Mickey Rourke talks about plastic surgery and past career downturn

By April MacIntyre Feb 21, 2009, 22:11 GMT

US actor Mickey Rourke. "I had to have cartilage taken from my ear to rebuild my nose and a couple of operations to scrape out the cartilage because the scar tissue wasn\'t healing properly. That was one of the most painful operations, but the worst was hemorrhoids." EPA/JOSHUA GATES WEISBERG

Monsters and Critics loves Mickey Rourke; the actor has appeared in numerous films that have stood the test of time and he always has given unflinchingly honest interviews.

Rourke has been castigated by numerous media outlets for his obvious plastic surgery, but the star of "The Wrestler" claims it was in a bid to reconstruct his face that things went terribly wrong.

Rourke admits he went to the "wrong guy" for plastic surgery.

The actor was boxing professionally back in 1991, and says the injuries from his fading acting career detour were addressed by a hack plastic surgeon.

He told the Daily Mail (UK): "Most of it was to mend the mess of my face because of the boxing, but I went to the wrong guy to put my face back together."

"I had my nose broken twice. I had five operations on my nose and one on a smashed cheekbone."

"I had to have cartilage taken from my ear to rebuild my nose and a couple of operations to scrape out the cartilage because the scar tissue wasn't healing properly. That was one of the most painful operations, but the worst was hemorrhoids."

Reportedly it was the threat of potential future neurological problems that ended Rourke's pugilistic bid.

Rourke also tells the Daily Mail: "I was out of control and did not think the party was going to end. I could stay in any hotel, buy anything I wanted - I once bought six Cadillacs for cash and then gave them all away - and take out all my entourage to dinner."

"My mansion in Beverly Hills was like something from 'Halloween III' - Elvis on acid. The neighbors were moving in and out almost monthly."