Mickey Rourke

M
ICKEY
R
OURKE

Published by Transit Publishing Inc.

Copyright © 2010 by Sandro Monetti

The reproduction or transmission of any part of this publication in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, or storage in a retrieval system, without the prior consent of the publisher, is an infringement of copyright law. In the case of photocopying or other reprographic production of the material, a licence must be obtained from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright) before proceeding.

ISBN: 978-1-926893-34-1

Cover design: François Turgeon
Text design and composition: Nassim Bahloul

Cover photo:
© Steve Read/Contour Getty Images

Transit Publishing Inc.
1996 St-Joseph Boulevard East
Montreal, QC
H2H 1E3

Tel: 514-273-0123
www.transitpublishing.com

Printed and Bound in Canada

Sandro Monetti

M
ICKEY
R
OURKE:

WRESTLING WITH DEMONS

P
REFACE

“
M
OST PEOPLE ARE NEVER LUCKY ENOUGH TO HANG OUT WITH THEIR HEROES, BUT TONIGHT
I
’M SO FORTUNATE TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS GREATLY INSPIRED AND ENTERTAINED ME FOR YEARS.
L
ADIES AND GENTLEMEN…
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE!”

W
ITH THOSE WORDS,
I
INTRODUCED THE COMEBACK KING OF
H
OLLYWOOD AT A
Q
&
A
FOLLOWING THE
B
RITISH
A
CADEMY SCREENING IN
L
OS
A
NGELES OF HIS LIFE-CHANGING MOVIE
THE WRESTLER
.
T
HE LARGE CROWD GOT TO ITS FEET, CLAPPING AND CHEERING, GIVING AN ALMOST DEAFENING OVATION TO SHOW HUGE APPRECIATION AND SWEET AFFECTION FOR A STAR WHO WAS FINALLY RECEIVING THE RECOGNITION HIS IMMENSE TALENT DESERVED.

E
VERY YEAR, DURING WHAT
H
OLLYWOOD CALLS “AWARDS SEASON,”
I
INTERVIEW THE BIG MOVIE STARS IN THE RUNNING FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY’S GLITTERING PRIZES AT SPECIAL SCREENINGS HELD FOR THE VARIOUS GROUPS WHO VOTE FOR THESE AWARDS.
T
HE LIKES OF
H
ELEN
M
IRREN,
C
ATE
B
LANCHETT,
J
AVIER
B
ARDEM, AND
V
IGGO
M
ORTENSEN WOULD TAKE THEIR TURNS TALKING TO ME AND THE AUDIENCE ABOUT THEIR PRESTIGIOUS PROJECTS.
B
UT IT ALWAYS SEEMED AS IF SOMEONE WAS MISSING FROM THIS ANNUAL GLORY CIRCUIT, AND THAT WAS THE MOST UTTERLY MESMERIZING AND INTRIGUING ACTOR OF HIS GENERATION.

W
HEN
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE BURST ONTO THE SCENE OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, HE MADE AN INSTANT IMPACT IN MOVIES LIKE
9½ WEEKS
AND
RUMBLE FISH
, AND HE WAS WIDELY HAILED AS THE MOST EXCITING NEW ACTING TALENT SINCE
J
AMES
D
EAN OR
M
ARLON
B
RANDO.
F
ANS LIKE ME CERTAINLY THOUGHT SO AND EXPECTED A STRING OF
O
SCARS,
BAFTA
S AND BLOCKBUSTERS TO FOLLOW.
B
UT A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE TENDENCY OF ALMOST
S
HAKESPEARIAN PROPORTION MEANT IT DIDN’T WORK OUT THAT WAY.

A
SUCCESSION OF DISASTROUS CHOICES DERAILED HIS
H
OLLYWOOD CAREER.
H
IS REPUTATION FOR FIGHTING WITH PRODUCERS, SHOWING UP LATE TO SETS, NOT STICKING TO THE SCRIPT, BAD-MOUTHING COLLEAGUES, AND RAISING HELL WHEREVER HE WENT SERVED TO BURN ALL HIS BRIDGES IN
T
INSELTOWN.
H
E LOOKED WASHED-UP, A HAS-BEEN WHO WOULD NEVER RETURN TO THE BIG TIME.

M
ICKEY THEN MADE THE EXTRAORDINARY DECISION TO CHANGE CAREERS AND BECOME A PROFESSIONAL BOXER.
H
E WON HIS FIGHTS BUT LOST HIS
H
OLLYWOOD LOOKS, WITH THE FEATURES THAT MADE HIM FAMOUS BATTERED TO A PULP.
S
OME FREAKY FACIAL SURGERY DIDN’T HELP.
A
FTER RETIRING FROM THE RING, A NEED FOR CASH MOTIVATED HIS RETURN TO ACTING, BUT A SUCCESSION OF DUD FILMS LOOKED TO HAVE FINISHED HIM OFF FOR GOOD.
H
E HAD TWO BROKEN MARRIAGES BEHIND HIM, LOST HIS BROTHER TO CANCER, WAS ALL ALONE IN THE WORLD, AND HAD NOTHING GOING FOR HIM EXCEPT HIS ENDURING TALENT.

