ALISON BOSHOFF: Robert Downey Jr's got his Oscar - now the Oppenheimer actor ... trends now

He just won an Oscar, and is being tipped to scoop an Emmy for his performance in the new TV drama series — The Sympathizer.

And I can reveal that Robert Downey Jr is now hoping to crown his incredible comeback by taking on a Broadway play — and shooting for a Tony.

It's a shock move, as the 59-year-old hasn't set foot on stage since the early 1980s, long before he was a star.

He's one of the best-paid actors in Hollywood, thanks to the Iron Man and Avengers films, and after his performance as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, now confirmed as one of the best.

But Downey Jr clearly still has plenty of ambition left.

As for the production itself, all concerned have been sworn to secrecy.

But I understand that it's a new play, about artificial intelligence; that rehearsals are due to start in June; and that the actor is even now starting the difficult process of learning his lines.

This may be more of a challenge for him than most, as he is well-known for his fondness for ad libs on film sets.

Only this month, his Iron Man co-star Gwyneth Paltrow told Esquire magazine: 'There would be this process of Jon [Favreau, the director], Robert and I going into Jon's trailer in the morning; and Robert being like 'I'm not f***ing saying these lines!' And throwing them out, and then live improv-ing, either in the trailer — or on set.

'In order for something to feel alive for Robert, it has to feel fresh. And he makes it fresh by making it feel like it was just invented. So many of those famous lines were written ten minutes before we said them.'

Similar talk from director Park Chan-Wook, who made The Sympathizer. He recalled: 'With every setup and every take, Robert improvises dialogue — every single time.'

The show follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his subsequent escape to the U.S.

Downey Jr plays five roles, and shaved his head in order to save time in hair and make-up. The first episode was released in the States on Sunday.

The actor first tasted fame in the mid-Eighties, as a member of Hollywood's 'Brat Pack' (hard-partying members included Rob Lowe and Emilio Estevez). He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 1993 for the film Chaplin, but fell from grace due to drug addiction.

His long path to redemption began in 2003 in The Singing Detective film (co-star Mel Gibson paid his insurance bond). The first Iron Man was in 2008. Other projects have included Guy Ritchie's two Sherlock Holmes films (there are still hopes of a third).

Jonathan Ross has revealed that Sir Alan Sugar winds him up by offering to buy him cringe-making clothes. 

The chatshow host said: 'We have a relationship where we are only in touch once or twice a year. If he's out shopping and sees really, really horrible clothing, he'll send me a picture. 

'He sent me one of pink crocodile shoes and went: "Got your name all over it".'

Ross, who confessed that he already possessed a pair of pink shoes, continued: 'He'll say: "What's your size? How many do you want?"'

Bret Large was much-loved for his lack of business nous in the long-running ITV series Doc Martin. 

Now Ian McNeice, who played him, is writing a book: Bert Large's Secrets To Business Success.

He jokes: 'It will draw on his eternal optimism.' 

Bert sold contaminated spring water and blew up his caravan park during the show's ten series.

Singer-songwriter Jess Glynne says that she felt the 'presence' of one of her friends — who died three years ago — on stage at the Brit Awards earlier this year.

Lyndell Mansfield, who used to style 34-year-old Glynne's trademark cascading red curls, had a heart attack and brain aneurysm after contracting Covid.

Jess, whose third album comes out this month, said: 'It was actually a really kind of emotional moment going to the Brits, because Lyndell was my hairstylist and that was our first thing that we did together — our first moment of actually putting our creativity together — and I had huge hair!

'Going to the Brits this year was quite weird. She always had this bright pink hair, and I just ended up happening to wear an amazing bright pink dress.' 

Then, during the show, Jess suddenly felt: 'Oh, she's here! So yeah, she's around. It is beautiful.'

The singer, who is in a relationship with TV presenter Alex Scott, said that she had tried to let her grief inspire her. 

'I put that into my music and it just gives me a passion for life. You never know what's around the corner, and what can happen. You've just got to appreciate every day you get.'