Robert Downey Jr's drug movies

Apr 29, 2010, 9:31 GMT

Robert Downey Jr. would need a "tuna melt" in order to film movies when he was high on drugs.

The 'Iron Man 2' actor - who had several stints in rehab to treat his narcotics addiction - between 1996 and 2001 - admitted he tried his best to hide his problem and carried on working even after taking vast amounts cocaine and heroin.

He said: "It used to be that you could throw me out of the back of a party van on to the set, give me a tuna melt, and I could function."

The 45-year-old star - who was arrested in 1996 after a two-day cocaine binge - also opened up about how "wrecked" he was at the time.

He recalled to Rolling Stone magazine: "It's about noon. I'm feeling ready to go back home to Malibu. I had to be careful with the car. There's a firearm in it. I'm wrecked. I see this cop who pulls me over, and it was many felonies."

Downey - who is married to producer Susan Levin - was recently praised for the way he has fought back from addiction to transform his career by 'Iron Man 2' co-star Mickey Rourke.

Mickey said: "I'm so happy with what's happening with him because usually if you have problems with drugs you end up like a garbage can. I can't think of many people who have made it back like he did, because he didn't have a little drug problem, he had a big drug problem."