|
Backstage at the Golden Globes: Mickey Rourke Never Gave Up
by Jordan Riefe
Everyone loves the story
of an underdog coming back to regain his rightful
place among the best of the best. At the 66th
Annual Golden Globes, the second act of the
comeback of Mickey Rourke was written when he
received a standing ovation from his peers after
winning the Best Actor award for his role in
The Wrestler. Although one of Hollywood's greatest
actors faded from the spotlight for over a decade,
a period that saw Rourke rediscover himself
as a person and as a professional, no one could
ever say that Mickey Rourke lost his talent.
 After taking home the Best Actor award, Mickey Rourke exited the Golden Globe stage to talk to the press where we were among the journalists to hear what it was like to be recognized after so many years, whether he ever thought about giving up, the emotional impact of his Golden Globe win, and how he worked with director Darren Aronofsky to make The Wrestler more personal.
Mickey Rourke on whether
winning the Golden Globe was part of his dream:
"It's strange, you know. Like I said, I was out of the game for so many years, it's something I really appreciate, the second chance to work again. And that was all about having people trust me again after raising hell for fifteen years and doing everything the wrong way. I think after about ten years, I didn't think it was going to happen again and I just kept trying to change and work hard and not slip back into my old ways. So I appreciate it a lot because it's a profession where if you work hard enough, and many years go by, you can get a second chance."
Rourke on how much of
a big leap the Golden Globe win is after fourteen
years:
"It's not so much a giant leap. When I thought I left the business, I thought I could get back into it in two or three years and it took thirteen or so. So it was a long journey.
Mickey Rourke on whether
he ever thought about giving up:
"Nah, there ain't no quit in me. It was not about giving up. It's about if you misbehave, you're not accountable, and I didn't deal with the [consequences]. I didn't care about repercussions, so you pay the price for that. It's like any profession. I tried to beat the system and it beat the shit out of me, and so it took me thirteen, fourteen, whatever years for the doors to open up again."
On whether the win is
even more emotional because of his struggle:
"Yeah, probably, because it was never about my ability or me questioning that. It was about handling myself in society a certain way, which I always had a problem with. I didn't realize it would take this long and I'm really grateful. I'm more grateful and thankful than I am surprised, if that makes any sense?"
Mickey Rourke on how
he feels about if the part was or wasn't written
for him:
"Well, I don't know what the writer had to say. I know the director was developing this for a decade or so. And then, I guess, he had me in mind. But it wasn't explicitly written for me. As Darren and I worked on it, we tailored it to make it more personal for me and that worked out. It even worked out where after about six days I kind of felt, working with Aronofsky, we had something special, because it's not every few years you get to work with real special directors like the way I felt about Cimino and Coppola and Adrian Lyne. And then Aronofsky came around and I went, 'Wow, this cat is really talented, really special, and he's going to know how to push my buttons and challenge me.'
"I don't know if this movie would have had the success it did in another director's hands from the material I read. I think because Aronofsky is the talent that he is, it sort of took a life on its own. And after about six days, I felt that. And by the time I finished the movie, I felt [that]. You know, I gave all of myself. And it was the first time in a long time I gave all of myself, and I'd forgotten what that felt like since I was an acting student. So it gave me the courage to write Bruce [Springsteen] a letter and ask him if [he'd write a song for the movie], because we didn't have much of a budget. So I was kind of asking him for a favor. I only asked that because I believed in the piece so much and he wrote a very beautiful song called, The Wrestler, which will probably be my favorite song till I go to my grave. Out of his heart and kindness he just did it as a favor and you can't put a price on shit like that."
|
