10 Things You Didn't Know About The Wrestler

The rise and fall of Randy The Ram was meteoric and tragic, much like Rourke's own run in Hollywood. While unfortunate, the parallels between the two really allowed Rourke to bring the fictional grappler to life in a believable way.

Believability was something Rourke clearly took to heart in this movie and made an effort to contribute as much as possible to the role, including the scenes of physicality. As such, Rourke provided a considerable amount of the wrestling that took place throughout the movie.

While veteran indie worker, Armond "Kid USA" Ciceri, did stand-in as his body double in many instances, much of the in-ring performance is Rourke's work. Even the head scissors in the final scene is provided by Rourke, which is an impressive move for an actor to pull off. Perhaps most impressive of all, however, is the fact that Rourke genuinely bladed during the bout with Tommy Rotten at the start of the movie.

The act of "blading" is a dying art in mainstream wrestling these days, due to WWE's stance on blood, yet still an integral part of its history. Rourke's willingness to get colour for real, when he could have easily used special effects, is a testament to his artistry and the respect he had for the business he was representing.