Mickey Rourke (18 page)

B
ASINGER’S CHARACTER IN THE FILM IS THE LONG-SUFFERING WIFE OF
B
ILLY
B
OB
T
HORNTON’S
H
OLLYWOOD STUDIO EXECUTIVE WHO HAS BEEN CHEATING ON HER WITH A
TV
NEWSREADER PLAYED BY
W
INONA
R
YDER.
R
HYS
I
FANS,
A
MBER
H
EARD, AND
C
HRIS
I
SAAK ALSO APPEAR IN THE SEX-, DRUGS- AND VIOLENCE-FILLED MOVIE, BASED ON A
B
RET
E
ASTON
E
LLIS NOVEL, WHICH FOLLOWS A SERIES OF LOOSELY CONNECTED CHARACTERS OVER A WEEK IN 1983.
I
T SEEMED PROMISING BUT DIDN’T ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE.
T
HE FILM WAS TRASHED BY CRITICS, ITS STARS FAILED TO PROMOTE IT, AND WHEN THE MOVIE GOT SHOVED OUT INTO
US
THEATERS IN THE LAST WEEKEND OF
A
PRIL 2009 IT BOMBED BADLY AT THE BOX OFFICE.

THE INFORMERS
EARNED A DISMAL TOTAL OF $315,000 FROM 484 CINEMAS THAT OPENING WEEKEND AND SWIFTLY DISAPPEARED.
O
NLY FOUR MOVIEGOERS SHOWED UP FOR THE FIRST PUBLIC SCREENING IN
L
OS
A
NGELES.
I
WAS AMONG THEM.
B
UT THAT DISMAL BOX OFFICE FAILURE WAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY
M
ICKEY’S BIGGEST TRIUMPH…

F
INALLY, AFTER ALL THE YEARS OF STRUGGLE,
M
AY 2010 SAW THE WORLDWIDE RELEASE OF A FILM WHICH WOULD BRING
R
OURKE’S TALENTS TO THE WIDEST EVER AUDIENCE.
IRON MAN 2
, THE SPLASHY SEQUEL TO THE 2008 SUPERHERO SMASH HIT, SAW
R
OBERT
D
OWNEY
J
R. RETURN IN THE TITLE ROLE WITH
M
ICKEY AS HIS NEW NEMESIS, A
R
USSIAN CRIMINAL NAMED
I
VAN
V
ANKO WHO BECOMES THE SUPER VILLAIN,
W
HIPLASH.
T
HE HUGELY-HYPED BLOCKBUSTER SEQUEL SCORED THE FIFTH BIGGEST OPENING WEEKEND OF ALL TIME, EARNING $133.6 MILLION IN ITS FIRST THREE DAYS ON RELEASE IN THE
US
AND
C
ANADA, PUTTING IT ON TARGET TO EARN EVEN MORE THAN THE FIRST FILM.

S
CARLETT
J
OHANSSON,
S
AM
R
OCKWELL AND
D
ON
C
HEADLE WERE THE OTHER NEW ADDITIONS TO THE COMIC BOOK FRANCHISE, BUT IT WAS
M
ICKEY’S CASTING WHICH GOT MOST OF THE MEDIA ATTENTION.
R
EVIEWS WERE GENERALLY SO-SO, BUT MOST CRITICS PRAISED
R
OURKE’S MEMORABLE BAD GUY AS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THE MOVIE.
V
ETERAN
LOS ANGELES TIMES
CRITIC
K
ENNETH
T
URAN WROTE: “
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE LOOKS AS IF HE’S HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE AS
I
VAN
V
ANKO, A.K.A.
W
HIPLASH, A DISENCHANTED
R
USSIAN WITH A GRUDGE AGAINST OUR HERO.
W
HETHER CHEWING ON A TOOTHPICK, COZYING UP TO HIS PARROT OR DISPLAYING MORE TATTOOS THAN THE ENTIRE
R
USSIAN MAFIA,
R
OURKE’S
V
ANKO MAY look like a doorman at a bondage club when he gets into his Whiplash costume, but once he cracks those devastating whips the film takes advantage of his electricity.”

D
IRECTOR
J
ON
F
AVREAU PICKED
R
OURKE FOR THE ROLE BECAUSE HE KNEW THE VILLAIN HAD TO BE A COMPELLING FIGURE CAPABLE OF POSING A THREAT TO THE HERO, AND THERE ARE FEW ACTORS AROUND MORE COMPELLING OR THREATENING THAN
M
ICKEY.

