Robert Downey Jr. Through the Years - Robert Downey Jr. Through the Years - EW.com 

Robert Downey Jr. celebrates his 51st birthday Monday, ringing in his big day as anticipation builds for the May 6 release of his film,

. The superhero flick, in which Downey Jr. reprises his role of Iron Man, is just one of many high-profile projects to his name. Beginning his career as a child actor, Downey Jr. rose to fame in his 20s, doing a stint on

. Decades later, he is one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood, thanks to his franchise turns as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. In honor of Downey Jr.’s birthday, see the movie star through the years, ahead.

Image Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP; Gabriel Grams/WireImage; Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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