People
always want you to stay
fresh.
We'll, when we met him
in Miami, Mickey Rourke did
not look very fit. But at
least he made it back to the
big stage after a deep fall
and a long search to find
himself - and so he can
relate to changeful times.
Many people think I am
crazy, but my dogs were
always there for me.
Mickey
Rourke simply can't
sit down for long or stand
still, and he constantly
comes up with new ideas:
Hey, what if I wear this
bathrobe? Or hey, what about
me lying here on the bed
with Loki?
The Maxim Photo shoot
with the Hollywood star has
been going on for 2 hours at
The Raleigh Hotel. Rourke
always stays here when he is
in Miami, and we have to
fight the same problems as
anyone else when it comes to
Rourke, he simply does what
he wants. lays on the bed,
hops into the bathroom,
walks out on the balcony.
Suddenly he wants to be
photographed on the rooftop
of the hotel, but once there
he gets acrophobia. Despite
all this hustling around, he
is not unfriendly, Rourke is
witty and obliging. One
moment he acts tough, nearly
every phrase is garnished
with a hefty "fuck!". Then
again he seems vulnerable
and insecure. He is
mercurial and always on the
move, just like a boxer in
the ring.
Three hours later it is
shortly after 8:00pm. The
pictures are finally in the
can. Rourke stands on the
balcony of his suite, smokes
and looks down on the pool,
his favorite spot as he
later tells us. We sit down
in his suite and start the
interview.
Do you consider yourself a
patient person?
We'll, rather not. But
regarding my career, I would
say yes. Where I come from,
you don't get anything for
free. That's the same in any
job. You have to work hard.
At age 11, I had a job at
this place before school,
mopping floors and stuff
like that. Afterwards I went
to school, to sports and the
next job. I am very
disciplined and focused
(laughs). Nobody expects
that from me. But without
discipline, you get easily
defeated. That is why I love
sports. Because in them you
need discipline and hard
work.
In 1991 you gave up your
acting career to become a
professional boxer for 4
years. Why?
I was disappointed to
have stopped boxing. I
wanted to go back and do it
better.
Did you miss the fights?
No, I missed the rituals
with the guys in the gym.
Working out together,
working with a trainer.
Seeing how your body shape
changes, how you become
stronger, to see how much
you can accomplish,
concentrating fully on the
fight, concentrating on one
evening, one fight and
aiming at it fully. But my
body could not take it any
longer. The doctors told me
that I would suffer brain
damage if I continued
fighting. We'll, overall the
time was not so good for me,
but I needed to do it.
Otherwise I would have had
the feeling that I was
running away from something.
And today? Are you still
running away from something?
No. There comes a time
when you no longer want to
run away. My brother Joe
died one and a half years
ago from cancer. He was 39
and when he died in my arms
and I realized that
everything can simply
disappear (snaps his
fingers). That has changed
me. I don't care anymore
about material possessions.
When I buy something
expensive, I don't care
about it. I lost a diamond
ring and my bike was stolen,
but I do not care. Since Joe
died, nothing can really
move me, that was the worst
thing to ever happen. My dog
Loki is my best friend.
I can see this. You don't
make a move without your
dog.
That is why many people
think I am a little bit
crazy. But my dogs have
always been there for me. In
1994 I was on the ropes. I
used to be arrogant and
angry. I did not respect
anyone. I had the wrong
friends and made a life a
living hell for everyone, my
wife, the movie directors
and my colleagues.
Why was it that way?
Out of any reason, I had
to make everyone my enemy.
My step-dad was a cop and he
did bad things at our home
when I was a child.
Therefore, I became a very
angry person, even when I
was an adult. Because of
this anger I lost
everything, my career, my
wife, my house, my money, my
credibility as an actor.
Only your dogs stayed with
you...
(laughs) yes that's
right. Bo Jack, Loki's dad
and Loki herself. They were
always there for me. When I
had something to eat, they
always came first. When Bo
died, I gave him mouth to
mouth resuscitation for 40
minutes. As weird as this
sounds, I learned through my
dogs to take on
responsibilities. And now
that we are better off, we
still have us.
What does your current
girlfriend have to say about
this?
I have affairs, but no
steady girlfriend. That's
okay for me. (What Rourke
means by "affairs" we can
see during the preparations
for this production. When we
met in his hotel room 2 days
prior, he lies in bed
relaxed, with 2 women. The
next day he has "a
girlfriend from L.A." on
visit. During the weekend,
Rourke parties all night).
He sleeps until the
afternoon, goes to eat at
his favorite spot, an
Italian restaurant, then he
goes from one night club to
the others until the wee
hours of the morning...to
visit his "girlfriends".
What is your pick up line?
Do you really want to
know? "I can take you home
and fuck you until you go
crazy".
And that works?
Yes.
What is better...to die
early or grow old?
I don't like aging. Your
body decays. You don't think
about growing old when you
are young. And to speak the
truth, society does not
respect aging.
How do you mean this?
David Beckham for example.
He got fired from the
English national team,
because at 31, he was too
old. People always want to
be fresh, to stay fresh. No
matter what you achieve,
everybody keeps talking
about your age.
Where will you be in 10
years?
(shows the balcony off of
his suite) Out there.
Why?
(Rourke gets up "to piss"
and when he comes back, he
stops in front of the mirror
hanging in the hotel room).
I recently saw an old
picture of me. The only one
I like, and I thought...wow,
what a dumb, stupid, angry
man! I might not be as
handsome anymore, but in
return, I am not dumb,
stupid and angry. I am
grateful about that.
Why do you wear the
necklace with the heart? Is
it a good luck charm?
Yes, I always wear it. On
the heart is engraved "Joe".
The name of my deceased
brother.
Do you pray?
I used to, but since the
death of my brother, my
faith has been faltering. I
get angry with God because
he makes us grow old and die
and death is a lonesome,
nasty and stinking business.
I pray with Father Pete, a
priest from New York who is
a good friend. When I am in
New York, I go and see him,
we talk about God and faith.
How can we picture this?
We go to the basement room
of the church, drink some
red wine, smoke a cigarette
and talk. Then I confess.
To see you like this, one
has the feeling that you
wear a large belt around
your heart to seal it off. A
belt that protects you from
pain and frustration, but
which simultaneously does
not let anything get close
to you.
(laughs) yes, kind of. But
it is not only a belt, it's
a prickly, thorny black
thing.
