I hope he doesn’t really believe that. It should all be based on his incredible performance in “The Wrestler”.

Mickey Rourke fears he will miss out on the Best Actor prize at the upcoming Academy Awards – as payback for his troubled past relationships with Hollywood movie executives.

The actor has made a triumphant return to the big-screen having spent years out of the limelight after a string of run-ins with film bosses, well documented troubles with the law and a failed foray into professional boxing.

He has already secured prestigious Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for his comeback performance in The Wrestler and is widely tipped to take home a coveted Oscar prize.

But Rourke is convinced he will be shunned by the Academy at Sunday’s ceremony – as punishment for his past hot-headed behaviour.

He says, “It’s voted for by people from the movie business and in the past I’ve hacked them all off. I was good at that. It came easy to me. I stupidly said acting wasn’t a job for a real man. I threatened producers, raged at directors, forgot my agent’s name. I really burned my bridges. And a lot of people have long memories.”