Mickey Rourke is no ordinary addition to Celebrity Big Brother. At 72, the Oscar-nominated actor and former boxer made his entrance into the house alongside several explosive contestants—and instantly stirred up controversy. Clutching onto host AJ Odudu in what viewers described as an uncomfortable interaction, Rourke's debut set social media alight. Even AJ called it an 'interesting encounter,' while some questioned whether Rourke could get cancelled before the series even hits its stride.
Discover our latest podcast
But if drama and controversy is what the producers were after, they’ve struck gold.
A hefty paycheck for a Hollywood wildcard
Rourke’s signing is being hailed as one of the biggest in Celebrity Big Brother history. A TV insider told The Sun:
“It’s hard to think of a Big Brother booking as big as Mickey Rourke since the show began.”
And big names come with big numbers. According to the Daily Mail, Rourke is reportedly earning a six-figure sum for his time on the show. With the season running just over two weeks, this short stint is a highly lucrative move for the actor, whose net worth is estimated at £3.8 million ($5 million).
However, insiders worry he may walk early—much like he did on The Masked Singer. One source noted:
“He's a producer’s dream because he has loads of stories, is a loose cannon, he is considered a huge get.”
Whether he stays or leaves, Rourke has already delivered talking points—and that’s exactly what reality TV thrives on.
From Hollywood heartthrob to haunted fighter
Born Philip Andre Rourke Jr. in 1952, Mickey Rourke’s early years were turbulent. He grew up facing hardship and found solace in the boxing ring, training at the same Miami gym as Muhammad Ali. But after a serious concussion, he pivoted to acting—and quickly became one of Hollywood’s most magnetic figures.
Rourke’s breakthrough roles in Body Heat, Diner, and Rumble Fish earned him acclaim, but it was 1986’s 9½ Weeks that made him a global sex symbol. By then, he had the world at his feet—but behind the scenes, he was already battling the demons that would derail his career.
He famously turned down roles in iconic films like Rain Man, Platoon, and The Untouchables, and his reputation for being volatile on set made him persona non grata in Hollywood. As Rourke later admitted, as quoted by The Standard:
I wasn't a little bit bad, I was horrible for 15, 16 years. I was out of control, I was out of my mind.
His fiery temper was more than just a rumor. He recently revealed to The Sun what he was told by a therapist, he said:
When you were young, at 14, you put your finger on the hard button. The problem is you never took it off.
Rourke’s anger issues cost him roles, relationships, and nearly his life. Eventually, he walked away from acting and returned to boxing in the early 1990s. Though he remained undefeated, the comeback came at a steep physical price.
The face behind the fight
Years in the ring left Rourke with extensive facial injuries. He underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries—including five operations on his nose and one on a shattered cheekbone. As he told Daily Mail in 2009:
Most of it was to mend the mess of my face because of the boxing, but I went to the wrong guy to put my face back together.
Combined with steroid use and dramatic weight gain for his role in The Wrestler, the actor’s appearance changed significantly. Still, it was that physical and emotional transformation him earning a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar nomination for The Wrestler.
Unfortunately his change in appearance has been a focal point of interest for the audience for years. Some of the changes were a result of his fights in the ring, but others were not.
Experts have speculated that he also had a hair transplant and now wears a hairpiece to cover hair loss. It has also been claimed that some of his physical appearance was deliberately altered for other reasons.
According to his ex-wife Debra Feuer, his obsession with appearance intensified during his relationship with second wife Carré Otis:
She was so beautiful that Mickey wanted to be a part of her world... That’s when the plastic surgery started.
She had issues with drugs but she was so beautiful that Mickey wanted to be a part of her world. That's when the plastic surgery started. He'll kill me for saying this but he wanted the part in one film so badly that he got cheek implants.
Inside Mickey Rourke's love life
Mickey Rourke has been married twice, first to actress Debra Feuer from 1981 to 1989. Despite the split, the two have remained on good terms.
His second marriage, to Wild Orchid co-star Carré Otis, was far more tumultuous. Their relationship was heavily publicised and eventually ended in divorce in 1998. Rourke has never shied away from admitting how much the breakup devastated him:
I was ashamed I lost my wife more than anything else. Not the money. It's the other things that come along when you become a failure, because you self-destruct.
Since 2009, he has reportedly been in a relationship with Russian model Anastassija Makarenko, although their current status remains unclear. Over the years, Rourke’s struggle with self-worth has been a constant companion—even as he projects toughness to the outside world.
Mickey Rourke’s new chapter
Despite a lifetime of conflict—internal and external—Rourke insists he’s trying to change. He credits therapy with saving his life, especially after losing close friends like Val Kilmer. He recently opened up to The Sun about going to therapy before entering the CBB house. He said:
'If you didn’t go to therapy, you wouldn’t be sitting here,' my psychiatrist said. And I know that. I’d be dead already.
Today, he’s focused on finding peace in the 'fourth quarter' of his life. Twice-daily workouts, fasting, and a clean diet help him manage his anxiety and infamous temper. In fact, he’s even requested gym equipment to be made available inside the CBB house.
So why join a show known for testing people’s patience?
I’ve had it up to here with really bad independent movies. So I said, you know what? Let’s go do that thing in England. I want to go to London anyway.
He admits he knows nothing about the show—and that he isn’t worried about what people might think:
I don’t care about any bad habits I might have for the world to see.
Read more:
Where is Jeremy Kyle now? The TV presenter's life after Steve Dymond's death
Remembering Betty White: Her death at 99, family life, and net worth
Macaulay Culkin hasn't spoken to his father in 30 years: What happened to their relationship?
Sources used:
The Independent: Controversial Hollywood star ‘signs up’ to Celebrity Big Brother at last minute
Daily Mail: Celebrity Big Brother star Mickey Rourke's eye-watering salary for ITV stint revealed
Hello!: Mickey Rourke - Biography
The Standard: I lost my mind, my wife, my house, my money, my career, everything, before I found myself again
The Sun: My life’s in the toilet, says Mickey Rourke in ONLY interview as it’s revealed why ‘pervy’ CBB entrance was inevitable
Daily Mail: Mickey Rourke's changing face: Celebrity Big Brother star underwent multiple surgeries after brutal boxing injuries
