2 months ago
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Actor Mickey Rourke has launched a fundraiser campaign to avoid eviction from his Los Angeles home and pay the nearly $90,000 he allegedly owes in rent.
The 73-year-old, who was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for his role as Randy “The Ram” Robinson in the 2008 film The Wrestler, was sued by his landlord in December for damages and legal fees after allegedly failing to pay $US59,100 (about $88,040) on his lease for a three-bedroom bungalow near West Hollywood.
Mickey Rourke, pictured at an event in Los Angeles in 2022, is facing eviction from his rental home.Credit: Getty Images
The Los Angeles Times reported that Rourke was served with a notice ordering him to pay the overdue rent within three days or vacate the premises, and the notice was posted on the residence’s exterior.
On Monday, the actor – legally named Philip Rourke Jr – approved a GoFundMe campaign launched by a member of his management team, NBC reported. At the time of writing, the campaign had raised $US82,089) of its goal of $US100,000.
The fundraiser’s organiser, Liya-Joelle Jones, wrote on the page that Rourke was facing the “very real and urgent situation” of losing his home. She said the actor fully approved of the fundraiser’s creation.
“Mickey Rourke is an icon – but his trajectory, as painful as it is, is also a deeply human one. It is the story of someone who gave everything to his work, took real risks and paid real costs,” Jones wrote. “Fame does not protect against hardship and talent does not guarantee stability. What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing and the chance to regain his footing.”
Rourke became known as a brooding heartthrob in the 1980s thanks to roles in films like 9½ Weeks with Kim Basinger.Credit: Getty Images
All funds raised would go towards Rourke’s immediate needs and housing-related expenses, she said.
“What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing, and the chance to regain his footing,” Jones wrote. “The goal is simple: to give Mickey stability and peace of mind during an extremely stressful time – so he can stay in his home and have the space to get back on his feet.”
Fans flooded the GoFundMe page’s comments section, offering their support and sympathising over the actor’s predicament.
“Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man is one of my favourite movies of all time! We can’t leave Harley to live on the streets! Hope this little bit helps, hang in there, Mickey!” one fan wrote.
According to the complaint filed by Rourke’s landlord, the actor signed a lease on the Los Angeles house – which was the home of renowned author Raymond Chandler in the 1940s – in March. His rent was initially listed as $US5200 per month, and was later increased to $7000, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A screenshot of the GoFundMe page for Mickey Rourke.
Rourke’s fame exploded in the 1980s after appearing in films such as Diner, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Rumble Fish and 9½ Weeks. He eventually stepped away from the spotlight to, according to the GoFundMe page, search for “truth and authenticity”. This included a foray into professional boxing.
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He briefly returned to acting in the 2000s, appearing in Sin City, Iron Man 2 and The Wrestler, for which he earned various accolades.
“What followed were years of struggle not defined by spectacle, but by survival: health challenges, financial strain, and the quiet toll of being left behind,” Jones wrote.
Last year, Rourke was removed from the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother following his use of inappropriate language and behaviour, including comments around the sexuality of fellow contestant JoJo Siwa. He later apologised and said he was “ashamed of” himself.
However, his manager has since said they would take legal action against the show over an alleged payment dispute.
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