EXCLUSIVE: Outrage as 'Hollywood Thug' Mickey Rourke Signs up To 'Celebrity Big Brother' Years After He 'Pulled Gun on Wife During Honeymoon' — 'I Thought He'd Been Cancelled!'
Hollywood wildman Mickey Rourke has signed a 'seven-figure deal' to appear on British reality TV series 'Celebrity Big Brother.'
April 3 2025, Published 10:34 a.m. ET
British reality TV series Celebrity Big Brother has sparked outrage by signing up Hollywood wildman Mickey Rourke.
RadarOnline.com can reveal The Wrestler actor, 72, agreed a "seven-figure deal" to appear on the upcoming series, which kicks off next week.
Controversial Hollywood veteran Rourke will be joined in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house by JoJo Siwa.
However, his inclusion hasn't gone down well with fans of the show who recall Rourke's controversial past, namely his alleged violence towards his former wife Carré Otis — who once claimed he pulled a gun on her during their honeymoon.
In 1994, police were called to their house over claims he slapped and kicked her, and the actor what was arrested by cops and ordered to stand trial for the spousal abuse charges.
However, Otis failed to appear in court twice and as a result, Los Angeles prosecutors were forced to drop the case and Rourke was never made to answer.
The incident cast a huge shadow over his career and the network which airs Celebrity Big Brother, ITV, has come under fire for including him in this year's line-up.
Rourke's former wife Carré Otis once claimed he pulled a gun on her during their honeymoon.
A showbiz source said: "Mickey’s done well to get that gig as many people thought he was cancelled.
"In today’s world, it’s a huge surprise he’s been paid so much to appear, considering what he was previously accused of.
"It's not a good look for ITV, who are clearly just quietly ignoring his past."
Rouke isn’t the only American housemate set to feature.
Former Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa, 21, will also be joining the actor in the house.
Producers will be hoping Rourke spills about his previous Hollywood romances and issues with a string of A-listers.
Rourke was arrested by cops in 1994 and ordered to stand trial for the spousal abuse charge after allegedly hitting Otis.
He previously dated Kim Basinger, his 9½ Weeks co-star, and was married to actress Debra Feuer from 1981 to 1989, and as well as model Otis from 1992 to 1998.
In 2022, he took a shot at Tom Cruise after his fellow actor star won acclaim for his reprising his Pete "Maverick" Mitchell role in the Top Gun sequel.
Rourke said: "That doesn’t mean s--- to me.
"I don't care about money and power, I care about when I watch Al Pacino work and Chris Walken and De Niro's early work and Richard Harris's work and Ray Winstone's work.
"That’s the kind of actor I want to be like. Monty Clift and Brando back in the day."
The movie hardman – who changed careers to become a boxer before torching all his Hollywood bridges – added: "The guy's been doing the same effing part for 35 years. I got no respect for that.
"I think he's irrelevant, in my world."
Rourke has a long-standing feud with Hollywood big hitter Robert De Niro.
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He’s also had a long-running feud with Goodfellas icon, Robert De Niro – his co-star in 1997 movie Angel Heart.
In 2020, Rourke threatened the actor on Instagram, writing: "Hey Robert De Niro, that's right I am talking to you, you big f------ crybaby.
"A friend of mine just recently told me that a few months back you're quoted as saying to newspapers 'Mickey Rourke's a liar he talks all kind of sh--.'
"Listen Mr.Tough Guy in the movies, you're the 1st person that ever called me a liar and it was in a newspaper."
He signed the caption: "Mickey Rourke, as God is my witness.
"Let me tell you something, you punk a--, when I see you I swear to God on my Grandmother, on my brother and all my dogs, I gonna embarrass you severely 100 percent."
