Mickey Rourke has turned to fundraising to pay the US$59,100 (£44,000, A$89,000) he allegedly owes in rent, after being sued by his landlord and facing eviction from his Los Angeles home.
The 73-year-old actor, who was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for his performance in the 2008 drama The Wrestler, has approved a GoFundMe page launched by Liya-Joelle Jones, a friend and member of Rourke’s management team. At time of writing, the fundraiser had raised US$33,000 of its US$100,000 goal.
“Mickey is going through a very difficult time right now, and it’s been incredibly touching to see how many people care about him and want to help,” Jones told the Hollywood Reporter on Sunday.
Jones wrote on GoFundMe that the fundraiser was “created with Mickey’s full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses and prevent that from happening”.
“Mickey Rourke is currently facing a very difficult and urgent situation: he is at risk of being evicted from his home,” the page reads. “Life doesn’t always move in a straight line, and despite everything Mickey has given through his work and his life, he is now dealing with a challenging financial moment that has put his housing at risk.
“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. 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. 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.”
Several fans left the actor messages of support. “I can cross off a bucket list item now, helping out my boy Mickey Rourke,” one wrote. “Who would have ever thought he would ask me to help him not get evicted!?”
Rourke received a three-day eviction notice in late December, the Los Angeles Times reported, with court documents filed in Los Angeles superior court showing he had failed to comply. His landlord is now suing for damages and legal fees.
The documents show Rourke signed the lease for the Los Angeles home – in which The Big Sleep author Raymond Chandler once lived in the 1940s – in March, agreeing to pay $5,200 a month, which was later raised to $7,000 a month.
Known for his roles in films such as The Pope of Greenwich Village, Diner, Rumble Fish and 9½ Weeks, Rourke was a huge star in the 1980s but grew disillusioned with the industry and mostly abandoned acting to pursue a career in professional boxing. He then returned to acting in the 2000s in films including Sin City, The Wrestler and Iron Man 2.
Last year Rourke was ejected from Celebrity Big Brother UK due to multiple instances of inappropriate language and behaviour that he later admitted, including remarks about the sexuality of his fellow contestant JoJo Siwa. “I’m ashamed of myself,” he said at the time.
His manager later announced he would take legal action against the reality show, claiming the show’s producers “were fully aware of both his public persona and how it aligned with his Hollywood rebel image” but had refused to pay his full agreed fee after his exit.
