Mickey Rourke The Immortal Rebel
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Created: Tuesday, 08 November 2011 16:00
- Published: Tuesday, 08 November 2011 16:00
- Written by Lupe Haas
Mickey Rourke may have made a comeback in Hollywood, but his appearance at a press event for IMMORTALS shows his rebellious attitude is still intact. And we got a memento from it.
After falling out of Hollywood's graces in the 90s because of his reputation for being difficult on set, Mickey Rourke returned to glory with his moving portrayal in THE WRESTLER (2008). Rourke recently cemented his status in Hollywood with a hand and foot print on Hollywood's walk of fame in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
While he's grateful to be back in Hollywood's graces, he hasn't been completely suckered back into the Hollywood culture. Mickey Rourke told a room full of press during an IMMORTALS press day that his mistake early on his Hollywood career was believing movie-making was a "pure art form," but he was met with "mediocrity." When he first started acting, he thought the industry would be "full of Keitels" but the young actor was soon disappointed and he started to lash out. He adds he's had 13/14 years to think about his old ways and deals with the industry differently.
"I try not to make the mistakes I did a long time ago because that's in part what got me out of work many, many years ago. It's a political business. I gotta not tell everybody f#*@ off."
Rourke says he now chooses his words wisely, but as IMMORTALS director found out, Rourke still harbors rebellious ways.
IMMORTALS director Tarsem Singh used Rourke's personality for the role of the villaneous King Hyperion. Mickey needed a bit of "corraling" says Singh but he handled it by determing what Rourke "can do and wanted to do." Singh says he didn't have Mickey work with any of the actors, but worked with him individually for his scenes. He describes Rourke as a method actor who may have taken his King Hyperion too seriously while on set so he didn't want to expose actors to that "unnervy feeling".
"I wanted that slightly unnervy feel [that] comes with that. No one seems to have Mickey under control and it's true."
Singh added only one actor in each film should be allowed to be a "little bit off the handle" and that was Mickey Rourke. Rourke says he has plenty of experience handling actors with kid gloves including his Cell star Jennifer Lopez and a young Romanian actress.
"In every film, I think there's only person that I think should allowed a little bit off the handle. At least in my experience. The first one out of default was J-Lo, and the second one was a little Romanian girl, and this one was just Mickey."
CineMovie and the other press saw first hand the unpredictability of the IMMORTALS star during a recent press interview in aBeverly Hills hotel where he used some unabashed language to describe (unnamed) people. The IMMORTALS star was candid about disliking unprepared actors, directors, and the business of Hollywood. He even poked fun at himself when CineMovie asked if he is choosier with his roles the second time around. His response was a memorable one. "No! I've turned into a real whore."
After the very entertaining interview, Mickey Rourke wiped out a cigarette and proclaimed he was lighting up right there in the room with the press. After the studio wrangler told him he couldn't smoke in the room, he proceeded to puff away. Of course, we found it extremely funny as we inhaled the fumes. Even after he was told he would set off the smoke detectors, he continued the conversation with the press with his lit cigarette. And here you thought celebrities couldn't wait to leave a room full of nosy press. Believe it or not, watching the anti-establishment attitude was a refreshing moment in a business where film talent often glosses over their answers and tell us what we want to hear. The moment felt like a dysfunctional family dinner during the holidays when the black sheep of the family does something outrageous. It was real and classic. It was a story retold for days to friends and family.
When the IMMORTALS director stepped in with Freida Pinto and Isabel Lucas after Rourke left the room, Tarsem wasn't surprised to hear of Rourke's shenanigans.
"Oh, you guys! You got to hold Mickey down in the beginning and if you don't he's going to step all over you."
As a little momento from the Rourke interview, he left behind a cigarette from his pack which of course CineMovie snatched up for the memories (see it here) after his co-star Freida Pinto picked up off the floor and placed it on the table.
IMMORTALS opens in movie theatres Friday, November 11, 2011.