Mickey Rourke

 ( 1952 Births ) 

His trainer during most of his boxing career was Hells Angels member, actor, and celebrity bodyguard Chuck Zito. Freddie Roach also trained Rourke for seven fights. Rourke's entrance song into the ring was often Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child o' Mine" (to which reference is made in his film The Wrestler, in which Rourke's character enters his final match of the film to the song playing over the loudspeakers). Boxing promoters said that Rourke was too old to succeed against top-level fighters. Indeed, Rourke himself admits that entering the ring was a sort of personal test: "I just wanted to give it a shot, test myself that way physically, while I still had time." Rourke's boxing career resulted in a notable physical change in the 1990s, as his face needed reconstructive surgery to mend his injuries.

Appearing primarily in television films during the late 1970s, Rourke made his feature film debut with a small role in Steven Spielberg's 1941 (1979). He played Ritchie, Dennis Christopher's bullying and ill-fated co-worker in the 1980 slasher film Fade to Black. However, it was in 1981, with his portrayal of an arsonist in Body Heat, that Rourke first received significant attention, despite his modest time on screen. The following year, he drew further critical accolades for his portrayal as the suave compulsive gambler "Boogie" Sheftell in Barry Levinson's Diner, in which Rourke co-starred, alongside Paul Reiser, Daniel Stern, Steve Guttenberg, Tim Daly and Kevin Bacon; the National Society of Film Critics named him Best Supporting Actor that year. Soon thereafter, Rourke starred in Rumble Fish, Francis Ford Coppola's follow-up to The Outsiders.

Rourke's performance in the film The Pope of Greenwich Village alongside Daryl Hannah and Eric Roberts also caught the attention of critics, although the film was not financially successful. In the mid-1980s, Rourke earned himself additional leading roles. His role opposite Kim Basinger in the erotic drama 9½ Weeks helped him gain sex symbol status. He received critical praise for his work in Barbet Schroeder's Barfly as the alcoholic writer Henry Chinaski (the literary alter ego of Charles Bukowski), co-starring Faye Dunaway, and in Year of the Dragon, written by Oliver Stone.

In 1987, Rourke appeared in Angel Heart. The film was nominated for several awards. It was seen as controversial by some, owing to a sex scene involving Cosby Show cast member Lisa Bonet, who won an award for her part in the film. Although some of Rourke's work was viewed as controversial in the US, he was well received by European, and especially French audiences, who loved the "rumpled, slightly dirty, sordid ... rebel persona" that he projected in Year of the Dragon, 9½ Weeks, Angel Heart, and Desperate Hours. Director Adrian Lyne said that had Rourke died after the release of Angel Heart, he would have become a bigger phenomenon than James Dean.

In 1987, Rourke performed with David Bowie on the Never Let Me Down album. Rourke provided the mid-song rap on the song "Shining Star (Makin' My Love)". Around the same time, he also wrote his first screenplay, Homeboy, a boxing tale in which he starred. In 1989, Rourke starred in the docudrama Francesco, portraying St. Francis of Assisi. This was followed by Wild Orchid, another critically panned film, which gained him a nomination for a Razzie award (also for Desperate Hours). In 1991, he starred in the box office bomb Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man as Harley Davidson, a biker whose best friend, Marlboro, was played by Don Johnson. In his last role before departing for the boxing ring, Rourke played an arms dealer chased by Willem Dafoe and Samuel L. Jackson in White Sands, a film noir that reviewers found stylish but incoherent.

Rourke's acting career eventually became overshadowed by his personal life and career decisions. Directors such as Alan Parker found it difficult to work with him. Parker stated that "working with Mickey is a nightmare. He is very dangerous on the set because you never know what he is going to do." In a documentary on the special edition DVD of Tombstone, actor Michael Biehn, who plays the part of Johnny Ringo, mentions that his role was first offered to Rourke. Rourke has allegedly turned down several roles in high-profile films, including 48 Hrs., Platoon, Highlander, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, The Untouchables, Rain Man, The Silence of the Lambs, Pulp Fiction, and Death Proof.

