LOS ANGELES, Jan 30 Mickey Rourke is convinced hell lose out as Best Actor to Sean Penn at the 81st Academy Awards and he doesnt mind.
The actor, whos been generating raves via his comeback role in The Wrestler, feels that Penn's portrayal of Californias first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, in Milk was, brilliant, remarkable.
Besides, says Rourke, If I dont win an Oscar this year, I will next year or the year after that.
He has solid reason for such confidence.
Youll be seeing me in a lot of things thanks to The Wrestler, thanks to therapy and thanks to my behaving myself for the last 10 years, says the man who, after finding big time stardom in the 80s, fell from the limelight after earning a reputation for being difficult to work with and making a series of disastrous career moves.
He reveals, A sequel to Iron Man is coming together, with Robert Downey reprising his role and me playing the villain.
Also, theres 13, a wonderful film I made for French director Gela Babluani thats soon due for release. I made it after The Wrestler, when I was worried what and if anything would be next for me, and it turned out to be a test that I could be consistent which hasnt been my forte.
He adds that among the other projects that have suddenly caught fire thanks to The Wrestler is Wild Horses for director Walter Hill, which Rourke wrote 18 years ago.
Life is good, says the actor. Ive come to peace with anger and issues from long ago. I dont go to therapy four times a week, like I did for several years when I really needed to, but I still talk to the therapist twice a week from wherever Im at. I dont want to label myself a victim, but now I can understand the armour I wore for so long was hiding issues of abandonment and shame. I was a proud man, and pride and honour can bite you in the ass.
Rourke has already decided wholl be beside him when he struts down the red carpet at The Academy Awards. He reveals it wont be one of the women in his life. It will be, he says, The man responsible for my enjoying the good times now David Unger, the young agent at ICM who put his career on the line for me. For seven years he fought to revive the train wreck that was my career. Believe me, he risked a lot.