Robert Downey Jr. Jumps Into 2021 With A Tribute To Eddie Van Halen

Let's be honest: for most people, 2020 was the year from hell, so it's no surprise that many of us are eager to leave it behind and head happily into a new year. Hopefully, 2021 won't feature as many depressing headlines.

You can count actor Robert Downey Jr. among those who are ready to leave 2020 firmly in the past, judging from his latest social media post. The Iron Man star took to Instagram on New Year's Day to share a video of himself literally jumping into 2021. Clad in a white sweatsuit, Downey can be seen jumping into what looks to be a pool of muddy water and then stomping, dancing, and high-kicking to Van Halen's "Jump" while a small group of people look on in the background.

"Who else is ready to #jump on in to 2021? Here's to the new year..." Downey wrote in the Instagram caption, adding the hashtags "2021" and "happynewyear."

The short video also seems to have been a tribute to the late Eddie Van Halen, who passed away in October 2020. Downey tagged Van Halen's official Instagram page in his caption and added the words "RIP."

Downey's 2021 tribute garnered a response from many of his famous friends, including actor Jamie Foxx, who responded with a row of praise hands emojis, and actor Josh Brolin, who wrote, "My favorite is the totally uncomfortable small audience ... there to watch you."

The year 2020 was not only the year that the coronavirus pandemic dominated the headlines, but 2020 also saw us saying goodbye to a number of beloved public figures. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman, NBA legend Kobe Bryant and Bryant's preteen daughter Gianna Bryant all tragically died in 2020, as did legendary musician Eddie Van Halen.

Van Halen died on October 6, 2020, after a battle with cancer, CNN reported. Van Halen, born Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, became a rock legend during his decades playing lead guitar in Van Halen, the band he co-founded in the 1970s. His musical prowess earned him numerous awards and accolades over the years, including an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Following Eddie Van Halen's death, his son, Wolfgang Van Halen, referred to his father's "long and arduous" battle with cancer in a Twitter tribute and stated, "My heart is broken and I don't think I'll ever recover from this loss."

Following Van Halen's passing, Downey shared a photo of the band's logo on Instagram and referred to Van Halen as a legend and a hero in the hashtags of the post. "No words..." Downey wrote in the caption. Hopefully, 2021 will be less tragic all around.