Philip Andre 'Mickey' Rourke Jr. (born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former professional boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. Rourke has played supporting roles in films like Body Heat (1981) and Diner (1982) before portraying leading roles in films like Rumble Fish (1983), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), Year of the Dragon (1985) and 9½ Weeks (1986). He received critical praise for his work in the Charles Bukowski biopic Barfly and the horror mystery Angel Heart (both 1987). Rourke, who had trained as a boxer in his early years, had his first professional boxing career from 1964 to 1994. Post his retirement from boxing, Rourke made a sensational comeback in 2005 with the lead role in the neo-noir action thriller Sin City. His portrayal of aging wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson in the sports drama film The Wrestler (2008) won him the Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor. He has appeared in successful films like Iron Man 2, The Expendables (both 2010) and Immortals (2011), and has continued to work in independent and direct-to-video productions. Offscreen, Rourke is a well-known pet lover, particularly fond of small-breed dogs and has been a strong advocate for animal rights.