explained. "Someone might get sick, or there might be a shutdown, or this or that. 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." Their marriage has developed into an artistic collaboration rather than merely a personal one. Together, they established their production firm, Team Downey, where they successfully combined their personal and professional life. "Susan holds one pillar and I hold the other," Robert explained, "and this creative arc of tension just flows between us," as per The Hollywood Reporter. 

The couple's commitment to this rule has been unwavering since their marriage in August 2005, though nowadays they prefer to keep the family even closer. "Fortunately, we prefer to be a traveling circus when we can be," Susan added with a smile, as per People. Their love story began on the set of the 2003 film Gothika, where Susan was producing and Robert was starring alongside Halle Berry. Their initial encounter was anything but conventional. "He was interesting but weird," Susan recalled of their first meeting, describing how Robert brought his own packets of oatmeal to lunch, calling it the "superfood," along with various herbs, and spontaneously performed yoga moves.

Robert's life has changed significantly since he met Susan. He recently gave his wife a touching shout-out when he accepted the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer. "She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That's why I am here. Thank you." Their complementing traits are the reason behind their relationship's success. They are "perfectly symbiotic," each symbolizing a different side of the same coin, as Guy Ritchie, the director of Sherlock Holmes, noted.

They are blessed with two children from their union: Avri Roel Downey, age nine, and Exton Elias Downey, age twelve. Susan considers herself lucky to have greater freedom in scheduling family time because of her work as a producer. "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," she noted.