Mickey Rourke Fights Eviction: Oscar-Nominated Star’s $60K Plea to Save His Home

The Man Who Once Owned Hollywood Now Fears Losing His Apartment

Los Angeles—On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, Mickey Rourke shuffled into the tiny back office of a Valley Village print shop, baseball cap pulled low, eyes hidden behind aviator shades. He carried a single sheet of paper: a three-day notice taped to his front door demanding $60,000 in unpaid rent or immediate eviction. The clerk at the counter didn’t recognize him. For a moment, the 71-year-old actor—once the most bankable heart-throb of the 1980s—was just another Angeleno trying to stay off the street.

From Red Carpets to Crowdfunding

By nightfall, Rourke had launched a GoFundMe campaign titled “Keep Mickey Home.” The goal: raise the arrears before Monday’s court date. Within six hours, donations topped $12,000—small bills from fans who remembered 9½ Weeks, from boxers who respected his return to the ring, from hairstylists and dog-walkers who’d worked with him on low-budget sets and swore he tipped in cash even when producers stiffed the crew.

“I blew through every dime I had on medical bills after the surgeries,” Rourke told me, voice gravelly from a lifetime of cigarettes. “I’m not asking for a handout—just a hand so I don’t lose the only roof I’ve got.”

How a Fortune Vanished

Rourke’s decline wasn’t sudden. After Oscar-nominated glory in The Wrestler (2008), he commanded $1 million a picture. But a string of straight-to-video roles, coupled with costly reconstructive surgeries—he estimates 14 operations to repair boxing injuries—ate through savings. Court filings show he defaulted on a $637,000 IRS lien in 2017; the debt was later settled for pennies on the dollar. What remained was a monthly rent of $4,950 for a modest two-bedroom overlooking the 101 freeway, a place he’s called home since 2016.

• 2019: Emergency spinal surgery after on-set fall—$200,000 out-of-pocket.
• 2020: Pandemic shuts down indie productions; residual checks dry up.
• 2022: Management company refuses pandemic-era rental assistance, claiming Rourke’s lease predates state protections.

Landlord: “We Gave Him Every Chance”

Property manager Dana Kline says the owner—an LLC tied to a Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon—waived late fees for 18 months. “We like Mickey. He’s polite to the staff. But business is business.” Kline produced a ledger showing $58,400 in unpaid rent plus $1,600 in legal fees. Eviction papers were filed March 3; a sheriff’s lockout is scheduled for May 1 unless the balance is paid in full.

Fans Rally, Critics Scoff

Social media reaction split overnight. Twitter trolls mocked a “millionaire begging for rent,” while Instagram fan accounts posted side-by-sides of Rourke’s battered face beside stills of his chiseled Sin City character. The fundraiser link was shared by Dolph Lundgren, Jon Bernthal and actress Tara Reid. By Thursday morning, the tally hovered at $38,000—enough to stave off the lockout, but not the looming legal bill.

“I’ve seen him give his last $20 to a homeless guy outside Ralphs,” said longtime friend and makeup artist Tania Marek. “He’s flawed, but he’s never been fake. If he says he’s broke, he’s broke.”

What Happens Next

Rourke’s attorney, Mark Geragos, plans to petition the court Friday for an emergency stay, citing health issues and a pending insurance settlement for an unnamed streaming project. Meanwhile, the actor spends his days fielding calls from podcasters offering $500 interviews and boxing gyms promising cash for autograph sessions. “I’ll scrub toilets if I have to,” he said, stubbing out a cigarette. “I just need a little time.”

Whether the internet’s goodwill can outrun the court calendar remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the same platform that once made Mickey Rourke a meme is now his last shot at keeping the lights on.