Robert Downey Jr. Admits 'Jealous' Isn't a 'Deep Enough' Word to Describe How He Felt Toward Rob Lowe in High School

A little competition never hurt anyone.

Years ago, Robert Downey Jr. and Rob Lowe were two teenagers with a rivalry only fit for Hollywood, as the two were unaware they both were destined to be award-winning movie stars.

Downey Jr. recently made a guest appearance on The Outsiders star’s "Literally! With Rob Lowe" podcast, where the pair reflected on their experiences as students at the same high school in Santa Monica, Calif., more than four decades ago.

"I want to say I was jealous, but that's not deep enough," the Iron Man star admitted of his feelings toward Lowe at the time. "I want to say that I didn't understand how anyone could get where you were. Let alone, still have attendance in [school]. It just seemed like there was something so high functioning going on, that there was no point for me to even attempt to understand it."

Lowe seemed to understand where Downey Jr. was coming from, as he referred to his younger self as a "little snob b----" who "couldn't possibly be bothered with high school theater."

The West Wing star — who had already been working as an actor while simultaneously attending school — recalled having his agent send him messages as he strolled down the hallway past a bulletin board filled with information about his high school’s plays.

"Can you imagine what it was like for the rest of us… to see that notification for you?" Downey Jr. asked, as he shed light on what fueled his envy of Lowe while joking the only texts he received at the time were notifications he'd been suspended.

"Well, listen. We're wired similarly and also super differently," the 9-1-1: Lone Star actor noted to his longtime friend. "Like, you would be impossible to pin down, I would think, for that kind of structure at that point in your life."

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"Yeah, I was a hot mess," Downey Jr. — who ended up dropping out of high school to pursue his acting career in New York City — agreed.

Downey Jr.’s fame skyrocketed during his single season on Saturday Night Live in 1985, though he briefly retreated from the spotlight due to substance abuse before rising once again as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

The Oppenheimer actor has maintained his sobriety since 2003.