Mickey Rourke and Gareth Thomas Welsh sportsman Gareth Thomas is in talks with a screenwriter about a film based on his life, in which he is set to be portrayed by Hollywood "comeback kid" Mickey Rourke. Thoma is a former Welsh rugby international who now plays rugby league. He made headlines when he came out in 2009 and is said to be the world's only openly-gay athlete in a pro sports team. He was voted the most influential gay person in the UK last year and received Stonewall's Hero of the Year award in October. Thomas' manager has told BBC Wales: "A scriptwriter has been chosen for the film and is getting to know Gareth. The idea is that he will be with him throughout January to get to know Gareth as well as he can. "Mickey is extremely hands-on in the whole process of the film and is fully intent in bringing this to fruition." Rourke has made it clear he would like to play Thomas in the film, despite the fact he is 58 and the sportsman is 36. "To be a man who plays rugby who is gay and to live with that secret for the amount of years that Gareth had, to perform at the high level that he performed at, it takes a lot of courage," Rourke has said in interviews. He has also met with Thomas to discuss the role. Asked via Twitter how he could be played by a man in his late 50s, Thomas tweeted: "My story is of feelings, and overcoming. It's about bringing the inside out, it has nothing to do with a visual presence."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 12th January 2011 - 10:13am