Home / Blog / Articles / L.A. Woman / Flicks / Guest Book / Links / Snapshots / FlipSide / Enosology / Rourkes Realm / Skinz
                                         www.Uniquely Rourke.com
                                          .......:: The Skinny ::.......
                     brought to you by Stephanie, with special guest appearances by Heather      

                       :: NEW! Click to view our brand new Skinny Archives page! ::     

 

The Official Trailer for The Wrestler
November 20th, 08'

 Includes the highly anticipated song by The Boss. (Pssst, check out Miss Heather at 1:57 in the trailer, yep her naughty self is in the front row....LOL)
According to Uncut Magazine, The Wrestler is scheduled to be released in the UK on January 16th, 2009.

                                                       The Wrestler

                          

                                      

                                    


Movie Poster.....Killshot
November 19th, 08'

  I’ve been asked if I would put up the trailer for Killshot. Of course, I will. Your wish is my command. From my understanding the trailers that have been released over the last several months do not  represent the most current retooling of the film. You’ll notice that the trailer you are about to watch still lists Johnny Knoxville as part of the film. I read awhile ago that Knoxville’s scenes have been cut from the movie. Do I know for sure? Hell No!! After all this is Killshot, the movie that has had more release dates than Carter has liver pills. Sorry, I don’t mean to be cynical. And to prove I want to bring about some positive vibes for this film to open on January 23rd 2009. Heather and I will cross our fingers, hop ten times on one foot and spit 3 times in the wind. I don’t know if that shit will work but what the fuck have we got to lose.  :)

 

 

Ciao,
Steph


The Word On The Street......
November 19th, 08'

   Mickey is still hitting high marks with film critics for his performance in ‘The Wrestler’. So to all of you out there who have written me worried about whether Mickey might be in some hot water over the shit that went down in the past - all I can say is let the bad juju go. It doesn’t benefit Mickey or those involved to rehash all that negative bullshit. When it’s all said and done - regardless the situation, Mickey steps up to the plate and takes it like a man.

 Keeping It Real
  
Site visitors have been asking if Heather received her gift from Mickey yet. The answer is yes. She hit the jackpot. Included with her one of a kind gift - was a note - that began with: “Beautiful Heather.” Awwww!! Barf!! Barf!! (just kidding buhahahaha!!)

 Can’t Get Enough of The Wrestler?
   Then head on over to Fox Searchlight ( the distributor) and keep up-to-date on all the latest tidbits, articles and videos. I can honestly say - you won’t be bored. I found this smokin' pic over there!

   Recently, Darren Aronofsky and Marisa Tomei held a screening of “The Wrestler” in one of my favorite places, Georgetown. (Aaah, don’t hyper ventilate tuna belle - I ain’t talking bout where you hail from) The Georgetown I’m yakking about is a historical neighborhood that is located on the outskirts of our nation’s capitol - Washington D.C. Woohoo!! I have had some good times in that neck of the woods. Oops, off track .. Oh Well. I get excited about Washington D.C. I’m a geek - what can I say.  HELLO!! If you have been there - you know what I mean.

 Let’s see, the screening was held at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown. Tricia Olszaoski - a journalist for the Washington City Paper covered the event. The piece she wrote was good. She gives ya the lowdown on some facts she learned from the Q & A, which was held after the screening.  For instance:

Bruce Springsteen, a friend of Rourke’s, wrote and performed the film’s closing-credits song for free.

– The screenplay is by former Onion editor-in-chief Robert D. Siegel.

– Aronofsky says he chose Rourke because he’s “kind of into actors that are a surprise.”

– Rourke, gruff, burly, and with his peroxide-blond locks in a hair net, served actual customers in scenes that show Randy working at a supermarket deli counter (which accounts for the shoppers’ mostly befuddled and somewhat amused expressions).

– Aronofsky chose to frequently shoot Rourke from behind because his mentor, The Pope of Greenwich Village director Stuart Rosenberg, told him that “Mickey is so expressive with his back.”

– Tomei was instructed to text the director when she decided whether she wanted the role of Randy’s love interest, a stripper named Cassidy: “rock ‘n’ roll” meant yes, “easy listening” meant no.

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper gave the film his blessing after standing up at a screening and scaring the crap out of Aronofsky and Tomei with a brusquely stammered, “What you guys did¼I don’t know where you did your research¼

– When one audience member said that he’s never touched drugs because he saw Requiem for a Dream when he was 14, Aronofsky replied, “I’m really, really sorry about that. You don’t know what you’re missing.”

 Aronofosky, Mickey & The Boss
   Holy Shit!!! Another Screening was held Sunday, November 16th in Boston at the Coolidge.  Fuckin’ A!!! ~  BOSTON ROCKS!!!!  Been there / done that many times...moving along... Here’s the lowdown from the Boston Globe on what went down at the Q & A.

 By the way - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s new album should be released January 2009. One of the bonus tracks will be the song “The Wrestler”  Source NME

Comeback Takes A Hollywood Tradition 
Variety
Jon Weisman

  To reach the point where he could once again amaze audiences, Mickey Rourke has, most certainly, been a wrestler. "Change to me has been tremendously hard, because it was something I resisted out of ego, arrogance and pride," says Rourke, whose buzz worthy performance in the upcoming Fox Searchlight release “The Wrestler” ensures he'll be revisiting the tale of his personal recovery countless times in the coming months as award season rolls on. Continue here

My Amsterdam Connection
  
This next diddy comes courtesy of Raymond Stolp. Not only is he my naughty Dutch boi reporter, but, he was going to allow me to shack-up at his place for the next 4 years if the outcome of a certain election didn’t go down the way I hoped. ( What can I say? I get a bit over zealot when it comes to politics). Anywho, Ray sent me an interview with Mickey that was conducted by David Poland. Let me forewarn you - the video is around 30 minutes long, but, it’s worth every minute. Turn off your cell phone, grab a cold one and some snacks!

 

  Before I wrap this up I want to comment on the not so surprising change in the release date of Killshot. I mentioned several weeks ago not to hold your breath, cuz,  I knew the Nov 7th  release date wouldn’t go down, but I posted the date anyway, because it’s what I do. Here’s the deal: Head Honcho Harvey Weinstein confirmed and I’m paraphrasing - that his studio wanted to release the flick to coincide with all the hype for “The Wrestler”. Umm, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, now I remember.. It was me!!!  See, I do know a lil’ bout the industry. (lol) The new release date is January 23, 2009 - Oh... Okay .. If you say so...

