ACTOR
Mickey Rourke
- Known for
- Domino (2005), Buffalo '66 (1998), Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986), Body Heat (1981)
44 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
Mickey Rourke is an actor best known for Domino, Buffalo '66 and Nine 1/2 Weeks.
All facts (44)
- #001
Elia Kazan, director of On the Waterfront (1954), said Rourke's student audition was the best audition piece he had seen in 30 years.
- #002
Rourke became a professional boxer in 1991 but retired in 1994.
- #003
The injuries Rourke sustained as a boxer included a cracked tongue and a compressed cheekbone. Surgeons rebuilt his nose using cartilage taken from his ear. To this day his balance is affected if he is tired or drinks alcohol.
- #004
On 10/16/04 Rourke's younger brother Joey Rourke (b. 6/25/54) died of lung cancer. He was 50. Rourke said he had stopped Joey from committing suicide in 1998.
- #005
Other films Rourke is said to have turned down include 48 Hrs. (1982), Platoon (1986), Top Gun (1986) and Tombstone (1993).
- #006
Rourke was the first to be offered the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop (1984). It eventually went to Sylvester Stallone and, after many script revisions, to Eddie Murphy.
- #007
Fighting under his birth name, Phillip Rourke, he reportedly compiled an amateur boxing record in South Florida of 27 wins, 17 knockouts and 3 losses. Rourke's stepfather disputed this record, claiming his stepson had only one amateur fight and was stopped in the first round.
- #008
To prepare for his role as the Russian villain in Iron Man 2 (2010), Rourke toured Moscow's overcrowded Butyrka prison in Russia.
- #009
In Beverly Hills, Rourke co-owned a very small soda fountain, ice cream and magazine stand called Mickey & Joey's with his hairdresser friend Giuseppe Franco.
- #010
Rourke turned down the lead roles in Highlander (1986), The Untouchables (1987) and Rain Man (1988).
- #011
Rourke owned a gym called Shapiro in West Hollywood.
- #012
Rourke was originally cast as "Stuntman Mike" in Death Proof (2007).
- #013
Rourke grew up in the tough Miami neighborhood known as Liberty City.
- #014
Despite being from Miami, Rourke turned down the role of Det. Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice (1984), which went to his Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) co-star Don Johnson. The role was also offered to Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges and Tom Berenger.
- #015
In a 1994 interview at Cannes, Rourke said his favorite actors were Claude Rains, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre, Richard Harris, Errol Flynn, Terence Stamp and Al Pacino.
- #016
In a 2008 interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Rourke said his five favorite films were The Deer Hunter (1978), The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), Lonely Are the Brave (1962), On the Waterfront (1954) and Gilda (1946).
- #017
Rourke shot a role in The Thin Red Line (1998) that was ultimately cut. He is thanked in the credits.
- #018
Rourke was considered for the role of Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
- #019
In 1994, after fighting "Irish" Sean Gibbons to a draw in Davie, Florida, Mickey Rourke retired from boxing undefeated.
- #020
Mickey Rourke was considered for a role in Inglourious Basterds (2009).
- #021
In October 2001, Mickey Rourke paid half a million pounds for a house in County Wicklow, Ireland.
- #022
Mickey Rourke is a motorcycle enthusiast.
- #023
Mickey Rourke's new film Pehlivan (2008) won the Best Film award at the Venice Film Festival.
- #024
While former World Middleweight Boxing Champion Carlos Monzón was imprisoned for murder in Argentina, Mickey Rourke visited him. The two were reported to have boxed in an exhibition.
- #025
Mickey Rourke auditioned for the role of Cyrus Grissom in Con Air (1997), where he improvised by producing a razor-sharp Bowie knife, both frightening and impressing the director. Although they were impressed enough, they decided to cast Malkovich instead.
- #026
In July 1994, Mickey Rourke was arrested by Los Angeles (CA) police and charged with mistreating his wife.
- #027
As a boxer, Mickey Rourke's nickname was "El Marielito".
- #028
Mickey Rourke has a younger sister named Patty, a younger half-brother named Joey Rourke, who is now deceased, and six step-siblings.
- #029
Mickey is the son of Annette Elizabeth (Cameron) and Philip Andre Rourke. His father was born in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York, and was of half Irish and half German descent. His mother was born in Springfield, Windsor, Vermont, and was mostly of English and French-Canadian descent. Through her, Mickey has deep Colonial American roots, especially in Vermont and New Hampshire. His middle name and his father's, Andre, was the surname of his paternal grandmother, Mary Suzan Andre.
- #030
On 19.04.99, Mickey Rourke was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His representatives said it was an allergic reaction to cough syrup he had taken to fight the flu. He was released a few hours later.
- #031
Mickey Rourke was offered a role in Revolver (2005), but turned it down to take a role in Domino (2005).
- #032
Mickey Rourke expressed his support for George W. Bush and later his opposition to Donald Trump and his support for the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket.
- #033
Mickey Rourke made his professional boxing debut on 23.05.91 in Florida against Steve Powell, winning by a four-round decision.
- #034
Mickey Rourke was matched against world champions James Toney and Carlos Monzón.
- #035
In a 2014 boxing match in Moscow, Russia, Rourke knocked down California boxer Elliot Seymour twice and won by knockout in the 2nd round. The match was announced as an exhibition, and Seymour later claimed he was paid $15,000 to lose it. Mickey Rourke said he had no knowledge of this.
- #036
On 12/12/93, Mickey Rourke knocked out Terry Jesmer in four rounds in Spain.
- #037
Mickey Rourke's father worked as a caretaker.
- #038
In 1993, on Argentine television, Rourke took part in a three-round raffle in front of a large studio audience alongside TV series host Henry De Ridder.
- #039
On 3/6/92 in Japan, he knocked out Darrell Miller in the first round.
- #040
As of 2015, he had never appeared as a guest actor in a scripted television series.
- #041
Mickey Rourke was trained by Sandra Seacat.
- #042
He is mentioned in the book Tüm Hayatım Gök Gürültüsüdür (2012).
- #043
Mickey Rourke is the former brother-in-law of Ian Feuer and Jordan Otis.
- #044
As of 2018, he had never appeared in a film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.
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