Mickey Rourke

Some Lesser Known Facts About Mickey Rourke

• Mickey Rourke grew up in New York, U.S.

  

• After his parents got divorced, his mother got married for the second time. In an interview, he shared that he was physically abused by his stepfather.

• While he was studying in school, he performed in the school play The Serpent.

• In his teenage years, he started participating in various sports. He first started with self-defence training at the Boys Club of Miami. There, he was introduced to boxing. Gradually, he started developing an interest in boxing. He then participated in various boxing matches under the name Phil Rourke.

• When he was 12 years old, for the first time, he won a boxing match as a 112-pound (51 kg) flyweight.

• He then continued his professional training in boxing at 5th Street Gym, in Miami Beach, Florida. He fought matches with many renowned boxers like Luis Rodríguez. He also trained under the world boxing champion Nino Benvenuti. In 1971, during a boxing match, he suffered a mild brain injury. His doctors advised him to take a break from boxing. He then temporarily retired from boxing. From 1964 to 1973, he made an amateur boxing record after winning 27 boxing matches.

  

• While he was on a break from boxing, one of his friends asked him to perform in a play named Deathwatch which his friend was directing. He agreed to it. He borrowed $400 from his sister and shifted to New York. There, he started doing odd jobs. He also auditioned for admission to Actors Studio, New York and in the first attempt, he got selected. The American actors Walter Lott and Sandra Seacat were his classmates there.

  

• Some of his English TV movies are Act of Love (1980), Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case (1980), The Last Outlaw (1993), and Thicker Than Blood (1998).

  

• Mickey has acted in many English films including Diner (1982), 9½ Weeks (1986), Shades (1999), The Wrestler (2008), The Commando (2022), The Palace (2023), and Not Another Church Movie (2024).

• In 1987, he rapped in the English song “Shining Star (Makin’ My Love).”

  

• As a co-writer, he penned down the scripts of various English films Homeboy (1988), The Last Ride (1994), and Bullet (1996).

  

• In May 1989, he donated around £1.5 million to Irish politician Joe Doherty’s campaign to receive political asylum in the United States. However, he was criticised for funding IRA bombing attacks in England.

• In 1991, he decided to return to boxing. He then participated in various international boxing matches held in countries like Spain, Japan, and Germany. He suffered various injuries on his nose, toe, ribs, and cheekbone and even had short-term memory loss. In the late 1990s, he underwent reconstructive surgery to work on his injuries.

• He was mainly trained by Chuck Zito and Freddie Roach.

  

• His boxing ring song often was Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses.

• He has appeared in various Japanese TV commercials like Suntory Reserve, Daihatsu, and Lark Cigarettes.

  

• He has appeared in a few English music videos like Hero (2001) and Shuttin’ Detroit Down (2009).

  

• In 2001, he acted in the English short film The Follow.

• He has lent his voice to a few English video games like Driver 3 (2004), True Crime: New York City (2005), and Rogue Warrior (2009).

• In 2006, he openly supported the American politician George W. Bush and America’s involvement in the Iraq War.

• Mickey is an avid animal lover and has been working for the welfare of dogs for many years. In 2007, he participated in a protest outside a pet shop for the welfare of animals. His second wife gifted him his first dog. He even spent $5,400 to accompany his dog on a plane to visit a film set for shooting. Some of his pet dogs are Beau Jack, Chocolate, Jaws, Ruby Baby, La Negra, and Bella Loca.

  

• In 2009, as a part of the script, he had to develop a feud with the WWE wrestler Chris Jericho which ended at WrestleMania XXV, when Rourke knocked out Jericho.

  

• In 2010, he was featured in the Dutch TV commercial for Bavaria Beer.

  

• In 2014, after around 20 years, he fought in a boxing match against Elliot Seymour in Moscow.

• In the same year, he was spotted wearing a T-shirt supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, his preference was questioned by the public as at that time western countries were criticising Russia due to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.

  

• He supported the American politician Ben Carson in the presidential campaign. He even called American politician Donald Trump a bully.

• Later, he supported the American politicians Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in their elections.

• A few biographies published on him are Stand Alone: The Films of Mickey Rourke and Hollywood Outlaw: The Life of Mickey Rourke (both by Saurav Dutt).

  

• In 2015, a film titled Wild Horses inspired by Mickey’s life was released.

• In 2020, he participated in the English TV show The Masked Singer.

  

• He started his training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2023.

• In April 2025, he participated in the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother Series 24.

  

• Mickey is often spotted smoking cigars and consuming alcohol at various parties and events.
  

  

  

• He often works out at a gym to remain fit.

  

• In his leisure time, he enjoys swimming and hanging out with his friends.

  

• He has been featured on the cover of various magazines.

  

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