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The Wrestler scooped the Golden Lion prize at last weekend's Venice Film Festival, with critics tipping Rourke to pick up an Oscar nomination for his role as retired wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson.
Rourke told the Associated Press that Aronofsky had some harsh words for him when he was cast in the film.
The actor recalled: "He sat there and said, 'Listen, man, you were this really great actor who just f***ed up your whole career for 15 years and nobody wants to hire you. You're going to have to listen to everything I tell you, you're going to have to do everything I say, you can never disrespect me and you can never go out hanging out all night'."
Rourke added that he appreciated Aronofsky's blunt approach, saying: "He must be talented because he's got a lot of balls to be saying this to me."
Rourke's previous acting credits include Body Heat, 9½ Weeks and Angel Heart.
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