Mickey Rourke, now 73, has officially been evicted from his Los Angeles residence after a court sided with his landlord in a case over nearly $59,100 in unpaid rent. The judgment was entered after Rourke did not respond to the complaint, and the property has been repossessed.
He'd already left, so no dramatic furniture haul
Rourke had already moved out before the court order took effect. Reports say he spent some time in a West Hollywood hotel while waiting for a new place in Koreatown to open up, so the eviction played out more on paper than in real life.
The GoFundMe that became a soap opera
Earlier this year, his longtime manager set up a crowdfunding campaign to help with his housing situation. The page approached six figures. Rourke publicly reacted with visible fury, calling the fundraiser humiliating and insisting he would not accept charity. He also said he would return any money donated.
His manager pushed back, explaining the fund was organized for his benefit and that donors wanted to help. She also said the money would be returned if Rourke ultimately rejected it, and that the campaign was intended as a safety net rather than a permanent fix.
Why this happened, according to the manager
- Rourke reportedly does not use a bank account and tends to live paycheck to paycheck.
- He is said to be generous with friends and not inclined to compromise on job choices, which has limited recent earnings.
- The manager warned she can only support him for so long without him returning to work.
Work and money: a prickly mix
There have also been reports that Rourke has been turning down offers unless they meet a steep asking rate. Since his housing situation became public, several offers for roles have surfaced, so it seems the industry has not closed the door on him.
In short: court ordered him out, landlord took the place back, he was mostly already elsewhere, and a very public tug-of-war over help and pride played out online. Hollywood drama, but with receipts and paperwork.
