Known as: An actor

Then: A boxer

Mickey Rourke was one of the most successful leading men in the movies during the 1980s, appearing in spooky noirs such as 'Angel Heart' and simmering sexual dramas like '9½ Weeks'. But towards the end of the decade, Rourke said he "had no respect for myself being an actor". In 1991, he became a professional boxer, and he never lost a fight in his three-year career.

 Rourke was undefeated in eight fights, with six wins (four by knockout) and two draws, but he wasn't unscathed. A broken nose, ribs, a split tongue a compressed cheekbone destroyed his sexy film-star looks forever, and the reconstructive plastic surgery didn't help. His career was revived with an Oscar nomination for 'The Wrestler' in 2008 – a film that eerily echoed his real-life rise, fall and redemption.