Mickey's childhood
When Mickey was 6 years old, his parents separated. The reason for this was constant disagreement. Therefore, at one point, Mickey’s mother packed her things, took the children with her and moved to Florida, Liberty City, a poor suburb of Miami. Soon Mickey's mother married a former policeman who had 5 children.
As a teenager, Mickey and his stepfather could not find a common language. The teenager did not recognize his harsh parenting methods. Therefore, Mickey spent all his free time on the street, communicating with a dubious contingent of people, among whom were drug addicts, prostitutes and pimps.
Mickey's stepfather evokes only negative memories. He said this:
“My stepfather used to slap me on the head with or without reason, simply because he wanted to. He was big, very big and mean. He also raised his hand to my mother. I hated the bastard because he hurt her, because she was afraid of him. For many years I dreamed only of somehow taking revenge on him.”
It was around this period that Mickey became interested in boxing. It turned out to be an easy way to express aggression. Early in his boxing career, Rourke had a brilliant 47 fights at middleweight. At the age of 19, he received a serious concussion during a fight with a strong opponent. As a result, I had to forget about my hobby.
Mickey Rourke boxer
Mickey never liked to study; the teenager was more interested in baseball and studied in the acting class of Jay Jenson, a famous teacher in South Florida. In his school leaving certificate, the future actor had a good grade only in physical fitness. But this did not affect the fate of the talented young man. Within a few years the whole world knew about him.
Some time later at the University of Miami, a friend told Mickey about his production of Jean Genet's play "High Surveillance." Rourke took part in the play and fell in love with the acting profession.
Mickey Rourke now
In 2021, information appeared in the press that in 2021 Mickey Rourke could have the last fight of his career, which is planned to be organized in the Urals. Representatives of the athlete confirmed these reports, saying that negotiations are already underway with Ural partners regarding the holding of the event.
Rourke also amuses fans with her behavior. He once danced in the boxing ring to a popular song from the 90s by Russian singer Evgeny Osin. The American posted the corresponding video on Instagram. Rourke makes energetic movements, somewhat reminiscent of a jive and twist with elements of boxing, to Osin’s hit “I Don’t Believe.” In this case, the action takes place in the ring, and the actor himself is dressed in short shorts.
In 2021, Mickey again shocked fans with his appearance. The film actor appeared on the streets of Beverly Hills, surprising him with his new image. The man dyed his hair the silver color that was fashionable last season. Although there was some natural gray hair here. The actor again put on his favorite khaki boots, into which he managed to tuck in skinny ripped jeans and decorate it all with a belt with a huge silver buckle. Mickey took the dog with him and went to pose for the American paparazzi.
The boxer's followers on Instagram and the microblogging service Twitter asked the idol to improvise more often, as well as publish similar videos and new photos.
Mickey Rourke continues to participate in the filming of Hollywood films. “Combat Mechanism” and “Plains of Mercury” are the latest works with the participation of the Hollywood legend.
The youth of Mickey Rourke
For a long time, Rourke worked in low-paid jobs, but due to a constant lack of money, he connected his life with criminal activity. Until 1975, Mickey dealt drugs, but during one transaction a shootout ensued in which he almost died. This moment became a turning point in the actor’s life; he soon decided to radically change his life. He borrowed $400 from his sister and went to New York to pursue his dream of becoming an actor.
A year later, fate smiled on the young man, and he entered the Lee Strasberg acting studio.
Note that many future celebrities tried to enroll there. Dustin Hoffman succeeded only on the eighth try, and Jack Nicholson on the fifth. Philip Andre Rourke Jr. passed the selection on the first try, beating out several thousand candidates.
“Then it seemed to me that I could survive on candy alone. Damn, that’s how it was,” Rourke recalled.
The future actor spent all the money he earned on tuition fees. Rourke worked as a pool cleaner, salesman and security guard at a bar for transvestites. He had to live in a small provincial hotel.
