Actor and former boxer Mickey Rourke burst onto the film landscape in the early eighties, with a look, a style and tremendous ability to act that made all stand up and take notice. After head turning performances in “Diner” and “Rumble Fish”, many began calling him the next James Dean; some even compared him to Marlon Brando. By the end of the 1980s Rourke had successfully squandered away his career thanks to a combative nature and a refusal to take the business he was in seriously. By the time he starred opposite Robert Deniro in “Angel Heart” in 1987, what should have been a career pinnacle was in fact the beginning of the end. Rourke disrespected both the legendary actor and Director Alan Parker with various antics on set and he continued this pattern throughout his next several movies. He combined his on set attitude problems with the bad boy party lifestyle and soon enough, Rourke was all but finished in Hollywood. Eventually, no studio would hire him and Rourke, one of the very best actors in the business and perhaps the finest of his generation, disappeared into obscurity – with no one to blame but himself. With no real acting career anymore, Rourke renewed his pursuit of boxing, fighting several times and remaining undefeated over a three year period. For more than a decade, he continued doing bit parts and cameo roles in low budget B movies, over which time he began to realize the error of his ways. With a renewed vigor and respect for his craft, Rourke reapplied himself emerging in several small, but prominent turns. His work in films like “The Rainmaker”, “Animal Factory”, “Get Carter” and “The Pledge”, once again made studios take notice and reminded everyone what a truly gifted actor Rourke really is. His unforgettable role as Marv in “Sin City” (2005) paved the way for his 2008 award-winning tour de force performance in “The Wrestler.” With multiple awards, including the Golden Globe for best actor and an Academy award nomination, Rourke is set to star in five big budget studio films in 2010 – his full-fledged comeback from obscurity now complete.
- 1. The Wreslter – 2008
- 2. The Pope of Greenwich Village – 1984
- 3. Angel Heart – 1987
- 4. Year of the Dragon – 1985
- 5. Sin City – 2005
- 6. Diner – 1982
- 7. Rumble Fish – 1983
- 8. Barfly – 1987
- 9. Johnny Handsome – 1989
- 10. Heaven’s Gate – 1980
*Honorable Mention – The Pledge (2001)
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