Mickey Rourke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mickey Rourke
Rourke in 2010
Born	Philip Andre Rourke Jr. (1952-09-16) September 16, 1952 (age 72) Schenectady, New York, U.S.
Other names	Eddie Cook
Occupation	Actor boxer screenwriter
Years active	Actor (1979–present) Boxer (1964–1994; 2014)
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Spouse(s)	Debra Feuer ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1989)​ Carré Otis ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 1998)​

Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. (born September 16, 1952) is an American actor. He was also a professional boxer. Mickey Rourke has starred in many drama, action, and thriller movies. His career in film has lasted over forty years. He has won a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA. He was also nominated for Screen Actors Guild and Academy Awards. His movies have earned over $1.9 billion around the world.

Rourke had small parts in Heaven's Gate (1980) and Body Heat (1981). He then gained praise for his role in Diner (1982). He became a main actor in films like Rumble Fish (1983) and The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). Other notable films include Year of the Dragon (1985) and Angel Heart (1987). In 1991, Rourke took a break from acting to become a professional boxer. He had trained as a boxer when he was younger.

After boxing, Rourke returned to acting in 1994. He took supporting roles in movies like The Rainmaker (1997) and Man on Fire (2004). In 2005, Rourke made a big return to Hollywood. He played a main role in the action thriller Sin City. His return became even bigger when he played Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. This was in the sports drama film The Wrestler (2008). For this role, Rourke won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor. He also received an Academy Award nomination. After this, Rourke appeared in successful films. These include Iron Man 2 (2010) and The Expendables (2010). He later worked mostly in movies released directly to video and independent films.

About Mickey Rourke

His Early Life

Philip Andre Rourke Jr. was born on September 16, 1952. His birthplace was Schenectady, New York. He has Irish and French family roots. He was raised in the Catholic faith. His father left the family when Rourke was about six years old. After his parents divorced, his mother remarried. She married Eugene Addis, a police officer. They moved to South Florida with Rourke and his two younger siblings. Rourke has said his stepfather was sometimes harsh. He graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1971.

His Boxing Career

Amateur Boxing

As a teenager, Rourke loved sports. He learned self-defense at the Boys Club in Miami. There, he learned how to box. He decided to become an amateur boxer. At age 12, Rourke won his first boxing match. He fought as a 112-pound flyweight. He sometimes used the name Phil Rourke. He trained at the famous 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach, Florida. In 1969, Rourke sparred with Luis Rodríguez. Rodríguez was a top boxer. Rourke said he got a concussion from this sparring match.

In 1971, Rourke got another concussion during a boxing match. Doctors told him to rest for a year. Rourke then stopped boxing for a while. From 1964 to 1973, Rourke had a good amateur boxing record. He won 27 matches, with 12 knockouts. He lost only three matches.

Professional Boxing

In 1991, Rourke decided to return to boxing. He felt he was "self-destructing" in his acting career. Rourke was undefeated in eight professional fights. He won six fights, with four knockouts. He had two draws. He fought in countries like Spain, Japan, and Germany. During his boxing career, Rourke got many injuries. These included a broken nose, toe, and ribs. He also had a split tongue and a compressed cheekbone. He also had some short-term memory loss.

Freddie Roach trained Rourke for seven fights. Rourke's song for entering the ring was often "Sweet Child o' Mine". This song is also used in his film The Wrestler. Boxing promoters thought Rourke was too old to fight top boxers. Rourke himself said he wanted to "test myself that way physically." His boxing career changed his face. He needed reconstructive surgery to fix his injuries.

Exhibition Match

On November 28, 2014, Rourke boxed again. He fought Elliot Seymour in Moscow, Russia. This was Rourke's first boxing match in over 20 years. He won the exhibition fight in the second round. This fight is not part of his official professional record.

His Acting Career

Early Roles

In 1971, Rourke had a small part in a school play. But he was more interested in boxing. After he stopped boxing for a while, a friend told him about a play. Rourke got a part in the play Deathwatch. He quickly fell in love with acting. He borrowed money from his sister and moved to New York. He worked odd jobs and studied acting. He learned a lot from his teacher, Sandra Seacat.