No Phone Sex for me tonight..... (lol) It’s my night off.... YAY!!

Ciao,
Steph


Another Day in The Life Of Mickey Rourke. It’s never a dull moment  :)
November 14th, 08'

  Last Thursday night November 7th , Mickey was in Los Angles at the AFI Festival Gala screening of ‘The Wrestler” held at the historic Gruman’s Chinese Theater. The place was SOLD OUT!! And Mickey was totally grooving on the scene. Naturally, his performance was hailed MAGNIFICIO!! Which only added more Oscar fuel to the huge bonfire that has been blazing ever so brightly since the film’s world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. On Saturday November 8th, our Myspace friend Alex went to another special screening of “The Wrestler” in Los Angles. He posted this diddy on uniquelyrourke’s Myspace page - with his permission - we are posting for all of you to read....

 Was privileged to see an advanced screen of The Wrestler. In my humble opinion: This is a real movie, like Taxi Driver. A roller-coaster ride of emotions. Rourke hits it out of the park! He completely embodies this character. Fearlessly immerses himself as usual. His performance is 100% truthful and real. Even if you aren't a fan of wrestling, which I'm personally not, you get sucked in. He deserves awards for this one. Let's hope they have the budget to campaign for him come Oscar time.

 Thanks Alex.....

 More Of The Good Stuff That Went Down In LA.
  Around 5:30 pm, the day after the AFI screening of “The Wrestler”  I got a call from Heather. She told me that Melissa just sent her a text message letting her know that Mickey had just sent her a text message, asking her to go to the press junkets that were being held for The Wrestler at his favorite hotel, The Four Seasons. Mel told Heather to call her asap. So she did. Well, what transpired was the typical chick shit that goes on between women who like each other and are good friends. Ya know.. what am I going to wear, I gotta do my hair and make-up. Honestly, if you have watched the video Mel did for us, you’d know that chick doesn’t need to do a whole lot to her fine self. She’s one smokin’ chica. Anywho, about an hour later Mel sent Heather another text message but this time it included a photo.... taken just for Heather, myself and uniquelyrourke. Look closely, who’s that fella in the mirror....  To those who have doubted us and to those who have continued to lie about our official status ~ look real close at the photo.. Then eat shit!!!

 

  I wish I could have been a part of their text menage a trois, but I had a date that night. Bummer. HELLO!! During the course of the evening Heather was text messaging up a storm with Mel & Mickey. In one of the text messages, he thanked us for doing such a good job on the website and that he loved us. Shhh!!! Don’t tell anyone but it seems like he especially loves Heather cuz Mickey sent her a lil’ present in the mail. It’s something no one else has. It should be arriving any day. Yep, she’s getting another one of a kind gift.

 Kickin’
The Wrestler Poster!!! Woohoo!!! Courtesy of one of the best on the net  MoviesOnline.

 

 

 Mickey Gets His Due
  Variety reports that the 24th Annual Santa Barbara Film Festival will honor Mickey at the Arlington Theater on Jan 30th 2009. The festival runs Jan. 22nd thru Feb. 1st.  

 Hot Off the Press
  The December issue of Maxim Magazine - featuring Mickey is on Sale Now!!! It’s a really good fuckin’ good  interview and has a lot of photo’s. Here’s a sample of what you will be reading..

 * He likes living in his West Village Home

 *Neighbors call out to him to say Hi but don’t take his picture.

 * Everyone has a dog where he lives. In the article he names of all his dogs, what kind they are and how old they are : Oh fuck it.. I’ll give you the lowdown..

Loki - aka # 1 - 15 years old & Chihuahua/ Terrier

Jaws - “The Enforcer”, aka  Guapo ( “Handsome” in Spanish) - 6 yrs old & white terrier

Ruby - aka Ruby Baby - 5 yrs old - white Alaskian mini Pomeranian

La Negra - aka Fat Bastard - 4 yr old black Pug

Bella - aka Bella Loca - 13 yr old - Chihuahua/ Terrier

Peppino - aka Taco Bell - was a Christmas gift from Mickey to JP. She is 2 yrs old, and a chocolate brown Chihuahua (wondering who JP is? Buy Maxim to find out...lol)

Also included is a sample menu of the nightly specials for Mickey dogs.

 *There is anatomically correct rubber dildo that is suction cupped to a parlor wall. ( ooh a dildo... yum-yum )

* Sunday’s are Mexican Night. It consists of take-out burrito’s and tacos, which are downed with Coronas. ( Stephy, I know where we are headin' on a Sunday night!  woo-hoo!)

* Dominating the living room is a candle-lit shrine, complete with snapshots, surrounding a statue of the Virgin Mary. It is a requiem to his beloved younger brother Joe. Who Rourke say’s “Is the inspiration for everything I do.” Rourke tossed Joe’s ashes into the sea where he says he heard Joe’s voice and saw a flash of blue light.  “I just stood at the foot of the ocean and screamed. Then I went back to my hotel room and drank a bottle of whiskey.” And now he believe that when he sees a blue light anywhere that Joey is with him cueing him in.

 * Mickey’s father once held the title of Mister New York USA

 * The famous Father Pete ( Colapietro) speaks. { Father Pete is funny}

 Speaking Of Dogs
 
Heather has written a new blog. It seems as though its not enough to shit all over Mickey - now the media  has taken to picking on Mickey’s best friend Loki. Yeah, you heard me right. Oooh, those big bad journalist have nothing better to do than pick on a defenseless dog. Here’s a positive tidbit related to Loki.. Mickey LOVES  the Myspace page we put up in honor of that sweet little Chihuahua/ Terrier.

 Site Update
  The Guest Book (page 2) has been updated to reflect the first week in October. YAY!! Heather is almost caught up on all the entries...   Way to go.. Now get back to work BITCH!!! (lol)

  Prove It!!!
 
As ya’ll know.... It’s been difficult for a certain fraudulent, egotistical and self admitted manipulator to get the fuck over uniquelyrourke’s official status. Apparently, the administrators, editors, web masters, associates to the assistant administrators and whateva other bullshit titles they can lay on themselves and their - clueless friends - are once again starting shit. There behavior is indicative of what they have tried to do in the past : Spread lies about us and Mickey Rourke. Hmm, perhaps they should apply for a job - with the same person/persons, who went out of their way to try and bring down Mickey this past week. Here’s the latest : these parasites have felt the need to call uniquelyrourke unreliable and have made claims that the site is not official. Yawn! Yawn!! Here we go again. Hmm, so they are calling Mickey a liar. Is this ever gonna end?? I mean these uncreative mutants have gone as far as copying the format of the Skinny.