N
OT BEING A FAN OF THE SUPERHERO GENRE,
R
OURKE LARGELY IGNORED THE HISTORY OF
W
HIPLASH IN THE
I
RON
M
AN COMIC BOOKS AND INSTEAD WENT WITH HIS OWN INSTINCTS ABOUT BUILDING THE CHARACTER, WHO
F
AVREAU HAD TOLD HIM WAS OF
R
USSIAN DESCENT AND HAD BEEN IN PRISON OVER THERE.
A
ND SO IT WAS THAT A FEW WEEKS AFTER CASTING
M
ICKEY, THE DIRECTOR SAW A NEWS CLIP ON THE
TMZ
TV
SHOW OF HIS ACTOR GETTING A TOUR OF A
R
USSIAN PRISON AS RESEARCH FOR HIS
IRON MAN 2
ROLE.
I
T CAME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE BECAUSE
M
ICKEY HADN’T TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING OVER THERE TO DO THAT.

B
UT THOROUGH RESEARCH IS ALL PART OF HIS PROCESS AND SO THE STAR WENT TO
M
OSCOW’S NOTORIOUS
B
UTYRKA PRISON, KNOWN FOR ITS BRUTAL CONDITIONS AND HARD-MAN INMATES, FIXED UP A TOUR OF THE PLACE FROM THE GUARDS, AND, WITH REAL DEDICATION TO DUTY, HE HAD HIMSELF LOCKED IN A CELL AND MANACLED IN AN ANCIENT TORTURE DEVICE.
L
ATER HE MET IN HIS HOTEL ROOM WITH A LOCAL EX-CONVICT WHO HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED AFTER THIRTEEN YEARS.
M
ICKEY, WHO HAD BEEN IN A FEW JAILS HIMSELF, BUT NOT BY CHOICE, WAS FASCINATED BY THE TATTOOS WITH WHICH LONGTIME PRISONERS IN
R
USSIA DECORATED THEIR BODIES TO REPRESENT EVERYTHING FROM THEIR CRIMES TO THEIR SEXUAL PREFERENCES.

O
N HIS RETURN TO THE
S
TATES,
M
ICKEY TOLD
F
AVREAU HE WANTED TO APPEAR IN THE FILM COVERED IN (TEMPORARILY PAINTED-ON) PRISON TATTOOS, WITH GOLD TEETH IN HIS MOUTH, AND HAVING A PET COCKATOO – ALL IDEAS THAT
F
AVREAU LIKED AND OKAYED.
M
ICKEY HAD EXPLAINED IT WAS ALL ABOUT BRINGING HUMANITY AND DIMENSIONS TO THE PART, SO HIS CHARACTER DIDN’T END UP A CARTOON
R
USSIAN VILLAIN, LIKE
D
OLPH
L
UNDGREN’S
D
RAGO CHARACTER IN
ROCKY IV
.
H
E ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ONLY
R
USSIAN IN THE MOVIE – BUT THE DIRECTOR SWIFTLY REJECTED THAT REQUEST.

A
S WELL AS LEARNING A
R
USSIAN DIALECT FOR THE ROLE,
M
ICKEY DEDICATED HIMSELF TO LOSING THE EXTRA WEIGHT HE HAD PUT ON FOR
THE WRESTLER
AND HIT THE TREADMILL WHILE WEARING A VEST FILLED WITH WEIGHTS, SIMULATING THE HEAVY ARMOR HE WOULD WEAR IN THE MOVIE.
W
HILE
D
OWNEY’S CHARACTER,
T
ONY
S
TARK, IS COMPLETELY ENCASED IN HIS METAL SUIT,
W
HIPLASH HAS A HALF-SUIT OF METAL AND LEATHER SHOWING OFF PLENTY OF MUSCULAR SKIN ALONG WITH THOSE
R
USSIAN PRISON TATTOOS.
H
IS HANDS AND TORSO ARE WRAPPED IN METAL BRACES SPORTING NEAT WEAPONS LIKE ELECTRIFIED WHIPS, AS WELL AS A GLOWING POWER PACK CHEST DEVICE SIMILAR TO THE ONE
I
RON
M
AN USES.

