Robert Downey Jr. shares touching tribute to father Robert Downey Sr. who died at 85: 'He was a true maverick filmmaker'

• Robert Downey Sr. died in his sleep on Wednesday morning at age 85.
• His son Robert Downey Jr. posted a tribute to his father on Instagram.
• The actor called Downey Sr. a "true maverick filmmaker."

Robert Downey Jr. released a public statement on Wednesday following the death of his father, Robert Downey Sr.

The filmmaker died in his sleep at his home in New York City on Wednesday morning, his wife Rosemary Rogers told New York Daily News. He was 85 years old and was battling Parkinson's disease for more than five years.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Downey Jr. shared a tribute dedicated to his late father.

"RIP Bob D. Sr. 1936-2021… Last night, dad passed peacefully in his sleep after years of enduring the ravages of Parkinson's," Downey Jr. wrote. "he was a true maverick filmmaker, and remained remarkably optimistic throughout."

He continued: "According to my stepmoms calculations, they were happily married for just over 2000 years. Rosemary Rogers-Downey, you are a saint, and our thoughts and prayers are with you."

Downey Sr. was a lifelong New Yorker and trailblazer in the city's experimental filmmaking scene in the '60s.

He became known for creating anti-establishment films like "Putney Swope" in addition to his acting career, landing roles in projects such as "The Twilight Zone," "To Live and Die in LA," "Boogie Nights," and "Magnolia."

The filmmaker also introduced his son to the creative arts from the time he was a young boy.

At just 5 years old, Downey Jr. made his acting debut in his father's 1970 film "Pound" alongside his sister Allyson, who was 7 at the time. He continued to appear in his father's films, including "Greaser's Palace," "Too Much Sun," and "Hugo Pool," as his own on-screen career progressed.

The father-son duo also acted together in Bud S. Smith's 1988 comedy "Johnny Be Good" and Anthony Michael Hall's 1994 directorial debut "Hail Caesar."

Downey Sr.'s final project was "Rittenhouse Square," a 2005 documentary he directed as a tribute to the public park and cultural epicenter in Philadelphia.

He is survived by his wife Rogers, who he married in 1998, his two children, and his grandchildren.

Downey Sr. previously wed late actress Elsie Ford, the mother of Downey Jr. and his sister, until they divorced in 1978. He then went on to marry Laura Ernst in 1991, an actress who died in 1994.