While Rourke was also selected for a significant role in Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line, his part ended up on the cutting room floor. Rourke also played a small part in the film Thursday, in which he plays a crooked cop. He also had a lead role in 1997's Double Team, which co-starred martial arts actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and former NBA player Dennis Rodman. It was Rourke's first over-the-top action film role, in which he played the lead villain. During that same year, he filmed Another 9½ Weeks, a sequel to 9½ Weeks, which received only limited distribution. He ended the 1990s with the direct-to-video films Out in Fifty, Shades and television film Shergar, about the kidnapping of Epsom Derby-winning thoroughbred racehorse Shergar. Rourke has expressed his bitterness over that period of his career, stating that he came to consider himself a "has-been" and lived for a time in "a state of shame".

In addition, in 2004, Rourke provided the voice for "Jericho" in the third installment of the Driver video game series. Rourke also appeared in a 40-page story by photographer Bryan Adams for Berlin's Zoo Magazine. In an article about Rourke's return to steady acting roles, entitled "Mickey Rourke Rising", Christopher Heard stated that actors Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, and Brad Pitt gave "animated praise for Rourke and his work". During a roundtable session of Oscar-nominated actors held by Newsweek, Brad Pitt cited Rourke as one of his early acting heroes along with Sean Penn and Gary Oldman.

Despite having withdrawn from acting at various points, and having made films that he now sees as a creative "sellout" (the action film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man), Rourke stated that "all that I have been through ...has made me a better, more interesting actor". Rourke's renewed interest in pursuing acting can be seen in his statement that "my best work is still ahead of me".

Rourke had a role in the film version of The Informers, playing Peter, an amoral former studio security guard who plots to kidnap a small child. In 2008, Rourke played the lead in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, winner of the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival, about washed-up professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson. Regarding first reading the screenplay, he stated that he originally "didn't care for it".

He also spoke on personal concern and hesitance of being in a film about wrestling, for he perceived it as being "pre-arranged and Choreography". As he trained for the film, he developed an appreciation and respect for what real-life pro wrestlers do to prepare for the ring:

He trained under former WWE wrestler Afa the Wild Samoan for the part, and has received a BAFTA award, a Golden Globe award, an Independent Spirit Award, and an Oscar nomination as Best Actor. Rourke lost the Oscar to Sean Penn, while Penn did acknowledge Rourke in his acceptance speech.

Rourke has written or co-written six scripts: Homeboy, The Last Ride, Bullet, Killer Moon, Penance and the latest, Pain. Of these, the first three were produced as films between 1988 and 1996. at WrestleMania XXV]] In early 2009, Rourke developed a small feud with WWE wrestler Chris Jericho, as part of a storyline. The storyline climaxed at WrestleMania XXV, when Rourke knocked out Jericho with a left hook after Jericho won his match against Jimmy Snuka, Ricky Steamboat, and Roddy Piper, with Ric Flair in their corner. In 2009, Rourke starred in John Rich's music video for Shuttin' Detroit Down alongside Kris Kristofferson. In 2009, he voiced protagonist US Navy SEAL Richard Marcinko in the video game Rogue Warrior.

Just before the end of the year, he confirmed on a British TV talk show that he would play Gareth Thomas in an upcoming film about the Welsh rugby star who coming out as gay the previous year. As of February 2011, he began research on the film, but noted, "We're not going to make this movie until we've done all the proper research. We need to do our homework and I need to train for from nine to eleven months." In 2011, Rourke was cast in the film Java Heat as an American citizen shadowing terrorist groups in Java, Indonesia. The film was released in 2013. In 2014, he reprised his Marv role from Sin City in the sequel .

In 2020, Rourke competed in season four of The Masked Singer as "Gremlin" and sang "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King. After the performance, the Gremlin costume became too hot for him and he ended up unmasking himself before the audience could even vote for their favorite performer.

Rourke starred in the 2020 Canadian-American thriller film Girl in which he played a sheriff. His co-star Bella Thorne accused him of injuring her pelvis instead of hitting her knee caps as intended in the scene and claimed he was uncooperative on set, refusing to speak with crew.

In the 2021 film Man of God, which is on the life of St Nectarios of Aegina, Rourke plays the role of a paralyzed man.

In 2023, he starred in Roman Polanski's drama film The Palace.

