MICKEY

The Lyrics from the Frank Sinatra song, My Way, tend to sum it up.

I've lived a life that's full
I've traveled each and every highway
and more, much more than this
I did it my way

Mickey Rourke won the Golden Globe last night for Best Actor for his role as Randy "the Ram" Robinson. Over the years Mickey Rourke had turned down roles that may have won him the Oscar. He was offered the role of Elliot Ness in the movie the Untouchables. He was offered the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop. He was offered the role that Tom Cruise took in Rain Man. In each case, Mickey did it his way. Much of the time this would be considered, the hard way.

Mickey grew up a tough kid learning to box at an early age. At one point in his amateur career, he won 12 consecutive fights with first round knock outs. Think about that. He won twelve fights in a row by knocking out his opponent in the first round of the fight. I first remember him in Body Heat. He played the arsonist who helped William Hurt cover up the crime. It was a small part but Mickey had style. His style carried over to many other great and not so great roles. One of his really interesting roles was as Francis of Assisi in the movie Francesco. Mickey reportedly donated his salary from the 1989 film to the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Mickey is Irish Catholic and has the IRA tattoo on his left arm.

Regardless, in a movie world of pretend tough guys Mickey Rourke stands out as the real thing. In 2006, Mickey called Tom Cruise a "cunt' for his comments about Brooke Shields. Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Johnny Depp all praise Mickey's work. Go see the Wrestler and support the film and this original actor, who has done things his way.