Mickey Rourke bodyslams Hollywood

10 January 2009

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Few people would have believed Mickey Rourke would make his Hollywood comeback in a pair of tights, but after 15 years in the wilderness he is back on the big screen in ‘The Wrestler’.

In fact, Rourke couldn’t have chosen a better part than ageing professional wrestler Randy The Ram for his second assault on Hollywood. There are many similarities between Rourke and the downtrodden fighter. After enjoying his heyday in the 80s, Randy is now living in a trailer and making ends meet by performing in rundown venues to a handful of diehard fans. Rourke himself is no stranger to enjoying the dizzying heights of fame before hitting rock bottom - wanting to return to the big time but being told it is too late. "I know what that’s like," says the actor. "Randy was somebody 20 years ago and so was Mickey Rourke."

After spending thirteen years in therapy, Rourke accepts he only had himself to blame for ruining his shot at Hollywood greatness the first time round. "Authority was a big problem and I wasn’t sophisticated or knowledgeable enough to realise there are rules," Rourke admits. "I used to say others were to blame, but really it was me. I having this war with myself because of issues that I had. I had to lose everything to realise what I was doing wrong. I was living behind this armour that I had built up mentally and it became a destructive weakness."

The movie’s director Darren Aronofsky confesses it was tough to convince bosses that the 56-year-old loose cannon deserved a second chance. "A lot of people really liked the script but it came down to the fact that no one believed in Mickey Rourke," explains Aronofsky. "But I knew there was something in there screaming to get out. His eyes weren't dead. They're alive, yearning, thinking." Rourke is almost unrecognisable in the movie, piling on around 30lbs in hulking muscle, sporting 80s-style long blonde hair, neon spandex and fake tan to play the down-and-out wrestler. Despite the external change in his appearance, the similarities between Rourke and Randy are obvious. "It is the best movie I have ever made and it is the hardest movie I have ever made. The living in shame aspect of the character, the fact he was a has-been - it hit me in the face. I knew Darren would want his pound of flesh and he would want me to revisit some very dark places. It has been many years since I have given all of myself to a director," he admits.

‘The Wrestler’ tells the story of fictional fighter Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson - real name Robin Ramzinsky. In the 80s, Randy was a national hero in America and topped the billing at the biggest professional wrestling events - his greatest victory saw him defeat bitter rival ‘the Ayatollah’. However, 20 years later Randy is a broken man, both mentally and physically. He is tormented by his strained relationship with his daughter Stephanie - played by Evan Rachel Wood - who hasn’t forgiven him for abandoning her when she was a child. Randy feels so alone he seeks comfort from Marisa Tomei’s character - a jaded stripper called Cassidy. His body is bloated from steroid use and he is in constant pain after the demanding sport leaves him battered and bruised. But, Randy still can’t bring himself to retire - the lure of being in the ring and being cheered on by adoring fans proves too much to resist. However, his body finally gives up after one particularly vicious bout (involving a staple gun, a ladder and barbed wire) and he collapses. Randy suffers a heart attack and doctors warn him to never step back into the ring again.

Randy struggles to adjust to a life without wrestling but vows to find a new job and repair the damage he has done to his daughter. Then he is offered a rematch with his greatest rival Ayatollah and is tempted to risk everything for one last fight.

However, 20 years later Randy is a broken man, both mentally and physically

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