Mickey Rourke, the Hollywood actor whose career has oscillated between legendary highs and chaotic lows, celebrates his 73rd birthday this week.
Known for his brooding charm in films like 9½ Weeks and The Wrestler, Rourke’s life off-screen has often been as dramatic as the characters he plays.
From boxing rings to reality TV, his journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster.
From Leading Man to Reality TV Controversy
Earlier this year, Rourke appeared on the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother, where his appearance and behavior sparked both shock and amusement.
Sporting a hairpiece and revealing the effects of multiple plastic surgeries, some described him as looking more like a horror doll than a Hollywood icon.
His interactions inside the house were equally headline-grabbing.
He made a provocative comment to fellow contestant JoJo Siwa, and after a profanity-laden outburst involving a homophobic slur, he was quickly shown the door – adding yet another public humiliation to a career marked by both acclaim and scandal.
Life Behind Closed Doors
Since his early exit from the reality show, Rourke has rarely been seen in public.
Photos obtained last month show him at his weathered Beverly Hills home, barely leaving since the Big Brother debacle.
He is currently in a legal dispute with ITV over unpaid fees, with his manager telling People that the show “publicly embarrassed him” despite knowing about his “Hollywood rebel image.”
Hollywood Stardom and Personal Struggles
Rourke’s heyday came with films like 9½ Weeks, where he played John Gray, a controlling Wall Street broker navigating a tumultuous romance with Elizabeth, played by Kim Basinger.
At 34, he was at the pinnacle of Hollywood, drawing comparisons to James Dean and Marlon Brando for his intense and naturalistic performances.
Yet his personal demons, volatile behavior, and contentious decisions, including cosmetic surgery and risky boxing, chipped away at his career.
Former producing partner Bruce Rubenstein called him “one of the best of his generation but also the most destructive human being I’ve ever met.”
Boxing, Flops, and a Rocky Marriage
Rourke’s career saw further turbulence with the 1990 film Wild Orchid, which flopped and earned him a Razzie nomination alongside his then-wife Carré Otis.
Around the same time, a boxing injury from a sparring session with champion Tommy Hearns left a lasting mark on his face, exacerbating his public image struggles.
His marriage to Otis was infamously rocky, plagued by violence and her heroin addiction.
Despite being arrested for suspected spousal abuse in 1994, charges were later dropped.
Feeling disillusioned by Hollywood, he temporarily left acting for a professional boxing stint.
The Long Road Back
Rourke’s hiatus from film lasted over a decade, but his 2007 comeback in The Wrestler reminded audiences of his raw talent.
Playing Randy Robinson, a fading small-town wrestler, he channeled his own struggles into a nuanced performance that earned him an Oscar nomination and rekindled admiration for his craft.
Yet even after this resurgence, Rourke’s return to reality television proved controversial, highlighting his refusal to conform to Hollywood’s expectations.
At 73, he remains a figure both revered and unpredictable – an eternal rebel whose next move could either reignite his career or deepen the mystique surrounding his life.
A Rebel at Heart
From acting workshops at the Actor’s Studio to sparring rings and reality TV chaos, Mickey Rourke’s life has been defined by defiance and intensity.
Whether he chooses one more cinematic comeback or continues to live on his own terms, one thing remains clear: the Hollywood icon has never played by the rules, and his story is far from over.