 Stand Back - I’m On A Roll
 
Face it mutha’ fucker’s - you can create divisions upon divisions that supposedly coincide with your main unofficial web ring but, in the end your still the same vindictive, lying, thieves you were over 3 years ago. You are nothing more than a rip-off of uniquelyrourke. And you’ll never be Official. Get this! Even the Editor of the lame duck verison of the Skinny only writes something when I do. WOW!! You’re one brilliant editor. What a joke? Simply calling yourself an editor doesn’t make you one. Duh!!!!  I gotta say.. These folks have given birth to more Rourke off-shoots than a bitch in heat. It’s horrible. They have made a mockery of Mickey. He’s a man. Not a business for you to promote yourself.

  I’m really pissed about this shit and it’s not because of what they have said about us.. Hells Bells, that’s old news. My anger stems from the fact they are calling out Mickey - at a time when this poor guy has been put through the ringer. Now don’t go acting coy. I’m sure you all know what Mickey has gone through over the last several days. There is no way in hell you haven’t read the hostile comments written about him and his friend Evan Rachel Wood, by aaaah, ....*cough* cough*... Grrr!!!  Pffft!!! Ish!! I have a lil’ vomit in my mouth. I don’t need to give ya a name, you should know it/them...

 Anywho, Heather and I want to thank the hundreds of fans writing in support of Mickey and wanting to know what happened. Here’s the deal : Mickey has already made his statement to the press about the incident that occurred this past Sunday in Los Angles.  However, I can tell you that a source, who was groovin' with Mickey in Las Vegas that night, states that Evan Rachel Wood was NOT in Las Vegas with them and, like Mickey has said countless other times, that Mickey & she are not dating. They are just good friends. I may have more to say at a later date... It’s all about timing.

In My Opinion...

  Mickey really is a fuckin’ amazing person. He’s been there for us and we will always have his back.. The beauty of Mickey is this... He can’t be anything other that who he is, hence, it never ceases to amaze me how - people love him one minute and then choose to take a dump on him the next. It’s just not fair. Sure he’s flawed - but who isn’t?? Ya know, all this hullabaloo went down - without any provocation from Mickey. Maybe the catty imps, who pointed their nasty judgmental finger Mickey’s way should go take a long hard look in the mirror, cuz they might find the person looking back - isn’t all that desirable. Oh wait, what the fuck am I thinking. I’m assuming these folks have souls and a conscience. Can you imagine when they look in the mirror and all they see looking back at them is a shell of what should be a human being.   
In fact, they are far worse than Mickey Rourke could ever be. See, Mickey doesn’t have to earn his living by circulating lies and innuendoes about folks he doesn’t know. The cretins who came after Mickey have made a damn good living out of heaping verbal abuse on people. They don’t care who they hurt, because all they see is the bright lights in their hazy minds that read FAME & FORTUNE AT ANY COST!!!

 I’m done ranting. Now I have to get back to my night job - Phone Sex Operator.  I need to stimulate the economy, *wink*wink*.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it....(lol)

 Ciao,
Steph

 


New Rourke Article....
November 2nd, 08'

 Check out the most recent article on Mickey at Entertainment Weekly Online. Of course, if you wanna go to the newsstand and buy the magazine you can do that all also. But why wait? Mickey really opens himself up, read it! (Heather and I read this article together. We find it hard to believe that only 6 months ago, she was there in Dover, NJ to witness Mickey giving the speech he had written for “The Wrestler”. She was front and center, ringside baby. Mickey gave her something very special that night after filming. Something no else has in their possession, a piece of him. Can you guess what it is?)

 FYI - A couple of weeks ago, I posted on the Skinny that Maxim would feature Mickey in their magazine. Look for it to hit the stands sometime next month. Apparently, there is a juicy excerpt from the article floating round the internet. I’ve been asked whether it’s true or not. Here’s the deal: For some reason, folks are having a problem with Mickey saying he has sex toys and a stripper pole in his apartment. HELLO!! Grow up people!! WTF!!!  Did ya’ll think Mickey was a virgin!! (lol) Anywho, I’ll get to that shit later, I’ll also answer the questions about where Heather and I have been hiding. Shhh!! Don’t tell anyone but, we’ve been playing with our sex toys. DUH!! Buhahahaha!!!

Until next time

Ciao,
Steph


Mr. Jetsetter
October 23rd, 08'

 Here are some pics of Mickey at the opening ceremony dinner honoring Al Pacino at the
 3rd Rome International Film Festival.  Damn, Mr. Rourke sure does get around. (lol) Thanks to Getty Images!

 That’s all for now... Oops - One more thing .. what’s up with all the bitchin’ bout Mickey takin’ on this new flick “13" Some folks (who will remain nameless) can’t seem to keep their fuckin’ nose’s outta Mickey’s career choices. Hello!! Did he call you on the phone to ask your opinion? Definitely not, the real question is, why do you dare question Mickey’s movie choices (again)? This happened with “The Wrestler”.

Go get a job, life, laid or whatever. Come on guys, you don’t pay his bills. Pfft!! This shit is too whacky.

Ciao,
Steph


13 ...is Mickey's lucky number
October 20th, 08'

The Hollywood Reporter and Variety reveal that Mickey will add his acting skills to an English version of the French thriller film and the winner of the 2006 Sundance Grand Jury Prize -13 Tzameti. (Which is a kickin’ flick) It will be begin shooting November 17th in Mickey’s own backyard -  New York. 

 You maybe asking why we didn’t break the story, and that’s a good question. Here is the deal: we have been told at times when Mickey is doing business. However, he never discloses the exact meaning of what he is doing. Besides, it would not be ethical for us to give the lowdown on Mickey’s career moves unless Mickey authorizes us to do so. You have to understand it’s not always about getting the story first. With uniquelyrourke being Mickey’s Official web site - there are certain legal & moral responsibilities we have. He made us his official site for many reasons - one of them being we have tight lips. So if you don’t get it, then you don’t Mickey.

