Robert Downey Jr. shows off ’80s-style wig with son Exton as he gushes about ‘honor’ of inducting Duran Duran into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame… after Andy Taylor’s terminal cancer diagnosis
Robert Downey Jr. and his family honored musical icons as he and his son Exton put on a puffed-up blond wig to help pay tribute to one of his musical icons, Duran Duran.
The 57-year-old Oscar nominee was over the moon as he gushed about inducting the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame over the weekend in an Instagram post published on Monday.
Downey Jr.’s upbeat post was in stark contrast to the somber feelings among many Duran Duran fans after the band revealed that guitarist Andy Taylor — who wasn’t able to travel to the ceremony — had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.
So excited: Robert Downey Jr., 57, was over the moon in an Instagram post from Monday as he celebrated inducting Duran Duran into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame over the weekend
Downey Jr. looked playful in one photo in which he wore an ’80s-appropriate suit with a green-to-yellow gradient, along with a matching headband and the spiky wig.
He raised one leg playfully while extending his arms to the side and biting his lip dramaticallly.
‘What an honor inducting @duranduran into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend. Cementing their legacy. As evidenced by Exton, DD has multi-generational appeal.’
For evidence, he presented a playful photo of his son Exton, 10, who appeared to have tried on his blazer, based on its loose fit and overly long sleeves.
He rubbed his chin with a comically quizzical look on his face while sporting the same headband and wig his father had worn.
Like father, like son: He wore an ’80s-appropriate green suit with a matching headband holding up a spiky blond wig, which his son Exton, 10, tried on to show he was also a Duran Duran fan
MIA: Downey in reality sported a buzz cut as he beamed while posing with the group, which was missing guitarist Andy Taylor after he revealed he was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer; seen Saturday
In reality, the Zodiac actor had his hair closely cropped with a buzz cut, which he revealed in a behind-the-scenes photo of himself beaming ear to ear while surrounded by the four members of the band who were able to make the induction ceremony: singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor (neither of whom are related to Andy Taylor).
The short-haired look may have been related to his recent stint filming Christopher Nolan’s World War II–era period peace Oppenheimer, which follows the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the ‘father of the atomic bomb,’ as he and other scientists work to create the deadly weapon at the height of the war.
Downey was seen wearing a short, sparse gray wig for his scenes.
‘Duran Duran invites us all to put our best days here, now and still in front of us,’ the Avengers: Endgame star said as he introduced Duran Duran, according to Rolling Stone. ‘Cool, sophisticated fun. You know who’s got that in spades? Duran Duran. They own that space, and they have for over 40 years.’
Downey revealed his super-fan status by sharing that the legendary new wave group had performed for his 50th birthday party.
‘They played a short set and, I s*** you not, halfway through Rio, the wife of a prominent Hollywood director tore off her bra and tossed it onto the stage.’
Focus on the present: ‘Duran Duran invites us all to put our best days here, now and still in front of us,’ the Avengers: Endgame star said as he introduced Duran Duran, according to Rolling Stone; seen Saturday
While Downey was focused on the good times and his affection for the group, the mood took a sour turn once Le Bon explained why Taylor hadn’t been able to join the other four members at the induction ceremony.
He explained that the guitarist had ‘suffered a setback’ that prevented him from leaving his home in Ibiza, Spain.
Their performance would have been the first time the five members were back together on stage in 17 years.
‘Just over four years ago I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic prostate cancer,’ the letter read, with Taylor adding that he had gone through ‘very sophisticated’ treatments to give him as much additional time as possible.
‘Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease and of course we are no different; so I speak from the perspective of a family man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have and this exceptional accolade,’ he continued.
‘I have the ‘Rodgers and Edwards’ of doctors and medical treatment that until very recently allowed me to just rock on,’ he said said, reference Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, the founders of the disco and funk band Chic.
Taylor added, ‘Although my current condition is not immediately life threatening there is no cure.’
Even without Taylor, the group still performed three songs: Girls On Film, Hungry Like A Wolf and Ordinary World.
