Photo SpecialHollywood's Biggest Comebacks

MICKEY ROURKE

The low point: To Hollywood insiders, the brooding leading man went off the rails when he dropped acting for a career in professional boxing in 1991. Throwing punches turned out not to be his forté – and it left the hard-living star of 9 1/2 Weeks with a mangled, unrecognizable face. In 1994, he was hospitalized after admitting to suicidal thoughts, had lost his Hollywood Hills home, and was in the middle of a nasty separation from then-wife Carre Otis – whom he was accused of beating (the charges were later dropped).
The comeback: After being showered with praise for his Oscar-nominated turn as a washed-up performer in 2008's indie breakout The Wrestler, Rourke is once again being considered for plum movie roles, starring in big-budget films like Iron Man 2 and The Immortals.