In 1978, an unknown actor moved to Los Angeles and encountered the concept of “Competition.” Steven Spielberg decided that an extra from a recent student should turn out to be quite adequate. At the same time, the first roles appeared - they were episodic in nature. And in 1981, the actor married Debra Feuer.
Mickey Rourke - biography and personal life
The biography and personal life of actor Mickey Rourke are full of interesting events, ups and downs. Philip Andre Rourke Jr. (real name of the star), was born in 1952 in New York, Schenectady. He was the first-born of his parents, Anna and Philip. Mickey later had a brother, Joseph, who died of cancer in 2004, and a sister, Patricia. He owes his nickname to his father, who named his son after his idol, basketball star, Mickey Mantle.
When the boy was 6 years old, his parents divorced, and his mother, taking the children, moved to Miami, to a poor province of Florida, Liberty City. There she remarried a former policeman who often beat not only Mickey, but also his mother. Because of this, Rourke grew up aggressive and spent most of his time on the street, in the company of bad people.
As a teenager, in order to release his aggression somewhere, he began to practice boxing. This hobby later grew into a real profession. However, at the age of 19, during a fight, an opponent inflicted a serious brain injury on Mickey Rourke, and the guy was forced to leave boxing.
He owes the start of his acting career to his role in the play “High Supervision” while he was studying at the university. It was then that he fell in love with acting and decided to conquer Hollywood at any cost.
In 1978, at the age of 26, Mickey Rourke went to Los Angeles, where he began trying to break into the big stage. After some time, Steven Spielberg offered him a modest role in the film “1941”. After filming this picture, Rourke began to receive more offers. However, at first the roles were minor. But, despite this, the actor’s realistic performance and talent attracted the attention of European viewers, and thanks to his role in the film “Fighting Game,” the actor received the title of a world-class star.
Unlike his career as an actor, the star’s personal life did not work out. He was married twice and divorced twice. His first wife was Debra Feuer, with whom he lived for 8 years. He lived with his second wife and co-star, Carrie Otis, for 6 years. For all these years, Mickey Rourke never had children from either his first or second marriage. Perhaps a difficult childhood, constant fights in the ring, broken kidneys led to the fact that the star could not have children.
Mickey Rourke and his plastic surgery
In his youth, the actor was very handsome and was considered a sex symbol of the 90s. However, multiple injuries after fights led him to a plastic surgeon. But in 2008, one of the operations was not entirely successful, and the star’s face changed beyond recognition. A few years later, he again decided to go under the knife, but with the goal of regaining his former beauty and appearance. He was pleased with the result. And in 2015, he decided to repeat the procedure in order to rejuvenate himself a little, but after the next intervention his appearance was greatly damaged.
|
|
|
On September 16, 2015, Mickey Rourke celebrated his 64th birthday. But, despite his age, he is full of strength to pursue not only a career and boxing, but also build a personal relationship with his beloved Anastasia Makarenko, who became a real gift for him. He himself called her “an angel who descended from heaven.” Everyone was preparing for another couple to be created in Hollywood, but the couple broke up for unknown reasons.
Film career
In 1978, Mickey decides to move to Los Angeles, but he has no luck there either, only Steven Spielberg notices him and invites him to be an extra in the film “1941”.
This was followed by episodic roles in the films “Fade to Black: In Life as a Movie”, “Heaven’s Gate”, and also played the main role in the television film “Violence and Marriage”, where his partner was young Linda Hamilton.
Later, director Lawrence Kasdan noticed Mickey and tried to give the aspiring actor a small role in the film Body Heat. The director was shocked by Mickey's work.
Movie "Rumble Fish"
In 1983, the youth drama Rumble Fish was released, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Mickey played the role of Motorcyclist.
Movie "Rumble Fish"
We can say that the film “Rumble Fish” by Coppola was the beginning of his ascent; almost only young actors were filmed, including Matt Dillan and Nicolas Cage; the image of the biker made Mickey recognizable and became the “trigger” for getting other roles.