On the show Inside the Actors Studio, it was shared that Rourke was chosen for the Actors Studio on his first try. A famous director, Elia Kazan, said it was the "best audition in thirty years." Rourke first appeared in TV films in the late 1970s. His first movie role was in Steven Spielberg's 1941 (1979). He got more attention in 1981 for his role in Body Heat. The next year, he was praised for playing "Boogie" Sheftell in Diner. He won an award for Best Supporting Actor. After that, Rourke starred in Rumble Fish, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Rourke's acting in The Pope of Greenwich Village also got good reviews. He gained more main roles in the mid-1980s. His role in 9½ Weeks made him very popular. He was praised for his work in Barfly. In this film, he played a writer named Henry Chinaski. He also starred in Year of the Dragon. In 1987, Rourke was in Angel Heart. This film was nominated for awards.

Rourke was very popular with European audiences. They liked his "rebel persona" in his films. Director Adrian Lyne said Rourke could have become a huge star. In 1987, Rourke worked with David Bowie on his album Never Let Me Down. Rourke also wrote his first movie script, Homeboy. It was a boxing story that he starred in. In 1989, Rourke played St. Francis of Assisi in Francesco. This was followed by Wild Orchid. In 1991, he starred in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. His last role before boxing was in White Sands.

Rourke's acting career faced challenges. Some directors found him difficult to work with. Rourke reportedly turned down many roles in big movies. These included Platoon, Top Gun, and Rain Man.

1990s Acting Roles

In the early 1990s, Rourke turned down a role in Pulp Fiction. After he stopped boxing, Rourke took supporting roles. These included films like Francis Ford Coppola's The Rainmaker. He also appeared in Buffalo '66 and The Pledge. Rourke also wrote several films. He used the name Sir Eddie Cook. One of these was Bullet, where he acted with Tupac Shakur.

Rourke had a role in The Thin Red Line, but his scenes were cut. He also had a small part in Thursday. In 1997, he had a main role in Double Team. He played the main bad guy. He also filmed Another 9½ Weeks, a sequel to 9½ Weeks. He ended the 1990s with direct-to-video films. Rourke has said he felt like a "has-been" during this time.

2000s Acting Roles

Rourke at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival

In 2001, Rourke was the villain in Enrique Iglesias's music video for "Hero". In 2002, he played The Cook in Spun. He worked with Eric Roberts again. He had smaller roles in Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Man on Fire. The directors of these films later cast Rourke in bigger roles. In 2005, Rourke made a big comeback in Hollywood. He played Marv in Robert Rodriguez's Sin City. Rourke won several awards for this role. He was named Man of the Year by Total Film magazine. Rourke then had a supporting role in Domino. He played a bounty hunter. Rourke also voiced "Jericho" in the Driver video game series.

Actors like Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, and Brad Pitt have praised Rourke's work. Brad Pitt called Rourke one of his early acting heroes. Rourke has said that his experiences have made him a "better, more interesting actor." He believes his "best work is still ahead of me."

In 2008, Rourke played the main role in The Wrestler. He played Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a former professional wrestler. The film won the Golden Lion Award. Rourke said he didn't like the script at first. He felt the writer didn't know wrestlers well. So, the director, Darren Aronofsky, let him rewrite his character's lines. Rourke trained for the film and got hurt often. He realized how much real wrestlers suffer. He gained respect for their sport. He won a BAFTA award, a Golden Globe award, and an Independent Spirit Award. He was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor.

Rourke has written or co-written six scripts. Three of these were made into films. These are Homeboy, The Last Ride, and Bullet.

Rourke with Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXV

In 2009, Rourke had a small storyline with WWE wrestler Chris Jericho. This ended at WrestleMania XXV. Rourke knocked out Jericho after a match. In 2009, Rourke voiced a character in the video game Rogue Warrior.

