by Alan Angel

Created on: January 22, 2009   Last Updated: March 31, 2009

Without question, 2008 was the year that Mickey Rourke wrestled his way back to the top. Hollywood has had Rourke pinned down(or maybe he's just been playing possum) for quite a while now and it's about time he got back up. With a Best Actor Golden Globe victory, and most recently, an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, Rourke has not only made the biggest celebrity comeback of the year, but he's got Hollywood in a headlock and he's not letting go!

In the 1980s, Mickey Rourke was an up and coming star. Critics gave him regular praise for his performances and his stock was rising fast as a brooding character actor who had the charisma and dark side that audiences were looking for. Although it didn't take him long to establish himself, Rourke didn't exactly endear himself to Hollywood. Both stubborn and headstrong, he clashed often with producers over the direction and representation of his films and what they wanted him to be, or rather, what they wanted to sell him as. He maintained a strong commitment to his craft of acting, but did his best to stay true to his art even if it meant risking his status as a star. The fact was, he was never that comfortable with being looked at as a star and instead preferred people to see him as a craftsman who devoted himself to his work.

After numerous incidents with executives and producers in Hollywood, Rourke fell out of favor with the big players behind the scenes. At the same time, he voluntarily distanced himself as much as he could from the life of a movie star, further contributing to his bad boy image that had once brought him so much promise. By the early 90s, Rourke was disillusioned with the profession and turned more and more to other endeavors. He took up boxing for no other reason than to fulfill some kind of personal desire that coincided with his self destruction. He appeared in less films than before, and when he did, he made it clear that it was merely for the paycheck. It didn't take long though for the number of roles to diminish to the point where his existence was nearly obsolete. In the ring of life, Rourke was lying face first on the mat.

Now, nearly twenty years after he fell off the face of Hollywood and movie stardom, Mickey Rourke is back and his stock is climbing fast. His career is at a peak, winning more awards and praise now than ever before. He has also won back the hearts of many who had written him off and thought that he was beyond repair. There is no question that Rourke's name is the hottest in Hollywood right now and will probably continue to be even after the Oscars. Within the next year you'll see him appearing in more than a few films that are looking for both commercial and critical acclaim. As for what has happened in terms of Hollywood comebacks for 2008, I guess you can say that Mickey Rourke has won by knockout.

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