B
UT THERE’S STILL MAGIC IN THE
H
OLLYWOOD HILLS AND SOMETIMES IT ONLY TAKES ONE OR TWO GREAT PERFORMANCES TO TURN AN ACTOR’S FORTUNES AROUND AND PUT HIM BACK ON TOP.
F
IRST CAME HIS STUNNING SUPPORTING ROLE AS TOUGH BUT TENDER VIGILANTE
M
ARV IN 2005’S
SIN CITY
.
T
HEN, LATE IN 2008, THE BUZZ ABOUT
M
ICKEY’S LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A LOW-BUDGET BUT HIGH-QUALITY NEW MOVIE ENTITLED
THE WRESTLER 
– SPARKED BY GLOWING REVIEWS AND FILM FESTIVAL PRIZES – RAPIDLY GREW INTO A CRESCENDO THAT SCREAMED FROM THE ROOFTOPS ONE LOUD and clear message: “Mickey is back!”

T
HE TITLE CHARACTER HE PLAYED,
R
ANDY “
T
HE
R
AM”
R
OBINSON, A ONCE-GREAT WRESTLER NOW SEEMINGLY PAST HIS PRIME AND BEATEN DOWN BY LIFE BUT LOOKING FOR A RETURN TO THE BIG TIME, HAD SO MANY PARALLELS WITH
M
ICKEY’S OWN ROLLER-COASTER LIFE THAT IT WAS HARD TO SEE WHERE THE CHARACTER BEGAN AND THE MAN PLAYING HIM ENDED.

T
HE CRITICS RAVED ABOUT HIS CAREER-REVIVING PERFORMANCE AND AS HE DID THE ROUNDS OF PRESS CONFERENCES,
Q
&
A
S, AND PERSONAL APPEARANCES TO PROMOTE THE MOVIE,
M
ICKEY NOT ONLY FOUND HIMSELF IN THE RUNNING FOR
B
EST
A
CTOR
O
SCAR BUT ALSO REALIZED THERE HAD BEEN A SILENT ARMY OF
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE FANS OUT THERE WHO WERE NOW EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS TO SHAKE HIS HAND AND SHARE THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR HIS CURRENT SUCCESS.

I
WAS ONE OF THEM.
A
S AN INTERNATIONAL SHOWBIZ REPORTER FOR
B
RITAIN’S BIGGEST NEWSPAPERS,
I
HAVE COVERED
M
ICKEY’S HEADLINE-HITTING CAREER FOR TWO DECADES, ATTENDING HIS COUNTLESS ENTERTAINING PRESS CONFERENCES AROUND THE GLOBE.
A
S A FAN,
I
BOUGHT TICKETS TO HIS FIGHTS, BECAME A FREQUENT CUSTOMER AT THE TINY CAFÉ HE USED TO OWN, AND EAGERLY WENT TO SEE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS FILMS, EVEN THOSE MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF – LIKE
PICTURE CLAIRE
,
FALL TIME,
AND THE KILLER INSECT MOVIE
THEY CRAWL
.

F
OR THOSE OF US WHO HAD FOLLOWED HIS CAREER SO CLOSELY, IT WAS A GREAT THRILL WHEN
THE WRESTLER
SAW THIS DAZZLING AND CHARISMATIC PERFORMER REBOUND FROM THE WILDERNESS TO THE BIG TIME.

A
ND SO IT WAS THAT, AS ONE OF THE ACTORS IN CONTENTION FOR HONORS, HE SET FOOT ON THE AWARDS CIRCUIT AND OUR PATHS CROSSED, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, AT THAT
B
RITISH
A
CADEMY OF
F
ILM AND
T
ELEVISION
A
RTS
LA
SCREENING OF
THE WRESTLER
.
M
ICKEY DIDN’T DISAPPOINT.
H
E WAS EVERYTHING
I
EXPECTED – TALL AND SOLID, MOVING WITH A TOUGH GUY SWAGGER, SHAKING HANDS WITH SAUSAGE-LIKE FINGERS, AND SHOWING UP WITH A LITTLE DOG AND A LARGE ENTOURAGE.
T
HE DOG WAS
L
OKI, A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD
C
HIHUAHUA THAT HAD BECOME HIS CONSTANT COMPANION, AND THE LIVELY ENTOURAGE INCLUDED ACTION STAR
J
ASON
S
TATHAM, MODEL
L
ISA
S
NOWDON, AND WRESTLING LEGEND
R
OWDY
R
ODDY
P
IPER.
M
ICKEY WAS FLAMBOYANTLY DRESSED, AS USUAL, AND
I
WAS, TOO, WHICH PROMPTED MY HERO TO GREET ME WITH THE WORDS, “
H
AVE YOU BEEN RAIDING MY CLOSET?”