Ciao,
Steph


When In Doubt, Knock Em’ Out!!!
October 18th, 08'

 Looks like The Wrestler is really making the rounds at the film festivals here in the US and aboard. If you have never been to a film festival - I highly recommend it. The energy of the crowd is completely different than that of a regular movie theater crowd. I remember when I went to see Spun a few years ago at the Florida Film Festival. Holy shit that was a wild ride! So, if you are able to give a film festival a whirl - go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

 Mickey arrived in Antalya on Friday to attend the screening of “The Wrestler” at the 45th Golden Orange Film Festival in Turkey.

 The 44th Chicago International Film Festival - October 16th - October 29th. "The Wrestler” will be showing on 10/24 - 7 pm @ AMC River East.

 Something New
A couple of days ago, Heather and I, received an email from Jim Rohner - a film producer and film critic for the Film & Video Channel at www.zoom-in.com  - asking us if we would read his review of “The Wrestler” and would we post it on uniquelyrourke if we liked it. Upon reading his review I responded back to Jim and told him there would be no problem. Heather and I both dug the piece. We thought the content was insightful, thoughtful and well written. Jim made sure that he gave you the lowdown on what the film was about - along with his observations on Mickey’s performance as wrestler, Randy ‘the ram’, which was all good. Here’s something else I noticed about this review, while other film critic’s have been positive about Mickey’s performance, they still had to take some cheap shots about Mickey’s past.  Jim didn’t do this. For example, he didn’t drudge up Mickey’ s past discretions or harp on what Mickey could have /should have done with his career before hitting it big with “The Wrestler”.  Uniquelyrourke wants to thank Jim for giving us the heads up on his review otherwise who knows is we’d have known about it. After reading the review - give the web site the ole hairy eyeball. You won’t be bored.  Below is an excerpt:

 The Wrestler is already generating murmurs of Academy Award glory catalyzed by a career-resurrecting performance by leading man Mickey Rourke. Not opening wide until December, the organizers of the New York Film Festival wisely selected The Wrestler as the closing night film for October 12th, whetting the palettes of critics and further spreading the word to audiences about one of the most powerful, well-crafted, and best films of the year. Read more here

 Have a Great Weekend !!

 Ciao,
 Steph

 

Bump-N-Run
October 16th, 08'

 Blame the Presidential Debate & Heather for todays puny Skinny. (lol) That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Say What?
  I had to go hunting for this damn video diddy after Heather told me she spotted an
Access Hollywood
microphone shoved in Mickey’s face, in a photo she was drooling over.  Haha!! Leatha’ I outed you. As for the interview, it is what it is. A short sound bite. Umm, doesn’t sound like Mickey cared too much for the words comeback or Comeback Kid.  I’m so glad I’ve not used those terms to describe Mickey. In my opinion he’s always been around, he just needed the right film to bring him back to the forefront of the industry. Click HERE to view the video.

We Know You
  Here’s a photo of Mickey’s long time friend & Bullet co-star John Enos at the New York Film Festival premiere of ‘The Wrestler’.  John has also been mega kopastetic to both Heather and myself. He has been a supporter of our site for a few years. If you haven’t checked out our page titled Enosology, your missing out. John’s a cool fuckin’ guy.

 
That Mickey!!
  Whenever we get word from one of Mickey’s friends that they have received a text, phone call or have hooked up with him, a majority of the time they always end the message they send us with the exclamation ‘that Mickey’. Heather has learned first hand what that means and I’m not talking about her visit with Mickey on the set of ‘The Wrestler’. Let me put it to you this way~ Mickey has one hell of a sense of humor. I’ll leave it at that. This brings me to the photo below. The first thing that popped in my head when I first saw it was ‘that Mickey’, he’s a hoot!!! 

Mickey Rourke’s future is so bright he's gotta wear shades. "The Wrestler" actor clowned around with co-star Evan Rachel Wood at the film's premiere at the closing night of the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center, and told us the two prepped for their scenes "by separately chain-smoking packs of cigarettes beforehand." The nicotine worked: The duo's chemistry is intense. Source: NY Daily News

Site Update
 Check out our Skinny Archive pages, Heather will be adding more soon.

I think I’ve covered everything for now, but you never know.

Ciao,
Steph


All Good Things Come In Time
October 14th, 08'

 Mickey rocked the house. The Wrestler closed the New York Film Festival, this past Sunday..  The positive vibes coming from critics about Mickey’s stellar performance is beyond what anyone could imagine. It’s so kick ass to read articles about Mickey that have no references or comparisons to the late great actors James Dean/ Marlon Brando.  HELLO!!!  They finally get it... He’s Mickey Fuckin’ Rourke !!!  Woohoo!!!

Rourke “Wrestles” with pride & Shamming

 Rourke pinned

The Cultural Tourist

Mickey introduces his ‘best film ever’

Two Video Clips from The Wrestler
(Thanks Dale)

Mickey Snapshots
Okay, I’m going to go all out girly on ya’ll, so bear with me for just a sec. Hells Bells,  the recent pictures of Mickey at the New York Film Festival are smokin’ hot... Alrighty, I’ve  finished with my 10 panty experience... ; )

The Boss
I’ve been asked if I have heard the Springsteen song that plays at the end of flick ‘The Wrestler’. My answer is yes, however the audio quality was really poor, because it was a bootlegged copy.  As I have stated previously on the Skinny, I will not put up bootlegged material on the site.

 Moooove On!!!
Imagine this ~ adults (for lack of a better word) between the ages of 40 & 50 - who are spending every waking moment trying to devise ways to bring down uniquelyrourke. It matters not to these lonely, pitiful, don’t get outta the house much souls that Mickey said we are his official site (see our youtube video as proof). For some reason in their twisted, soured, murky, convoluted, all circuits are crossed brains - they believe that Mickey Rourke is going to come down off the mountain - place his hands on their heads and say: “You are the chosen ones.”  What more do you expect from thieves of the delusional percussion? Although, there is a new tactic they are using. They are jumping up and down in cyberspace (who knew that was possible) with their arms flaying wildly over their heads - while wailing in their most annoying voice’s - like  sinners who believe they have found salvation: “Mickkkkey Loooook At Meeeee!!! Mickkkkey! Mickkkkkey!! Mickkkkkey!!! Lil’ do they know, or want to accept, Mickey isn’t listening. He’s made his choice.

With the latest developments involving these tadpoles - we contacted certain people to let them know what was going down. Here’s the deal: Tomorrow is a new day. And I should have more to tell ya later in the coming week. However, we ourselves did receive a message from the mountain: You have nothing to prove. We can't agree more!