About the actor, director Francis Ford Coppola said:
“Mickey Rourke is an outstanding actor. There is a certain magnetism and mystery in his personality and talent...”
Film "9 1/2 weeks"
The film “9 1/2 Weeks” became a grand film that brought world fame to the actor. A love story about two people obsessed with each other. The film became a classic of the genre, and the actor Mickey himself earned the title of world star and sex - a symbol that almost every woman on the globe dreamed of.
Film "9 1/2 weeks"
This moment became a kind of starting point for Rourke - his ascent to fame and the title of a recognized sex symbol. Over the next few years, Mickey Rourke gained a reputation as an actor who agreed to act only in those films that, in his opinion, fell under the definition of “real cinema” and corresponded to his personal moral principles.
Such films include roles in the films “Escape Prayer” , “The Drunk” , “The Boyfriend” , “Francesco”.
Film "Angel Heart"
In 1987, Mickey once again proved his talent in the mystical thriller Angel Heart, where he played, according to many critics, his best role. The film was nominated for several film awards. Rourke's partners on the set were Robert De Niro and Charlotte Rampling.
Film "Angel Heart"
The atmosphere of the film, which draws you in from the first frames and does not let go until the credits. Those who are not delighted with Parker's creation criticize the weakness of the detective line: it is not so difficult to guess who is killing almost all the characters one by one. The most interesting thing is that both are right. Angel Heart is one of the most atmospheric films in the history of cinema, but although it contains many elements of a noir detective story, it is never a detective story.
The brilliant performances of Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro turned the film into a true masterpiece.
Film "Wild Orchid"
In 1990, the erotic melodrama “Wild Orchid” was released, in which Mickey played superbly. At the casting for the role of his partner, Mickey met the girl of his dreams, whom the actor, 21-year-old model Carre Otis, married in the future.
Film "Wild Orchid"
The plot of the film revolves around a sexy and mysterious millionaire who, using his witchcraft charisma and charm, tries to seduce a young beauty. Among the riot of colors and the rhythm of the carnival, he inflames a volcano of previously unknown feelings and erotic fantasies in the main character, without moving to decisive action. And only after pushing the girl into the arms of another, James (Mickey Rourock) realizes that he loves her.
The finale of the erotic melodrama shone with a frank scene, the characters “really” made love. This caused a major film scandal.
Film "Bullet"
It is believed that the final film, which, in fact, put an end to Rourke’s glorious ascent was the film “Bullet.” Role, in this film Mickey appeared in an image familiar to him, because the actor himself had problems with drugs.
Film "Bullet"
After this, Rourke's career began to decline: large fees led to terrible sprees. Word spread quickly in Hollywood, and many directors complained that working with Mickey was a nightmare. Alan Parker said: "Rourke is very dangerous on set because you never know what he's going to do next." As a result, the artist almost lost his job.
Rourke himself refused some roles, which he later regretted. The list of unplayed Mickeys is long: the films “48 Hours”, “Platoon”, “Top Gun”, “Beverly Hills Cop”, “Rain Man”, “Silence of the Lambs”, “Pulp Fiction”.
Then everything began to decline, there were no good roles, as well as films, he appears only in second-rate strange action films, such as “Bloody Thursday” and “Under Fire” .
Later, at the beginning of the new century, he appears in Once Upon a Time in Mexico , Aerobatics , then in Sin City and Domino .
Film "Sin City"
Mickey Rourke's acting career went in waves, or rather in stripes. You can find very unworthy secondary works. But the star also has several awards - for example, the film “Eatery” .
Film "Eatery"
Return to big cinema
Film "The Wrestler"
Only in 2008, Mickey pulled himself together and was able to make the world talk about himself by starring in the film “The Wrestler,” where he played simply brilliantly and did not leave ordinary viewers, critics, or his fans indifferent.
