The recovering actor took his first (albeit brief) trip back to work this week, as he spent Tuesday filming a music video for the new Elton John song, "I Want Love."
At John's request, Downey spent a day at the Greystone Manor in Beverly Hills, where he lip-synched the new tune for director Sam Taylor-Wood. The song, written by John and collaborator Bernie Taupin, is the first single for John's forthcoming album, Songs From the West Coast, due out October 2.
Meanwhile, Downey's publicist, Alan Nierob, says the actor's treatment "is progressing very well."
"I talk to him regularly," he says, "and the man is in very good shape."
The 36-year-old actor remains in Malibu's Wavelengths rehab facility, after he pleaded no contest last month to felony and misdemeanor drug charges stemming from his arrest last November at a Palm Springs resort. In turn, Downey was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to remain in rehab for at least a year.
Downey's agent has already been fielding offers for him to return to work in both film and TV. But Nierob says the actor doesn't currently have anything else scheduled, other than more rehab and a trip to the Emmys on September 16, where he's nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his work on Ally McBeal.