Anywho, head on over to our friend LaShane’s site Mickey Rourke Walls - she too has something to say.

Ciao,
Steph


The Pain Has Subsided...
October 11th, 08'

In my tush (as Heather calls it) for now. I’m going to attempt to toss at ya as much news as I possibly can. It may seem like a rush job and I do apologize, but I can only sit for a short span of time.

 Mickey Does NY FF
Prior to breaking my ass last week - I told ya’ll that New York Film Festival was underway and there had been a special screening of The Wrestler on Wednesday, October 1st.  Afterwards, a press conference was held with a panel consisting of Mickey (duh!), Darren Aronofsky and Marissa Tomei.

 Articles

I realized I had to change

 The Wrestler

 Aronofsky, Rourke talk wrestler

 Darren Aronofsky on “The Wrestler

 Salon : The Wrestler

 BlogCritic : The Wrestler

 BOP : Holidays 2008

 The NYFF Press Conference (read all about Mickey teaching Marissa Tomei how to work the strip pole lol)

My naughty Dutch boi reporter ~ Raymond Stolp - sent me this video footage from slashfilm. FYI ~ There are five videos on this page, therefore, you’re going to need to give the page time to load.-up

Thanks Ray Boi!!!! Now bend over!!!! (lol)

 

The Turkish Riviera??
Yeah you heard me right! Mickey and Marissa Tomei are slated to premiere “The Wrestler” at The Eurasia Film Festival (October 10th - October 19th).  I gotta be straight up, this one is new to me!! :)

Read all about it here

 

Rourke Discussion
Over the last month or so we have been getting emails from folks requesting info on how they can become more involved with uniquelyrourke. Honestly, the only thing we have going where fans can participate is our yahoo group -  The Rourke Roundtable. The group has been floating about for a year and interaction in the group varies.

The lowdown on the Roundtable goes something like this....There are 3 moderators - myself, Heather and our friend LaShane (she owns Mickey Rourke Walls and she’s the former moderator of a once GREAT Rourke group). Umm, lets see..... You don’t need a special invitation to join the group however, you do have to sign up. Heather and I didn’t set it up that way cuz we wanna be bitches. The reason for this format is - our unrealistic need to control spammers.

Anywho, the Rourke Roundtable is for adults. This means we shouldn’t have to do any policing of the group and you can say what you want, the way you wanna say it. All we ask is that you show RESPECT to group members. 

So if you wanna join - have at it!!!

Now, to answer the question of those folks who want to know if they can send us articles & photo’s. Hell yeah, we’ll take em’. Just tell us how you want us to give ya the props you deserve for donating your Rourke Goods, to Mickey’s official site. (yeah, I had to the OFFICIAL word again) lol

I’m back in the saddle - albeit with a pillow.

Ciao,
Steph


BBC Interview....
October 8th, 08'

Here’s what ya’ll have been asking for....  Enjoy ~ I’ll be back later - Ciao Steph
 

                                                       The Dark Side Of Fame
                                                              Mickey Rourke
                                                                Parts 1 - 4

 

 

 

 


                                                                                                                                                                                       


Mickey Rourke: The Dark Side Of Fame
October 8th, 08'

Heather here…wondering where Stephy and all the news is? We’ll she will be making an appearance here later today. She fell and literally busted her ass, no shit. To get down to the brass tacks of it all, 1 of her dogs was eager to take a stroll and in his excitement to go for a walk, got his leash wrapped around her legs and she took a tumble down the stairs. Her tailbone is aching something fierce, I can sympathize, I did the same thing awhile back only it involved beer cans and freshly oiled hardwood floors. (Don’t ask…lol)

Stephy has some fabby news/info about the Piers Morgan show called The Dark Side of Fame that recently aired on BBC. Wondering who Piers Morgan is? He’s 1 of the judges from that television show Americas Got Talent. I dunno how long or short her Skinny about it will be, seeing as she goes thru intervals of sitting and standing to ease her achin’ tush, but in true Stephy form, it will be rockin’!

 We wanna thank all our friends/supporters and Mickey's fans from across the pond for sending us so much bangin’ feedback about the show, your opinions, what was discussed ect. We will have your Guest Book entries up real soon. I’ve almost got that 3rd page done (wink, wink)

 A synopsis of the show goes like this…. Mickey Rourke talks about the end of his Hollywood movie career when consistently negative headlines saw him go head to head with the studios - and lose. After walking away from the silver screen, he tried his luck as a boxer, but yearns for his old life as an icon even though he has apparently burned all his bridges

A blurb from Piers in an interview about the show - "'I've just interviewed the actor Mickey Rourke for Dark Side Of Fame,' he says. 'He was sitting there, this guy with the smashed-up face and gnarled hands, saying, "Do you know what losing is? It's when you ring up a restaurant in Hollywood and they know who you are, but they say they can't give you a table."

That’s it for me. Look for Stephy’s Skinny later today!

Muah,
Heather


Oh No, Not Again!!!
October 2nd, 08'

 Several weeks ago I wrote on the Skinny that the Weinstein Company had set-up a new release date for the movie Killshot.... November 7th 08'. While I wasn’t so sure the date would stick I remained positive, yet cautious. My attitude about the release date was take it with a grain of salt cuz nothing is set in stone when it comes to the world of film. 

 Here’s the deal: According to the L.A. Times, Killshot has been pulled once again from its theatrical release. OMG!! NOT AGAIN!!! I’m totally flabbergasted and have been caught off guard by this latest development in the Killshot saga. NOT!! Hahaha!! Nothing concerning this film surprises me anymore. Shit, thank goodness the LA Times kept tabs on how many release dates Killshot has had, cuz I lost count a long time ago. (FYI - there has been 5 release dates associated with this film). Out of curiosity I headed on over to the Weinstein Company website to see if I could get the lowdown. Unfortunately, there was no lowdown to be found. They still had Killshot listed with the November 7th date, which doesn’t mean a whole hell of a lot. 

The question I’m sure many of you are asking yourselves is when will this flick hit the big screen? Umm, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re looking at early 2009. All I can say to Rourke fans is this - you haven’t heard the end of the Killshot - when the fuck is this movie gonna be released - melodrama. Holy shit, wait till you read all the changes this film has been thru to get it ready for its debut. All I have to say is this: Ms. G, you were holding out on me!! Shame on you!! ; )

I’m going to bed. My brain is fried !!!

