Robert Downey Jr recalls ‘Chances Are’ co-star Ryan O'Neal warning him to clean up his act

Los Angeles: Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr has reflected on an impactful conversation with actor Ryan O'Neal from "the first day of rehearsals" for their 1989 film ‘Chances Are’.

The Oscar nominee revealed that he and the late O'Neal — who died in December at age 82 — had an eye-opening conversation while making ‘Chances Are’, reports People magazine.

After having shown what he called "the dark side of Hollywood" in 1987's ‘Less Than Zero’, Robert detailed one specific memory from ‘Chances Are’ two years later.

Speaking with Maltin Modern Master Award namesake Leonard Maltin at the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival on Friday, the actor said, "We were in Washington, D.C. I met some friends, went out back at the hotel, and we ordered some champagne.”

He continued: “One thing led to another, and then the read-through was at 11:00 a.m. and it was about 2:45 p.m. and I was just sleeping it off and the door came off the hinges and it was Ryan O'Neal. And it was like, 'I'm here telling you, you're f****** up. Oh my God, you're f***** up.' And I was like, 'Wow. People seem pretty uptight’. Not that I knew I was late, but it was a bit of a warning sign there.”

As the ‘Oppenheimer’ actor shared, he loved "shooting the movie," but questioned why after ‘Less Than Zero’ he was making what he at the time considered a "dumb a** romantic comedy.”