F
AVREAU AND
D
OWNEY WERE IMPRESSED BY
M
ICKEY’S CHARACTER CHOICES AND HIS DEDICATION TO THE FILM.
T
HEY HAPPILY SHARED STORIES OF HIS PRISON TRIP WITH 6,500 DELIRIOUSLY APPROVING FANS WHEN SCREENING THE FIRST CLIPS FROM THE FILM AT
S
AN
D
IEGO
C
OMIC
C
ON IN 2009.
F
AVREAU WON BIG LAUGHS FROM THE AUDIENCE, SAYING: “
I
T TURNED OUT HE WAS A SEX GOD IN
R
USSIA BECAUSE THE FIRST FILM THEY GOT OVER THERE AFTER
P
ERESTROIKA WAS
9½ WEEKS
!”
R
OBERT JOKED: “
W
HERE ELSE DO YOU WANT TO GO IF YOU’RE A SEX GOD IN
R
USSIA EXCEPT A PRISON!”
A
SKED ABOUT GETTING TO WORK WITH
M
ICKEY, WHO, LIKE HIM, HAD A SECOND CHANCE AFTER SELF DESTRUCTING HIS CAREER,
R
OBERT said: “I barely know what to say. I thought I was eccentric. But he’s something else.”

H
E DIDN’T MENTION QUITE HOW ECCENTRIC WORKING WITH
M
ICKEY HAD BEEN.
T
O HELP HIS PERFORMANCE,
R
OURKE HAD STOKED UP A BIT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE ON THE SET IN A BID TO TRY AND CREATE SOME TENSION BETWEEN HIM AND
D
OWNEY, SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH THEIR CHARACTERS FELT.
W
HEN FORMER DRUG ADDICT
D
OWNEY WAS ON THE SET,
R
OURKE WOULD SOMETIMES BLAST THE
A
MY
W
INEHOUSE SONG “
R
EHAB” FROM GIANT LOUDSPEAKERS.
R
OBERT LIKES SERENITY ON SET BUT
M
ICKEY SHATTERED THAT BY REPEATEDLY BLASTING OUT ANOTHER LOUD SONG “
C
RAZY” BY
G
NARLS
B
ARKLEY.
T
HE LEADING MAN IS NOT A METHOD ACTOR BUT PLAYED ALONG WITH THOSE ANTICS TO HELP
M
ICKEY’S PROCESS.
W
HEN HIS CO-STAR WOULD TRY AND ACT ADVERSARIAL OUTSIDE THEIR TRAILERS, SAYING THINGS LIKE “
S
EE YOU ON THE SET, PUNK,”
R
OBERT WOULD REPLY, “
E
R, OKAY…BAD GUY.”

B
UT IT ALL WORKED FOR THE FILM WHICH HAS BECOME FAR AND AWAY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF
M
ICKEY’S CAREER AND MADE HIM A BANKABLE STAR AT LAST, ENABLING HIM TO PICK AND CHOOSE HIS FUTURE PROJECTS INSTEAD OF TAKING WHATEVER OFFER IS ON THE TABLE.
Q
UITE A TURNAROUND!

I
’VE SEEN EVERY MOVIE
M
ICKEY HAS EVER MADE.
T
HEY’VE NOT ALL BEEN GOOD – IN FACT, MANY HAVE BEEN DOWNRIGHT DREADFUL – BUT HIS STAR QUALITY AND UNDIMMED TALENT SHONE THROUGH IN EVERY SINGLE ONE.

5
F
EMMES
F
ATALES

W
ITH A SCREECH OF CAR TIRES AND A FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC ENTRANCE,
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE ROLLED UP IN HIS CLASSIC 1961 BLACK
C
ADILLAC OUTSIDE THE HILLTOP CHURCH IN
P
ALOS
V
ERDES,
C
ALIFORNIA, WHERE HE WAS TO SAY HIS WEDDING VOWS.

I
T WAS 31
J
ANUARY 1981, THE SUN WAS SHINING, AND HE LOOKED QUITE A SIGHT IN A LIGHT PURPLE SUIT, LAVENDER SHIRT, AND PURPLE TIE.
M
INUTES LATER, HE WOULD WALK DOWN THE AISLE WITH BEAUTIFUL ACTRESS
D
EBRA
F
EUER, WHOM HE HAD MET AND FALLEN HEAD-OVER-HEELS IN LOVE WITH ALMOST A YEAR AGO TO THAT DAY.