Ciao,
Steph


The Latest...
October 1st, 08'

 The New York Film Festival is in full swing. This morning “The Wrestler” had it’s US debut. It was reported that this movie would be closing the festival. Don’t ask me what the fuck happened (lol). Who knows. It may have been a special screening. Anywho, www.defamer.com, has written a piece about the press conference Mickey Rourke & Darren Aronofsky attended after the showing of the flick. Read it!!

Until we meet again

ciao,
Steph


I Knew This Would Happen ....WTF!!!!
October 1st, 08'

According to Variety, Michael De Luca, Allison Rosenzweig and Michael Gaeta have optioned the rights for the 1987 Mickey Rourke film Angel Heart. These 3 made sure to cover all their bases. They’ve also optioned the book rights to Fallen Angel by William Hjortsberg. If you don’t already know, this is the book that Angel Heart was based on.
The remake is in the developmental stages.
When are people going to learn you can’t remake a classic? What’s next, The Pope of Greenwich Village!!! Read all about it here

 Behind The Scenes
I have some kickin’ stuff to tell you about 9 ½ Weeks. Something only the persons involved would know, but shit happens. Hence, my inability to post it tonight, maybe I’ll type it up tomorrow for ya’ll to read. If not -- before the weekend.

The Chick With The Diamonds In Her Hair
Who’s Melissa Prophet?
I think she told you in the video - she made per Mickey’s request. Here’s the deal: Not only does she know almost everyone in Hollywood, she is also Mickey’s very, very close friend. Ya know the kind of friend that you call and they call you right back or in some cases texts you right back. (lol). Anywho, if you have seen the 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci (another one of her very close friends) Frank Vincent (another very close friend) & Sharon Stone, then you have seen Melissa. Take a peek at her on the big screen
 

 

In case ya’ll forgot. (Thanks Melissa, Thanks Mickey!)
 

 In Conclusion
We’ve gotten so many congratulations from Mickey Rourke fans, his friends and other web site owners that aren’t listed on our page. We wanna thank everyone who has sent their congrats to us, you all rock! 

Ciao,
Steph


Business as Usual
September 27th, 08'

Todays Skinny is gonna be short. I’ve been sick for the last couple of days and at the moment don’t feel much like sitting at the computer for too long. Sorry!!

Site Updates
Anywho, I finally got around to typing up another Rourke magazine interview for our Articles page. This time I’ve dug up a 1987 American Film interview titled Acting Out by Margy Rochlin. You’ll read about Mickey’s contempt for a certain studio executive while making A Prayer for the Dying
(a movie who’s outcome was a huge let down for Rourke) and how he came to land the role in Barfly. I got to give it to you straight up, even after 21 years the intensity in this interview still lingers on. Maybe I feel that way because whether it’s the Rourke of 1987 or the Rourke of 2008 - he always lays his feelings out for everyone to see. And while his disdain for the industry has subsided as he’s gotten older there’s no denying there will never be another Mickey Rourke, he is one of a kind.

Woohoo!! Heather has page 2 of the Guest Book uploaded. I know, I know. It must seem as though we took our sweet ass time with updating it however, we’ve had our reasons for the delays. If you don’t see you entry on page 2 - don’t fret. Heather tells me there will be a page 3. And from now on we are going keep shit up to date.

Movie Biz
The Informers still has no confirmed release date. All I’ve been able to get wind of is sometime in November. Wouldn’t that be something Killshot & The Informers released in the same month. That definitely would give fans their much needed Rourke fix. Okay, now it’s time for me to cover my fuckin’ ass. Release dates are subject to change. (lol)

Seems some nameless Rourke sites have listed The Night Job, a movie that had Mickey’s name attached to it a couple of years ago, as a film that is still a go. Pfft! Misleading fans about this film is wrong on so many levels. Fer fuck’s sake - a bullshit rumor was whispered in my ear only days ago and it goes something like this: Mickey’s trip to LA a few months ago had him filming the Night Job. HELLO!!! I’ll give you the lowdown on Mickey’s trip, cuz as I reported a few weeks ago, we were told before anyone else that Mickey was in LA. There is no way in HELL Mickey had time to work on a movie. He was in LA for only a few days. He met up with many of his LA Friends - Melissa being one of them - and took care of some business. He also attended the birthday party of designer friend - Christian Audigier - of Ed Hardy fame. If Mickey had been working on this flick we would have been told. Here is a direct quote - “it was a very short trip” (Mickey Rourke)

Sin City 2
Folks - don’t bug me about this film yet. Mickey has yet to sign on the dotted line. I hope to have more info to give ya’ll real soon

Killshot
The November 7th release date is still on.

Upcoming Magazine Spread
Maxim editor at large Steve Garbarino has spent a lot of time over the last few weeks interviewing Mickey for the magazine.
Source: The Post 

Rourke On Blu-ray
Man on Fire
Body Heat - release date - 10/07
Coming Soon - Sin City

If you want to get the low down on new Blu-ray releases, you can check out any of your favorite places to shop for DVDs.

Uniquelyrourke Goes OFFICIAL
Heather and I want to say THANK YOU to all who have sent their congratulations. It means a lot to us, the support and well wishes are much appreciated!

Ciao,
Steph


                 Welcome to uniquelyrourke : The Official Site Of Mickey Rourke
                 
September 24th, 08

 That’s right!!! We’ve been waiting several weeks to make the announcement that Mickey has chosen us as his official site. The video your about to view was made around the time Mickey was in Venice. The reason for the delay was simple - we had some uploading issues with the video. Amazingly, Heather and I weren’t really stressed about the set-back - we knew that when the time was right - everything would work itself out and that fuckin’ video would upload…..  Woohoo!!!!

 Ya know. For three mutha’ fuckin’ years we’ve put up with SHIT from other Rourke web sites.  For three years we have fought to tell the truth on uniquelyrourke - about the lies they have spread about Mickey, Heather, myself, our friends and our families. For three years, we have held steadfast, our claims that they had no connection to Mickey or ever had his permission to use his name in a way to promote themselves or to use his name in an official capacity. For three years, we have told fans - Mickey Rourke is NOT online nor does anyone have the RIGHT to say he is. 

 The video you’re about watch was made per Mickey Rourke’s request. Now for those who don’t believe what we’ve been telling you - it no longer matters. Fuck You!!  You wanna believe a bunch of horseshit from people who call themselves Mickey’s site managers, administrators, administrator assistant, writers at large, video managers go ahead and knock yourselves out. By all means, continue to be CLUELESS!