In April 2025, Rourke entered the British version of Celebrity Big Brother to appear as a housemate on its twenty-fourth season. In his first live appearance, he was criticized for an on-air physical action towards the show's co-host AJ Odudu, grabbing her by the waist and making her 'clearly uncomfortable', with some viewers wanting him to be taken off the show. On the third episode of the series, Rourke made openly homophobia and disparaging remarks towards housemate JoJo Siwa, and was subsequently given a formal warning by the show for his conduct. On April 12, it was announced that Rourke had been removed from the house, due to "inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behaviour", this time toward housemates Ella Wise (unwanted sexual remark) and Chris Hughes (aggressive verbal confrontation). As of April 2025, Rourke is planning to sue ITV Network after only receiving £50,000 of his agreed £500,000 fee.

In 2010, he appeared in a Dutch TV commercial for Bavaria Beer.

Rourke appeared as a gangster in the music video for "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias. Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt also made an appearance in the clip.

Rourke has been the subject of two extensive biographies on his life and career Stand Alone: The Films of Mickey Rourke and Hollywood Outlaw: The Life of Mickey Rourke both were written by British author Saurav Dutt. In 2014, Dutt announced he was producing and writing a novelization inspired by an undeveloped script for a movie that Rourke wrote titled Wild Horses which was eventually released in Fall 2015.

and Rourke at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival]]Rourke married Wild Orchid co-star Carré Otis on June 26, 1992. In 1994, Rourke was arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse. The charges were later dropped and the couple reconciled before starring together in Exit in Red. Their marriage ultimately ended in December 1998.

In November 2007, Rourke was arrested again, this time on DUI charges in Miami Beach.

In numerous TV and print interviews, he attributes his comeback after 14 years to his agent David A. Unger, weekly meetings with a psychiatrist, "Steve", and a Catholic priest, Father Peter Colapietro. Rourke had been described as a "real good Catholic" by late friend Tom Sizemore.

From 2009 to 2015, Rourke was in a relationship with Ukrainian-born German model Anastassija Makarenko. Rourke stated during an interview with Piers Morgan on July 12, 2022, he has been single for the past 7 years. In 2023, it was revealed that Rourke had begun training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

In June 2006, Rourke publicly supported U.S. President George W. Bush and American involvement in the Iraq War. "Rourke Pledges Support To Bush", Contactmusic, June 4, 2006. In January 2009, Rourke expressed admiration for Bush in an interview with GQ magazine. In the interview, Rourke also expressed his astonishment that Islamic fundamentalists were allowed to continue their activities in Britain after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. "Confessions of a Closet Republican: Mickey Rourke Doesn't Blame Bush!", Republicaninthearts.blogspot.co.uk; accessed December 2, 2014.

In August 2014, Rourke came under scrutiny for purchasing and wearing a T-shirt bearing the likeness of Russian President Vladimir Putin at a time when most of the Western world was criticizing and sanctioning Russia due to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. When questioned by the press, Rourke explained: "If I didn't like him, I wouldn't buy the T-shirt, believe me. I met him a couple of times and he was a real gentleman. A very cool, regular guy. Looked me right in the eye. Good guy." WATCH: Mickey Rourke supports Putin by lining up for T-shirt, Global News, August 11, 2014. However, Rourke has since denounced Putin for his role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has urged him to end the conflict.

In 2015, Rourke expressed his support for the Ben Carson 2016 presidential campaign. He also denounced Republican frontrunner Donald Trump as a "bully". Rourke revealed that he has had a personal vendetta against Trump after an incident in which Trump sued both him and Tupac Shakur in the 1990s. Rourke has since been very vocal in his criticisms of Trump's presidency, referring to him as a "Garbage Can" president. In 2022, Rourke claimed that Trump had sent the United States Secret Service to visit him as a result of his comments on Trump.

In July 2020, Rourke expressed support for Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election on his Instagram account, encouraging him to "Go get his fat ass, Joe @joebiden" and showing disapproval for Trump. In August, he expressed support for Kamala Harris following her nomination for vice president in the 2020 United States presidential election following previous approval of her earlier in July. In October, Rourke voted for Biden and Harris, which he said was the first time he had ever voted.