2010s and Beyond

In 2010, Rourke played the main villain Whiplash in Iron Man 2. He visited Russian jail inmates to prepare for the role. In 2011, he played the villainous King Hyperion in Immortals. He was praised for his acting. The film was a success at the box office. He also had a small role in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables. His performance was highly praised.

In 2011, Rourke was cast in the film Java Heat. He played an American citizen watching terrorist groups in Indonesia. The film was released in 2013. In 2014, he played his character Marv again in the sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. In 2020, Rourke was on The Masked Singer. He sang "Stand by Me". He took off his mask early because his costume was too hot.

Rourke starred in the 2020 film Girl. He played a sheriff. In the 2021 film Man of God, Rourke played a paralyzed man. This film is about the life of St Nectarios of Aegina. In 2023, he starred in Roman Polanski's drama film The Palace.

Other Works

Rourke made his stage debut in a play called A View from the Bridge. He also lent his voice to video games. These include Driv3r (2004) and True Crime: New York City (2005). He appeared in commercials for Suntory Reserve and Daihatsu. In 2009, Rourke voiced Dick Marcinko for the video game Rogue Warrior. In 2010, he was in a Dutch TV commercial for Bavaria Beer. Rourke also appeared in the music video for "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias.

Two books have been written about Rourke's life and career. These are Stand Alone: The Films of Mickey Rourke and Hollywood Outlaw: The Life of Mickey Rourke. Both were written by Saurav Dutt.

His Personal Life

Rourke has been married twice. He does not have children. In 1981, he married Debra Feuer. They met on a TV movie set. She also acted with him in Homeboy (1988). They divorced in 1989. They have remained good friends.

Andy García and Rourke at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

Rourke married Carré Otis in 1992. She was his co-star in Wild Orchid. Their marriage ended in 1998.

Rourke has said his comeback was helped by his agent, his psychiatrist, and a Catholic priest. He has been described as a "real good Catholic." From 2009 to 2015, Rourke was in a relationship with model Anastassija Makarenko. In 2022, Rourke said he had been single for seven years. In 2023, he started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Political Views

In 1989, Rourke donated money to support Joe Doherty. Doherty was an IRA member seeking political asylum in the United States. In 2006, Rourke supported U.S. President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. In 2009, Rourke said he admired Bush.

In 2014, Rourke was seen wearing a T-shirt with Russian President Vladimir Putin's picture. He said he had met Putin and found him to be a "gentleman." However, Rourke has since spoken against Putin for his role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He has asked him to end the conflict. In 2015, Rourke supported Ben Carson for president. He also criticized Donald Trump. In 2020, Rourke supported Joe Biden for president. He also supported Kamala Harris for vice president. Rourke said he voted for Biden and Harris, which was his first time voting.

His Dogs

Rourke loves animals, especially small dogs. He has said his dogs helped him through tough times. He supports spay/neuter and has worked with PETA. His first small dog was a gift from his second wife. His dogs are often called "chihuahuas," but some are mixed breeds. Loki, his most famous dog, was a chihuahua-terrier mix. Rourke loved Loki very much. He spent a lot of money to fly her to England when he was filming.

Rourke thanked his dogs in his Golden Globe acceptance speech in 2009. He said, "sometimes when a man's alone, that's all you got is your dog." He said his dogs were there when no one else was. He once thought about disappearing. But his dog, Beau Jack, made a sound. Rourke said, "The dog was looking at me going, 'Who's going to take care of me?'" This made him feel better.

Beau Jack had two puppies, Loki and Chocolate. Beau Jack died in 2002. Chocolate was the subject of a children's book. Chocolate died in 2006. Rourke also had a chihuahua named Jaws. Jaws appeared with him in a PETA ad and in the film Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Jaws was going to be put down before Rourke adopted him. Rourke has had up to seven dogs at once. In 2009, he had five chihuahuas: Loki, Jaws, Ruby Baby, La Negra, and Bella Loca. Loki died in Rourke's arms in February 2009, at 18 years old.

Professional Boxing Record

Exhibition Boxing Record

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mickey Rourke para niños