One more thing - ya don’t wanna fuck with Melissa Prophet cuz she’s known Mickey... let me put it this way, long before he did the movie Rumble Fish. Not only that, Heather and I will lay a bitch slapping on anyone who disses her cuz, we GOT her back. We live by Mel’s motto - You fuck with the bull - you get the horns and that includes the Sicilian horns too. (lol) Mel is a fuckin’ GREAT person. She is old school when it comes to her family, friends and clients. In other words, she is fiercely loyal and she walks the line for those she cares about. Heather and I have experienced her generosity. She has stood by us and the cocksuckin’ bunk that has crossed our paths. She witnessed, with her own eyes, what we have gone through and lil’ did we know - she told told Mickey all about it. Furthermore, Heather wouldn’t have met Mickey - if it weren’t for Mel and we wouldn’t have gotten the big YES (from Mickey) that changed our lives.

 Okay, I’ve said all that needs to be said. Oops, I forgot to mention - uniquelyrourke is Mickey’s official page on Myspace also.  Buahahaha!!! HELL YEAH!!! Enjoy the video!!! Mel’s a fuckin hoot!!!

Let’s just say - the ending is something you wouldn’t expect!!  Even we didn’t know - until we watched it!!  OMG!!! I forgot to thank Mickey Rourke. Fuck, if he didn’t say YES, all the positive shit happening to uniquelyrourke wouldn’t be going on.

 

 Mickey Hated The 90's

Duh!! ;)   
Several days ago, I mentioned an article that the Village Voice had written about Mickey. Good News! It’s finally been posted.. YAY!!

Tidbits
Heather recently put up a new category on our link’s page titled - Friends With Benefits. It refers to Rourke sites that are linked to us. Besides, LaShane’s site Mickey Rourke Walls, we’ve added: Wrong Side Of The River - A Rumble Fish Fan Site. Go give it a look-see.

Look for new stuff to be added to uniquelyrourke in the near future. Keep in mind, Heather and I are the only ones working this site - so don’t expect major changes in a day or two. (lol)

uniquelyrourke has surpassed a half million site visitor hits. Thanks!!!

I’m outta here. It’s been a very long day. 

Catch up with ya later ~

Ciao,
Steph


In Europe an actor is an artist. In Hollywood, if he isn't working, he's a bum.
September 17th, 08'

Still December 19th
A new factor in the equation concerning the release of The Wrestler is that the film will only be seen in a few theaters aka limited release. Let’s hope the status changes in the near future to a nation wide release.

 Bogus...
There is a petition circulating around the net concerning a star on the Walk Of Fame for Mickey. I’ve been over this numerous times in the past however, with all the folks surfing the web looking for shit on Mickey, the question has been brought to my attention again. Here is what ya need to know...

Mickey Rourke is not affiliated with this petition. As some of you have pointed out to me, the petition is written in a way that leads FANS to believe - Mickey has his hand in it. AS IF!!! Think about it… Do you really think Mickey would have people he doesn’t know on the internet BEGGING fans to sign a petition? HELLO!! We know for a fact Mickey is not interested!! Besides, what this petition fails to mention is that question number # 9 on the Hollywood Chamber Of Commerce FAQ page clearly states:

Q: Does the committee accept signatures/petitions/phone calls? A: The committee does not accept signatures, phone calls, e-mails, or any form of petitions for a nomination. Only official Walk of Fame applications are accepted.

 For real guys, getting a star is not as simple as these people are making it out to be. Mickey has got to be involved from the get go and he’s not. In case ya’ll think I’m full of shit and just being a bitch here is the link to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, these are the folks you have to go through in order to be nominated.

Here’s the deal, we asked several months prior to this petition being set up - if Mickey would like a star on the walk of fame at this time, due to the fact we would need his involvement in the process, for example, he had to write a letter to the chamber of commerce - the answer was NO! I don’t believe he was being a prick about it or anything - it’s just that he wasn’t interested and he has that right. Even several of his close friends also stated - Mickey wasn’t going to do it. If ya think about it - his world - not ours. Heather and I respect Mickey’s right to choose.

 Tidbits

Look for an upcoming article being written in the Village Voice about Mickey. He was recently at friend/filmmaker/artist Julian Schnabel studio being photographed for the article. I can’t wait to see the photos Julian Schnabel snapped. He used an old 1970's Polaroid camera. When I read that I thought to myself.. Ooh those shots are gonna be kickin’. More here

By the way, Schnabel had a Q & A with Mickey for Interview Magazine in 2005. The title is MICKEY. You can find it on our Articles page.

 
I’ve been asked why Mickey didn’t receive the Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival.

Because, according to German director Wim Wenders, President of the Venice Film Festival Jury, the festival does not present acting awards to the Golden Lion winner.

There’s you answer. 

Click the link to read

 Oops, before I head on out - I gotta give props to the person who’s quote I used for the title of the Skinny.
Actor: Anthony Quinn

Ciao,
Steph


Happy Birthday Mickey Rourke!
September 16th, 08'

To have some fun on Mickeys birthday, I've written the most requested Blog subject I get every year at this time, the yearly Birthday Blog! If you haven't guessed it by now this is Heather, not your usual Stephy. It's way late and she's prolly tucked away in bed doing lawd knows what. She's prolly up to some naughtiness, lucky girl! Either way, she'll have some Rourke goodies for you later today.

ta-ta my naughty pets
muah,
Heather


December 19th....
September 15th, 08'

 Is slated as the U.S. release date for The Wrestler. As I have stated numerous times on previous Skinny’s, all release dates are subject to change, however, I don’t see this one changing unless some unforeseen problem arises.This is definitely not a Killshot situation. Everyone connected with
The Wrestler wants the movie to be considered for the Oscar, therefore, this tentative date prior to the Academy Award deadline of  December 31, 2008 should be solid.
Source more sources..hehe

Rourke wrestles with success
Susan Wloszcyna
USA TODAY
“How much does director Darren Aronofsky love Mickey Rourke?”
Read all about it here

Ciao,
Steph


All You Need Is Trust and A Bit Of Pixie Dust
September 12th, 08'

 I gotta be up front with ya’ll. My day has been a never ending story. (lol) Simply put - I’m exhausted. Not only have I been up since 4am yesterday morning; but I also had the not-so-wonderful privilege of sitting through Peter Pan - 2 times today. To make this long story short, I was taking care my friend’s 3 year old daughter. If you know anything about that age, repetition is part of the norm, especially when they are fixated on one thing and today it was Peter Pan. That’s how I got the title for the Skinny. That line in the flick just wouldn’t leave my head, so I figured  - what the hell... Use it.

