Gareth Thomas has been palling around with Mickey Rourke to help the Wrestler actor prepare for his role in an upcoming biopic about the gay rugby player.
Apparently the two have become come close friends while working on the project, with Rourke moving to Wales so Thomas can get him into fighting-trim shape, TheGayUK.com reports.
Rourke will even appear in Thomas’s upcoming workout video.
It hasn’t been all pushups and jumping jacks, though: Thomas took Rourke to some Soho gay bars when they were both in London: “We planned to go gay clubbing but we didn’t want to get pictured going out,” Thomas told the Daily Star. “We just wanted to go out and have fun and let him experience a gay club.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
While Rourke has proven his dedication to demanding physical roles, at 60, he’s decades older than the former Crusaders player, and not exactly the imposing colossus that Thomas, 38, is. Thomas has defended Rourke in the role, though, and says the film should start shooting in mid-2013.
What do you think: Can Rourke pull this off or would you have cast someone else?
Niall
I’d be incredibly offended if I were Gareth Thomas
MikeE
I don’t see it at all.
First of all, Rourke’s face is a 5-car pileup on the interstate.
Thomas isn’t the most handsome man on the planet, but there is still a vast chasm between “not the most handsome man on the planet” and Mickey Rourke.
The 20+ year age difference is pretty silly too.
FireFromHeaven
Mickey is considerably older and his appearance has taken a toll from boxing, booze, excessive tanning and smoking. There’s no doubt about it. But Thomas obviously feels he’s the right man for the job, despite Rourke’s protests and considerable doubt. In fact, the filming has been delayed because Rourke has had not the confidence in himself to play the part. He’s such a powerful actor that if he commits himself to it, I think he’ll convince most people. I say let’s give him a chance and see what he does with the opportunity.
LaKeishaGuitierezArafat
Nigel Barker, Daniel Craig, or even Brad Cooper (with prostethtics) could do a better job. I doubt the Cooper would want to do anything gay though.
MikeE
@LaKeishaGuitierezArafat: um, why wouldn’t Cooper do a film like this? He’s played gay before, at least twice.
LaKeishaGuitierezArafat
@MikeE: that’s before he was a big star. There are some actor’s that won’t go near any thing gay. Besides there have been gay rumors about him for years, but then again he is trying to solidify himself as a real actor. He wants an Oscar, that may come true as he may get a nomination next year, but that Oscar belongs to Daniel Day Lewis.
MikeE
@LaKeishaGuitierezArafat: He played gay i one of his recent films. Not “before he was a star”.. that romantic comedy where he’s BF with the guy from Grey’s Anatomy.
hudson
what happened to Tom Harding doing the role?
Charli Girl
@LaKeishaGuitierezArafat:
I don’t blame The Coop! I could NEVA play a str8! Just could never pull it off…Not enough acting classes in the world!
Caliban
I suspect Gareth Thomas is both flattered, just being optimistic, and really has become friendly with Mickey Rourke. IIRC for whatever reason it was Rourke who has been behind this project all the way, so what is Thomas going to say, “Christ no! It’d be like Abe Vigoda playing Justin Bieber”?
But let’s be honest- Rourke would be better cast as Gareth’s dad.
Niall
@LaKeishaGuitierezArafat: Nigel Barker(if we’re thinking about the same one i.e. the photog) would be flattering him highly. But yeah I think a slightly roughed up Daniel Craig would be good. They both kinda have the rough masculine edge about them.
Bumper
@MikeE:
I beg to differ. Thomas is one hot rugged man.