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Rourke Shines Again at Venice Film Festival

Posted Sep 7, 08 4:35 PM CDT in Arts & Living 

(Newser) – Former Hollywood bad boy Mickey Rourke returned to the spotlight yesterday when his latest low-budget film, The Wrestler, won top honors at the Venice film festival. Critics gushed over his performance as an aging wrestler who comes to terms with his failing body and flagging friendships.

“It’s OK for me now at this point in my life to play ball, to be a team player,” the 51-year-old actor told Reuters. “A guy like me changes hard, I didn’t want to change, but I had to change.” Largely out of the public eye in recent years, Rourke is best known for the 1980s hits 9-1/2 Weeks and Angel Heart.

Source Reuters

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Actor Mickey Rourke arrives for the premiere of the movie ' The wrestler ' at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.   (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
Actor Mickey Rourke poses with director Darren Aronofsky, who holds the Golden Lion awarded for the movie ' The Wrestler' at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Saturday.   (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Actor Mickey Rourke arrives for the premiere of the movie ' The wrestler ' at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.   (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
Jury president Wim Wenders, centre, congratulates Mickey Rourke and director Darren Aronofsky after the Golden Lion was awarded to their film 'The Wrestler.'   (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Actor Mickey Rourke, director Darren Aronofsky and actress Evan Rachel Wood pose for the photo call of the movie 'The Wrestler' at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice.   (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
Actor Mickey Rourke poses for the photo call of the movie 'The wrestler' at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.   (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
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