Santa Barbara, February 10
Hollywood actor was conferred with the Maltin Modern Master Award at the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival.
The accolade is named after film historian Leonard Maltin and was first created in 1995 "to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry," reported PEOPLE.
Taking the stage, Downey Jr. thanked the audience as well as Matlin, paying tribute to his "significance in our culture and what you've done from being a scholar to a writer, to critic to a host," adding, "your approval means the world to me."
Next, the actor described Lowe -- who had shared a heartfelt speech in tribute to the actor -- as, "someone who has demonstrated so much to me."
He continued by paying tribute to his fellow actor's approach to life, "We've been able to reconnect lately and I went on a podcast and we're kind of talking about our origins, but he was the first one in my generation to say, 'Guys, there's this thing called stop and grow up and handle your business and be a good dad and be a good husband and enjoy the privilege of being able to work in this industry,' which is why he's still relevant and why he still looks 27," as per PEOPLE.
He also talked about his 'Oppenheimer' co-actor Cillian Murphy.
"Cillian is straight man to no one. He is just, I think, beginning to understand by the reaction he gets when he comes to places that he's a f----- force of nature," the Iron Man actor said before thanking his agents and revealing that they had "got matching PJs. So this whole Santa Barbara International Film Festival for us, this has turned into like this is party time, " as per PEOPLE.
He concluded his speech with a special message to his wife Susan Downey.
"And as always, I will never finish any thank you, even though she's probably just getting ready to put the kids to bed soon, without thanking my dearest associate, Susan Downey," he concluded.
Maltin himself joined the Iron Man star onstage for a conversation covering the actor's five-decade career, which includes Oscar nominations for 1992's Chaplin, 2008's Tropic Thunder and, Oppenheimer at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony on March 10, reported PEOPLE.