The film actor spent 3 months at a wrestling school, training hard. The work was not in vain. The actor received a Golden Globe, BAFTA and Independent Spirit awards. The action film received the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival: the role of the tragic fate of professional wrestler Randy Robinson struck a chord with the jury. They started talking about Mickey again, and the film was nominated for an Oscar.
Film "The Wrestler"
In 2010, Mickey successfully played roles in the popular films Iron Man 2 , Thirteen and The Expendables .
Film "Iron Man 2"
Film "The Expendables"
Plastic surgery
According to the actor himself, after practicing professional boxing he experienced many injuries.
He needed to see a surgeon, but the latter unsuccessfully performed a series of operations, after which Mickey Rourke's face was somewhat disfigured. In particular, ear cartilage was transplanted to restore his nose.
“I am terribly depressed by the thought that I have lost my appearance. I get upset when I see myself in my old films. I was much more attractive, it's terrible. It's disgusting to see you getting worse." - Mickey Rourke.
On October 11, 2012, Mickey underwent circumferential facial plastic surgery to restore the actor’s former appearance. During the operation, the failures of the 2008 plastic surgery were corrected. Rourke tolerated the surgery well and even posted his photos online, taken a few hours after the operation.
In 2015, Rourke underwent another plastic surgery, which greatly changed his appearance.
In 2011, Mickey Rourke was awarded one of the highest honors in Hollywood, which ranks higher than a personal star on the Walk of Fame. The actor left his handprints and shoe prints in the cement in front of the famous Chinese Theater, located next to the Kodak Theater, where the Oscars have been held for 11 years in a row.
Mickey Rourke and boxing
Mickey started boxing as a teenager at the age of 12. From 1991 to 1994, Mickey Rourke fought 8 fights in the light heavyweight division, including 6 wins and 2 draws. All fights were 4 rounds. Rourke sparred with such famous boxers as James Toney, Tommy Morrison and John David Jackson.
Rourke said: “I get into the ring because I’m fighting self-destruction. I don't respect myself as an actor. So I’m doing something that I’m really good at.”
For his first fight, Rourke received a purse of only $250, but then earned about $1 million and was featured on the cover of World Boxing Magazine. In eight fights (four wins by knockout, two by decision and two draws), Rourke paid with four concussions, a shattered cheekbone, a broken nose five times, a broken arm in six places, loss of sensation in his fingers and a long-term lack of coordination. Injuries led to Rourke deciding to leave the professional ring, in his own words, stopping three or four steps away from a fight for the world title.
However, even now, the actor admits that boxing is an important part of his life: “Boxing is a very beautiful sport, a very honest sport. I don’t know why everyone is so dramatic... Boxing doesn’t make mistakes. Boxing is a serious part of my life. He taught me respect, perseverance, patience, and concentration. Everything that I now use on the court.”
In 2009, at WrestleMania XXV, he defeated wrestling champion Chris Jericho.
In November 2014, Mickey had 1 exhibition fight, defeating Elliot Seymour, the fight took place in Moscow (Luzhniki Sports Palace).
Boxing
Mickey Rourke started boxing at age 12. Soon the desire to take part in fights led the athlete to the professional ring.
Between 1991 and 1994, Rourke had 8 fights, winning 6 of them. Mickey was considered an excellent fighter. The athlete once even appeared on the cover of World Boxing Magazine. But the man paid for his achievements with several concussions, more than once broken nose, cheekbone, arm, and lack of coordination. Due to a large number of injuries, Rourke underwent plastic surgery that distorted his face. Photos of the actor before and after the operation amaze fans even today.
Mickey had to leave the ring, but he still admits that he loves boxing, is in good physical shape (Mickey’s height is 180 cm) and is ready for fights.
In November 2014, Rourke returned to the professional ring. The boxer defeated American Elliot Seymour by knockout. The fight took place in Moscow.
