Rourke Unimpressed With Knightley

Hollywood hellraiser Mickey Rourke has slammed his Domino co-star Keira Knightley for being lacking the qualities which make an actress "great" - and insists he needs a special leading lady to bring out his best work.

The ageing SIN CITY star views the Pride And Prejudice beauty as just another bland Hollywood star, and he made no attempt to hide his ambivalent attitude from Knightley.

He says, "She's a movie star, and Hollywood's full of them. I'm looking for a hard-boiled, ball-breaking Bette Davis type or a Barbara Stanwyck to play opposite next time, a darn great actress.

"I like them hot-blooded - and those oldie actresses were certainly that."

But Knightley's response was typically diplomatic: "The thing I love and admire most is that he makes absolutely no pretence at perfection.

"He can't help but be himself. There are very few people in this industry who can do that."