Mickey Rourke, 72, Spotted in Rare Public Sighting at His Beverly Hills Home

When Mickey Rourke reemerges, it's never just another celebrity sighting — it's a ghost from Hollywood's golden era, a living reminder of how fast it all can fall apart.

Once revered as one of the industry's most enigmatic leading men — with smoldering performances in "9½ Weeks," "Angel Heart," and "Barfly" — Mickey Rourke, now 72, made a rare, haunting appearance outside his Beverly Hills mansion earlier this month, and it shook fans.

Exclusive photos obtained by the Daily Mail showed the Oscar-nominated actor meeting a pest control technician outside a home that looked as weathered and wounded as the man himself: dead vines clinging to the walls, overgrown grass, and a front door literally falling apart — a stark contrast to the star-studded life he once knew.

Rourke appeared frail and distant, clad in faded green sweatpants, worn white sneakers, and a baggy gray hoodie left unzipped to reveal his bare, heavily tattooed chest. His once-thick mane turned thin and stark white, his posture slumped, his expression blank.

The recent sighting marks the actor's first public appearance in the U.S. since he was ejected from the UK's Celebrity Big Brother in April — a headline-grabbing exit that saw producers remove him due to explosive behavior and offensive comments directed at housemates, including JoJo Siwa and Ella Rae Wise.

It was a moment that rattled fans but hardly shocked them — just another chapter in the self-sabotaging legacy of a man who walked away from fame, flirted with destruction, and never fully came back.

In the 1990s, at the peak of his fame, Rourke turned his back on Hollywood and pursued professional boxing — a decision that left him with lasting physical injuries, a battered face, and a series of reconstructive surgeries that would later become the subject of intense scrutiny.

His fall from grace was swift and spectacular, and he's been candid about the cost.

"Randy's living in a state of shame. Living in a state of disgrace. The humiliation that I've lived with for five, six, seven, eight, nine, 15 years. That I brought upon myself," he told The Guardian during his comeback moment in 2008's "The Wrestler."

The gritty, heartbreaking performance as aging fighter Randy "The Ram" Robinson became a mirror of Rourke's own life — so much so that he even began wearing a custom jade pendant of the character's ram horns in real life.

He also admitted losing his wife, his home, and his status, surviving only with the help of friends who loaned him small amounts of money.

While some expressed outrage over the invasive nature of the recent photos, many couldn't help but feel moved by what they saw. One fan commented, "He actually looks the most normal than he has ever been. Great actor. Peace, Love & Chicken grease my friend [sic]. ❤️🙌😘"

Another lamented the loss of his once-renowned looks, "He used to be so gorgeous." Meanwhile, reactions on X ranged from shock to blunt realism. "Woah [sic]. Mickey looking rough," wrote one netizen. Another countered, "Simple. He got old, turning 72. And he then got photographed in a bad moment at a bad angle."

On Facebook, others defended him more warmly, with one saying, "Dude is 72 for Christ's sake. Looks great for his age," and another writing, "He's 72 years old! He looks just fine!!"

Through it all, Rourke's longtime girlfriend, model Anastassija Makarenko, remained steadfast. In a past interview with People, she called him, "The most beautiful man in the world. He's a sweetheart and the best boyfriend."

And maybe, beneath the faded glamour and battered body, that's still who he is — the man behind the myth.

Here's a look back at Rourke's transformation — from his leading-man days in Hollywood classics to his recent rare appearance outside his Beverly Hills home:

1980

1989

1993

1994

1997

2000

2005

2008

2010

2013

2014

2016

2022

2025