Robert Downey Jr welcomes second son, Exton Elias

Robert Downey Jr has become a father for the second time.

The Avengers actor - who already has 18-year-old son Indio from his first marriage to Deborah Falconer - and wife Susan welcomed a baby boy, Exton Elias Downey, into the world at 7.24am, his representative confirmed to People.com.

A source said: "Everyone is healthy and they couldn't be happier."

Robert, 46, had previously revealed on live television he and Susan were expecting a son, much to his producer wife's shock.

She later said: "I could never really stay mad at him, but I can tell you it genuinely wasn't something we planned to reveal."

However, the Sherlock Holmes star did manage to keep quiet about their name choices for the baby.

He joked recently: "If I told you the name, then she would lop off my head with a machete."

The actor recently admitted impending fatherhood was making him consider slowing down - though he admitted it was unlikely to happen.

He said: "Life is good. With a new baby on the way, maybe I ought to think about slowing down a little. But I can't see that happening in the short term."

- BANG! Showbiz