Is Hollywood still mad at Mickey Rouke?

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Last week, Sean Penn won the Oscar for Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of gay San Francisco Senator Harvey Milk, despite the widespread support for Mickey Rourke’s turn as washed-up wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson. Does Penn’s victory signal that Tinseltown has not forgiven Rourke for previous sins?

“It’s going to be a show that takes some bold risks,” Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science (AMPAS) president Sid Ganis told reporters the night before the Oscars. (Eds note: AMPAS, in case you didn’t know, is the official name of the organisation which runs the Oscars.) Well, ‘bold’ and ‘risk’ are both words packed full of punch. Let’s investigate.

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