Additional Coverage:
- Mickey Rourke’s supporters step up and donate to prevent his eviction, but is it too late? (latimes.com)
Fans Rally for Mickey Rourke, But Eviction May Be a Done Deal
Los Angeles, CA – The boxing gloves are off, and the wallets are open for actor Mickey Rourke, as fans have poured over $80,000 into an online fundraiser aimed at keeping him housed. However, it seems the effort to save his Beverly Grove-area rental home might be a round too late.
The GoFundMe campaign, launched Sunday morning with Rourke’s blessing by his manager’s assistant, quickly gained traction. By Monday afternoon, nearly 2,000 supporters had contributed, bringing the total to 83% of its $100,000 goal.
But here’s the plot twist: Rourke, 73, reportedly moved out of the property on Sunday with the help of friends, according to Page Six. This suggests the “stay in his home” goal of the fundraiser may already be moot.
Legal documents reveal Rourke was served a three-day notice to pay rent or vacate on December 18. He had leased the three-bedroom, 2½-bath residence through last April at $5,200 a month, a figure that later jumped to $7,000. The total owed for 2025 was a hefty $59,100.
The GoFundMe page paints a poignant picture of the actor’s struggles: “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.”
Kimberly Hines, Rourke’s manager and the fundraiser’s beneficiary, is described as “directly involved” in overseeing his affairs. The campaign emphasizes that “All funds withdrawn from this campaign will be applied directly toward Mickey’s immediate needs and expenses, with full transparency and care, and strictly on his behalf.”
The current whereabouts of the “9½ Weeks” star are a bit of a mystery. Page Six reported whispers of him staying at “a celebrity-frequented West Hollywood establishment where rooms are at least $550 a night.”
Rourke, known for his charismatic roles in the mid-1980s, faced a significant downturn in his acting career after a return to boxing in 1991. His personal struggles were laid bare during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, where he discussed his role in “The Wrestler.”
“I lost everything. My house, my wife, my credibility, my career,” he confessed at the time.
“I even lost my entourage, which is when you know things are really bad.” He described using anger as armor to cover childhood shame, a defense mechanism that “frightened people.”
Therapy ultimately helped him, a journey that predated his 2009 Best Actor Oscar nomination for “The Wrestler” and his subsequent role as Ivan Vanko in 2010’s “Iron Man 2.”
Reflecting on his past, Rourke candidly shared, “When you used to be somebody and you aren’t anybody anymore, you live in what my doctor calls a state of shame. You don’t want to go out of the house. You hate just going to the store and having to stand in line, because inevitably someone will stare at you and say, ‘Hey, didn’t you used to be someone in the movies?’”
The fundraiser also highlights Rourke’s “real and punishing” boxing career, which left “lasting physical and emotional scars,” alongside health challenges and financial strain during his leaner years.
Despite the recent turmoil, Rourke’s acting career may be seeing a resurgence, with six upcoming films on his IMDb calendar, including two completed projects and one currently in production.
Requests for comment from Rourke’s manager, Kimberly Hines, have not yet been returned.