One is a movie scene tough guy, the other the ultimate culinary hard man, so it was not surprising Mickey Rourke and Gordon Ramsay seemed to be getting on like a house on fire when they met up in Hollywood recently.
The pair were introduced at Gordon's West Hollywood eaterie, where Mickey was celebrating his Golden Globe win with pals. After a manly handshake the screen star and Scottish celebrity chef spent time chatting.
And while they probably didn't get round to discussing details, the 'bad boys' have plenty in common, including disturbed childhoods - Mickey's father walked out when he was six while Gordon left home as a teenager to escape the father he describes as abusive and heavy drinking - and a shared love of sport. Mickey was an amateur boxer before injury forced him into retirement, while as a lad Glasgow-born Gordon seemed destined to play football for Scottish team Rangers until a knee injury closed that avenue.
And there are other parallels. Tough on the outside, both men are complete softies when it comes to their pets. Mickey dedicated his best actor Globe for The Wrestler to his pooches, who often escort him to red carpet events. While Gordon is the proud owner of five-month-old English bulldog Rumpole, whom he likes to walk at weekends on London's Wandsworth Common.
Photo: Rex
