I knew this would happen. Back in January and February, the buzz was that Mickey Rourke would be spring-boarding from his success in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler” to the real squared circle at the WWE’s WrestleMania on April 5. But some shrewd publicist told Rourke to can it and, indeed, the denials started flowing soon after. Pete Hammond got Rourke to admit he was coerced away from the gig at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in February. After all, who’s going to win an Oscar when you’re about to lace up the boots and get in the ring for real?
Well, sadly, Rourke didn’t win the Oscar after all, but now Elizabeth Snead is reporting he’ll be at the big event after all. And my guess is he was going to be a part of it all along but had to zip it up as he did the song and dance Oscar campaign stuff. From The Dish Rag:
Despite recent reports of award-winning “The Wrestler” actor Mickey Rourke focusing on his film career, he will definitely be in Houston at WrestleMania 25 on April 5.
At least that’s what I was just told by a publicist for Wrestlemania.
But will Mickey jump in the ring? Or will he be dragged in?
One never knows.
I might just order my first pro wrestling pay-per-view since Sting squared off with Hollywood Hogan at 1998’s Starcade! Here’s a clip of Chris Jericho talking smack to Rourke on Larry King Live, which really kicked things into high gear on this story. You can tell he wants to get out of that seat and rip Jericho’s face off, but little gold men were dancing in his head at the time:
(By the way, what do you guys think of the “Wrestler” DVD cover art, pictured above? Some days I like it, some days I don’t.)