Actor Mickey Rourke forced to crowdfund to pay his rent

Mickey Rourke is facing the uncomfortable possibility of losing his home after reportedly falling tens of thousands of dollars behind on rent – prompting the Oscar-nominated actor to turn to crowdfunding for help.

According to court filings released last week, the 73-year-old actor allegedly owes nearly $60,000 in unpaid rent at his Los Angeles residence and was formally served an eviction notice late last month. The notice reportedly gave Mickey just three days to pay the outstanding balance or vacate the property.

With the deadline looming, a GoFundMe campaign launched on Sunday, January 4, asking fans to help him stay housed. The fundraiser – titled Help Mickey Rourke Stay in His Home – was organised by Liya-Joelle Jones, who has been described by The Hollywood Reporter as both a friend of the actor and part of his management team. The campaign set a goal of $100,000 and raised close to $6,000 within its first few hours online.

The fundraiser describes the situation as urgent, stating that Mickey is navigating “a challenging financial moment” that has placed his housing at risk. “This fundraiser is being created with Mickey’s full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses and prevent that from happening,” the page reads, adding that the goal is to help get the actor “back on his feet.”

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Legal documents reportedly show that Mickey signed the lease for the three-bedroom, 1,600-square-foot property in March 2025. The monthly rent allegedly began at $5,200 before later increasing to $7,000. The landlord is now seeking payment of the back rent, along with attorney fees and termination of the lease.

The eviction dispute comes amid a long and uneven career arc for the actor, who rose to fame in the 1980s with roles in films such as Diner and Angel Heart, becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognisable leading men of the era. His momentum later stalled amid personal struggles and injuries sustained during his time as a professional boxer.

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Mickey famously staged a critical comeback with The Wrestler, earning an Academy Award nomination and renewed industry respect. In more recent years, he remained a pop-culture figure through reality television, including a controversial stint on Celebrity Big Brother UK, which ended early after repeated incidents led producers to intervene. At the time, an ITV spokesperson said the actor had agreed to leave the house following discussions about “inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behaviour.”

Since then, Mickey has largely kept a low public profile and has not publicly commented on his current financial or housing situation.