T
HE PROUD GROOM HAD PLANNED EVERY ASPECT OF THE WEDDING HIMSELF, EVEN DESIGNING
D
EBRA’S RING OF DIAMONDS AND RUBIES, HIS FAVORITE JEWEL.

A
S HIS MOST PRECIOUS JEWEL OF ALL – THE BLUSHING BRIDE – CAME INTO VIEW,
M
ICKEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD STAY TOGETHER FOREVER.

H
OW WRONG HE WAS.

* * *

U
NTIL
M
ICKEY WAS WELL INTO HIS TWENTIES, HE HAD NEVER HAD A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP.
A
ND THEN HE FELL IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT WITH DAZZLING
D
EBRA
F
EUER.
T
HEY MET WHILE WORKING ON
HARDCASE
, A ONE-OFF
TV
CRIME DRAMA IN WHICH HE PLAYED A CRIMINAL AND SHE WAS THE UNDERCOVER COP OUT TO ARREST HIM.

B
ETWEEN SCENES,
M
ICKEY’S EYES WERE MOSTLY ON
D
EBRA RATHER THAN HIS SCRIPT.
H
E WOULD STARE LONGINGLY AT HER AND THEN QUICKLY LOOK AWAY WHENEVER SHE CAUGHT HIM GAZING AT HER.

F
EUER, BARELY TWENTY-ONE AT THE TIME, FELT
M
ICKEY WAS SHY AND STRANGE, BUT SHE WAS CERTAINLY ATTRACTED BY HIS ACTING TALENT.
S
HE ADMIRED HOW HE READ HIS LINES SO TRUTHFULLY, BUT WITHOUT EFFORT.

W
HEN THE CAMERA ROLLED, THE AWKWARD YOUNG MAN CAME TO LIFE AND GAVE A COMBUSTIBLE PERFORMANCE THAT REMINDED
D
EBRA OF HER ACTING IDOL,
M
ARLON
B
RANDO.
S
HE INVITED HIM OUT TO DINNER AT AN
I
TALIAN RESTAURANT, PURELY AS FRIENDS, ONE ACTOR TO ANOTHER, BUT STARTED FALLING FOR
M
ICKEY AS SOON AS THEY BEGAN TO TALK.
N
EITHER OF THEM TOUCHED THEIR FOOD.
H
E DESCRIBED AN IDEA FOR A BOXING MOVIE HE WANTED TO MAKE CALLED
HOMEBOY,
AND SHE LISTENED SPELLBOUND.
T
HE ATTRACTION CAME AS A SURPRISE TO HER BECAUSE HE WASN’T HER TYPE.
S
HE NORMALLY FANCIED
L
ATIN MEN.

D
EBRA ADMITTED LATER IN SEVERAL PRESS INTERVIEWS THAT SHE FOUND IT SURPRISING THAT
M
ICKEY HADN’T TRIED TO KISS HER ON THEIR FIRST DATE.
H
E WAS PROBABLY NERVOUS BECAUSE SHE HAD MADE A MASSIVE IMPRESSION ON HIM.
M
ICKEY KNEW THAT NIGHT THAT HE WANTED TO MARRY
D
EBRA.

H
E PROPOSED JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER, SHE SAID NO, BUT HE KEPT ON POPPING THE QUESTION AND GETTING KNOCK-BACKS.
D
EBRA DIDN’T WANT TO GET MARRIED BECAUSE SHE WAS FOCUSED ON HER CAREER AND, AS THEY CONTINUED TO DATE, SHE ASKED HIM TO SLOW THINGS DOWN.

B
UT SHE WAS YOUNG AND IN LOVE AND, WHEN A LOVE-SICK
M
ICKEY GAVE HER AN ULTIMATUM THAT SHE HAD TO MARRY HIM OR HE WOULD NEVER SEE HER AGAIN, SHE RELENTED AND ACCEPTED THE PROPOSAL.
B
Y THE TIME THEY WERE MARRIED,
M
ICKEY WAS ON THE VERGE OF THE BIG TIME: HE HAD MADE
BODY HEAT
, WAS ABOUT TO FILM
DINER,
AND HAD STARTED TO GET SOME HIGH-PAYING MOVIE OFFERS.