ROURKE STEALS THE SHOW AT THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

Last updated: Sunday, February 22, 2009

ROURKE STEALS THE SHOW AT THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

MICKEY ROURKE added to his award season haul and stole the show at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday (21Feb09) with a hilarious and rambling acceptance speech.

Mickey Rourke at 2009 Film Independent's Spirit Awards at the Santa Monica Pier - inside arrivals, Los Angeles, California - 21.02.09

A starstudded crowd at the Santa Monica, California ceremony gave the 56-year-old actor a standing ovation when he stepped onstage to collect the Best Male prize for his role as a washed-up grappler in The Wrestler.

During a bizarre speech, he dedicated the award to his beloved pet dog Loki, who died this week (15Feb); threatened to beat up comedian Rainn Wilson, who had impersonated him in an earlier skit; forgot the name of his The Wrestler co-star Marisa Tomei; and broke his microphone.

He said, "That little blond dude who did that thing (Wilson), I'm going to beat your ass when I get out of here... I've got thousands of letters about my dog that died six days ago. Loki, Loki, this is for you baby."

And he needed help from the audience when he forgot to thank Tomei, who played a stripper in the film. He said, "My memory ain't that good. I want to thank....." and paused, prompting the crowd to yell "Marisa". He responded by saying, "Melissa? Marisa? Marisa Tomei. She had to do all this bare-a**ed. Not many girls can climb the poll. She climbed the poll and she did it well."

The Wrestler also lifted the Best Feature award and the Best Cinematography prize for Maryse Alberti.

There were also big wins for Best Female Melissa Leo, Best Supporting Female Penelope Cruz, Best Supporting Male James Franco and Best Director Tom McCarthy.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Feature: The Wrestler

Best Director: Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

Best First Feature: Synecdoche, New York

Best Screenplay: Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

Best First Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black (Milk)

Best Female Lead: Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

Best Male Lead: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Best Supporting Female: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

Best Supporting Male: James Franco (Milk)

Best Cinematography: Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler)

Best Documentary: Man On Wire