The eccentric and rebellious A-list actor who just recently won a Golden Globe for best actor in the movie “The Wrestler” by Darren Aronofsky, was notorious for his dislike of the Hollywood establishment and his love for boxing.
Now years into the game as an actor and rebel, he is a front-runner to win the Academy Award for his role in “The Wrestler” as a faded, down and out wrestler doing small shows to make ends meet.
During his early movie career he was a very brash and opinionated young man who basically did and said as he pleased at the time (as evidenced in this Video posted below).
In this 1994 interview you can see trainer Freddie Roach and a young James Toney who was Rourke’s chief sparring partner during his fighting career.
Rourke mainly fought fights overseas in Japan with Freddie Roach in his corner, this was long before Roach linked up with Manny Pacquiao and became the global superstar trainer that he is today.
Rourke was also a talented boxer before he became an actor. Boxing was actually his first love and he credited it with helping him escape many of the stresses he had growing up. Rourke boxed as an amateur in his youth before taking up acting full-time.
He was a Hollywood heartthrob known for his good looks and charming personality, the movie 9 1/2 Weeks with Kim Basinger made him a sex symbol, something he despised.
