Mickey Rourke To Play Gay Welsh Rugby Player Gareth Thomas in Biopic of player
Its amazing what one movie can do to a movie stars career especially if for years that caeer was on a downward spiral but suddenly on the up and thats the case for Mickey Rourke with Sin City and then The Wrestler. As the fruits of your labour start to cherish those parts offered to rise and come better qaulity but there is the ocassional part many find strange or to actors challanging and on boxing day if you where watching channel 4’s Alan Carr Chatty man chat show which had Mickey Rourke as a guest and he revealed his next possible role. Rourke confirmed he is interested in playing welsh rugby player Gareth Thomas in a biopic of the player and the player is an openly gay man.
The shows presenter comedian Carr is also an openly gay man surpised rourke by asking him – “Is it true you’re about to play a gay rugby player?” and Rourke replied:
“You’re not supposed to say that, okay? Here’s the deal. When I met the rugby player, Gareth Thomas, this is one thing that he and I talked about. This is something that’s really important. We’re doing a movie about a man who plays rubgy who is gay.”
Obiviously confrontation took everyone by surprise but its assuming that Rourke wanted to talk about the possible movie but thing are in development so they didnt want to reveal alot. After Carr apoligised Rourke continued:
Carr: Sorry, I shouldn’t be so homophobic.
Rourke: That’s the point though.
Carr: Labels.
Rourke: Abso-fucking-lutely. I read the story. it’s one of the tougerst, hardest sports in the world to play. They play with no pads. They play… it’s a really brutal sport. To be a man who plays rugby who is gay and to live with that secret for the amount of years that Gareth had, to perform at the high level that he performed at, it takes a lot of courage.
Carr: Are you going to learn the Welsh?
Rourke: I have no choice.
Its obivious Rourke was trying to respect Thomas wishes as a sportman then respect of his personal life but it seems since Thomas annoucement of his sexuality to the public in 2009, it seems the American actor has wanted to play the rugby man in a movie for a while now. Thomas is an thirtysomething rugby player and Rourke the 58 year old actor can he honestly pull this one off convincingly even if he cracks the Welsh language and accent? I dont think so I dont know many Weslh New Yorkers out there it would be like Sean Connery as Ramirez in Highlander an Spanish – Egyptian who has a Scottish accent in Scotland playing next to a French man been Scottish!!!
Personally it looks like the actor is trying to prove he can do series acting in a movie but why does he need to hes already proven that with The Wrestler. If your to choose someone to play Thomas better off been an actor closer to the players age, a British actor any suggestions anyone? As for the actual movie I can see the sucess of the movie in UK or within countries with massive rugby fanbase as for America it would struggle. As for a person’s sexuality making a movie now isnt really a big shock as it would have been say 10 plus years ago when many celebs, sportsman still lived with the secret of their sexuality maybe a tv movie would do here, what do you think?
source Collider
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