 Is There Going To Be A Sin City 2?
If you are Mickey Rourke and the script is right - maybe it will happen.  I haven’t really talked about this flick on uniquelyrourke because there have been so many rumors about it being in production  this year (2008)  then it was changed to the year 2010.  WTF!! Straight up, I’m not one to work with whispers of a possible Rourke role when I have nothing solid to work with. I dig facts. That’s how I work. My reasons for bringing it up now - won’t be a mystery once you finish reading this. In this Mickey morsel, he was asked about whether or not he would sit in the make-up chair for 3 hours to bring back Marv to the big screen.. And here is his response @ Splash Page MTV.

 Aronofsky Talks Wrestling
This next article is from the an very popular Canadian web site called Cano Slam! Sports. In the world of Pro Wrestling sites this one fuckin’ hit’s it outta the park or should I say ring  ; )  There is no half ass bullshit written on Slam!. That’s why this sit down with Aronofsky rocks. More here

Mickey Rourke - Ready To Rumble Again
I do believe the title says it all. You know what to do - hit up the blue. The Independent (uk)

 Alrighty, I can’t type another word.. I’m going to crash, I'll leave you with a visual. It's Mickey promoting The Wrestler at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) Photo by Carlo Allegri.

Ciao,
Steph


I Need A Stiff One
September 11th, 08'

 I was fishin’ round the internet this evening in hope’s of finding Bruce Springsteen’s song from
 The Wrestler, when I stumbled upon a site that claimed someone sent them a bootleg copy of the song today. Oooh, I’m was thinkin’ to myself, wait till Fox Searchlight, the distributor, get’s wind of this diddy, cuz they will yank that song off the net quicker than white on rice.

 As I came to the end of the article there it was, the link to click over to the EVIL bootlegged song. Ya know I clicked the fuckin’ thing - HELLO!!  I’m only human. (lol). Once over there I started reading this person’s post and it stated that Fox Searchlight had asked him to take down the song, which legally they had the right to do. DUH!!

 Make no mistake, even if the song had been there, I don’t believe I would have posted it on the site. Why? Because it’s not right, uniquelyrourke doesn’t swing that way. Besides, Mickey most likely wouldn’t be too happy if we did that. My questions is - if I posted the link to the lyrics to the bootlegged Springsteen song, would I be committing some sort of bootleg sin that could possibly send me to bootleg purgatory for an undetermined amount of time when I die? Ya know I don’t wanna mess with “The Boss”. After mulling over the thought for a mere nanosecond - these words popped in my head: Fuck me! Who knows! I don’t have time to worry bout that shit... Listen up, I’m going to give ya’ll the link to the site that has the lyrics. As for the validity of the words - who knows, but it’s worth a look-see. If you’re curious as to what the song sounds like, someone over there wrote - and I’m paraphrasing - it’s reminisce of old school SpringsteenMore

 Comeback Kid Pt 2
This is the 2nd installment of the kick ass LA Times article written by Patrick Goldstein. It’s aptly titled: Actor vs Director. Before I send your ass’s over to read the rest of this killer piece - I want to say, Heather and I dig hearing Mickey tell his stories. Always have. I’ll tell ya what, the dude leaves you wanting more. For instance, Heather had the opportunity to call me from the set of The Wrestler in between Mickey shooting his scenes. And the first thing that came outta her mouth besides can you fuckin’ believe I’m talkin’ to Mickey face to face is: he’s a great a story teller - he’s telling me all this stuff and I am like  WTF!!! The best way to describe it is - his outward appearance is deadpan, but what he’s saying is hilarious. Now you can go read the damn thing.

 ** this is a special note for all you peeps out there who have ties to other Rourke web sites & message boards: Heather wasn’t lying. She was there. Some of what Mickey discusses in this article is the same thing he told Heather back in March. So all I gotta say is - Fuck You!!! You Mutha’ Fucka’s!! **

 

Just A Tidbit Or Two Or Three

Mickey signing autographs at the Toronto Film Festival

 

 Head on over to our friend - LaShane’s web site Mickey Rourke Walls. She has quite a few new creations - so go check em’ out... 

 Thats all for now folks. I gotta call it a night (I hope).  I have to be up at 4am. A friend of mine is having surgery. Holy shit, how I hate getting up that early…..

Ciao,
Steph


Buzz, Buzz, Buzz
September 10th, 08'

I ain’t talking bout the sound bee’s make ..   lol

Rourke, Back From Oblivion Gets Oscar Buzz For “The Wrestler”
Bloomberg Press. Ca
(by Rick Warner)
“When I die, my ashes are going to mixed with my dogs.”  More here

Ebert Speaks
Chicago - Sun Times
Rourke ready to climb off mat with “Wrestler”

Renowed movie critic Roger Ebert - gives a two thumbs up ( in my opinion) review . Ebert has always seemed to be a supporter of Mickey Rourke. There is no doubt he has always appreciated his talent.
Read his review!

The Wrestler
The star.com wrote this little diddy... don’t blink or you will miss it!!!

Believe the hype. Mickey Rourke's performance as a washed-up wrestler who is still a fighter defines passionate acting. The Wrestler shows the men behind the curtain in the world of pro wrestling. Rourke, with his mane of streaked blond hair, fake tan and battered face, is like the tortured bull in the last moments of the fight, barely able to stand, yet unable to quit.
Source

Rourke make a comeback in “Wrestler”
San Francisco Gate
(by Ruthe Stein)

 Looking all grown up in a strapless black cocktail dress, Evan Rachel Wood told a Toronto International Film Festival audience that it was her 21st birthday. The crowd burst into a round of "Happy Birthday."


The best present she could have received had come over the weekend when "The Wrestler" - a gritty movie about an aging wrestler in which she plays his neglected daughter - was awarded the Venice Film Festival's highest honor, the Golden Lion. As hard as it is to imagine Mickey Rourke as fathering the delicately lovely Wood, the two pull it off.

"The Wrestler" is a comeback for Rourke, who took a bow at the Toronto screening. Director Darren Aronofsky told the audience that before hiring him he heard "a lot of baloney" about how problematic