Rourke is in mourning after losing to Penn

Mickey Rourke left the Oscars empty-handed after Sean Penn won best actor.

Tag of love: Rourke and the locket showing his late dog Loki

In a surprise reversal, former heart-throb Rourke, 56, saw his acclaimed comeback performance in The Wrestler lose out to Penn for his part as gay activist Harvey Milk in Milk.

But Rourke had far more on his mind than a gold statuette. The star is mourning one of his four chihuahuas after it died last week. Little Loki lives on via a photo locket seen around Rourke's neck last night. Had the tiny dog lived, Rourke had apparently intended bringing her to the ceremony.

He said: "It's bittersweet. I said to myself I'd rather have Loki another two years than an Oscar and I told her that."