Mickey Rourke has been many things to many people over the course of his 35-year career: a bright young star fresh from the Actors Studio, a Hollywood heart-throb, a professional boxer, a muse to young independent film-makers and a Comic-Con icon.

In this lively study, Keri Walsh analyses Rourke's performances in key films – from Diner (1982), Rumble Fish (1983) and 9½ Weeks (1986) to Sin City (2005), The Wrestler (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010) – and traces the development and multiple transformations of his star image. Taking an in-depth look at Rourke's colourful career in its cultural and cinematic contexts, Walsh explores how this controversial, talented and undersung Hollywood star has intrigued audiences from the 1980s to the present day.