F
ASCINATED TO SEE THE ONCE DOWN-AND-OUT ACTOR WHO HAD SUDDENLY BECOME
H
OLLYWOOD’S DARLING AGAIN, THE PACKED CROWD HUNG ON HIS EVERY WORD AS
M
ICKEY RELATED HIS COMEBACK TALE TO ME ON STAGE, THEN GRACIOUSLY ANSWERED ALL THE AUDIENCE QUESTIONS AND SEEMINGLY SHOOK EVERY HAND.
T
HE EVENT RAN WAY OVER TIME, BUT NOT A SINGLE PERSON LEFT BEFORE THE END.

O
FF STAGE,
M
ICKEY AND
I
TALKED MORE ABOUT HOW FAR HE’D COME AND WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE HE’D HAD.
I
T’S BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY, AND
I
HOPE YOU’LL ENJOY READING ABOUT IT OVER THE COURSE OF THE FOLLOWING CHAPTERS.

MICKEY ROURKE: WRESTLING WITH DEMONS
UNCOVERS MANY FRESH AND FASCINATING STORIES ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST COLORFUL FIGURES IN FILM HISTORY.
F
ROM THE NIGHT HE SET HIS HOME ON FIRE TO THE DAY HE TREMBLED WHILE HAVING HIS EAR PIERCED, IT’S ALL HERE, ALONG WITH BEHIND-THE-SCENES REVELATIONS FROM HIS FILMS, INCLUDING THE MOVIE HE MADE IN RETURN FOR A PAPER BAG STUFFED WITH CASH AND THE FILM FOR WHICH HE GOT INTO CHARACTER BY BOARDING A PLANE DRESSED AS A WOMAN.

W
RITTEN WITH AFFECTION AND INSIGHT BUT AT THE SAME TIME pulling no punches, this book aims to be a worthy tribute to, and an entertaining document of, a turbulent life lived from one huge drama to another by a bewitching actor who is as talented as he is troubled.

M
ICKEY, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES AND ALL THE GREAT MOMENTS STILL TO COME.

S
ANDRO
M
ONETTI
B
EVERLY
H
ILLS,
C
ALIFORNIA,
S
UMMER 2010

1
T
HE
N
IGHTMARE
Y
EARS

D
ESPERATE, BROKEN DOWN, AND BATTERED BY SETBACKS,
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE SLUMPED TO HIS KNEES IN A
N
EW
Y
ORK CHURCH AND PRAYED TO A WOODEN SCULPTURE OF
S
T
J
UDE FOR THE STRENGTH TO STOP HIMSELF DOING WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO.

H
E HAD COME TO 42ND
S
TREET’S
C
HURCH OF THE
H
OLY
C
ROSS ONE DAMP, DREADFUL DAY IN THE MID-1990S FEELING AT HIS LOWEST EBB AND LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE FROM, APPROPRIATELY, THE PATRON SAINT OF LOST CAUSES.
N
OW, WITH HIS ACTING CAREER ALL WASHED UP, HIS MONEY GONE, AND HIS WIFE,
C
ARRÉ
O
TIS, WALKING OUT ON HIM,
M
ICKEY WAS TORMENTED BY BOTH SUICIDAL AND MURDEROUS THOUGHTS.

H
E HAD A PISTOL IN HIS POCKET AND A REVENGE PLAN IN MIND TO DO SOME SERIOUS HARM TO A MAN HE SAYS ATTACKED HIS ESTRANGED WIFE.
A
ND, AFTER THAT, HE’D MAYBE TURN THE GUN ON HIMSELF.

T
HE PAIN IN HIS HEAD FELT UNBEARABLE AS HE REFLECTED ON THE MESS HIS LIFE HAD BECOME AND HOW HE HAD DRIVEN AWAY THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN HE LOVED SO MUCH.
F
ROM HIS OTHER POCKET
M
ICKEY TOOK A HANDWRITTEN LETTER OF APOLOGY HE HAD WRITTEN TO
C
ARRÉ.
R
EADING THE SAD NOTE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HE WONDERED IF THESE WOULD BE THE LAST WORDS HE WOULD EVER WRITE.

T
HEN HE SUDDENLY FELT A REASSURING HAND ON HIS SHOULDER.
H
E TURNED AND LOOKED INTO THE KINDLY EYES OF THE PARISH PRIEST.
F
ATHER
P
ETER
C
OLAPIETRO WAS USED TO SEEING DESPAIRING DOWNAND-OUTS SHOW UP AT THE RUNDOWN, RED-BRICK CHURCH.
O
N THIS OCCASION, THOUGH, HE IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THIS TORMENTED SOUL AS THE FALLEN MOVIE STAR WHO A DECADE EARLIER HAD BEEN ONE OF
H
OLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST NAMES, THANKS TO FILMS LIKE
9½ WEEKS
,
RUMBLE FISH,
AND ONE THAT THE PRIEST HAD SEEN FIFTEEN TIMES,
ANGEL HEART
.