Mickey Rourke’s beloved dog Ivan has a life-threatening heart condition that will require a $10,000 surgery, amid the actor’s spiraling financial woes.
On top of the initial operation, Ivan could require a second procedure with a price tag between $6,000 and $8,000, insiders alleged.
Rourke, 73, is facing such severe monetary trouble that he was evicted from his Los Angeles home after falling behind on nearly $60,000 in rent in late 2025.
Fans swung into action, donating about $100,000 to a GoFundMe set up by an assistant to Rourke’s manager Kimberly Hines – but Rourke has vociferously decried the campaign as a ‘cruel embarrassment’ and is now trying to return the money.
He has allegedly been resistant to the job offers Hines secured for him, but is bent on finding work in order to fund Ivan’s surgeries, sources told TMZ.
Hines has now issued a statement on the matter, declaring: ‘I’m very resilient and committed to seeing Mickey make the right choices for his career and for his personal well-being. That said, we are at a moment of truth, and ultimately only Mickey can decide how he wants to play out his next chapter.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Rourke’s representative for further comment.
Mickey Rourke is pictured with his dogs Egor, Ivan and Lucky in 2023; Ivan, one of the black and white canines, now has a heart condition requiring a $10,000 surgery
The news about Ivan comes after Rourke fiercely denounced the GoFundMe set up in his name, calling the crowdfunding a ‘scam’ and ‘a cruel embarrassment.’
He wrote on Instagram in bold caps that his attorney ‘IS DOING EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER’ to return folks’ hard-earned money as quickly as possible.
The actor’s expletive-filled message continued as he shared there is still more than $90,000 that needs to be refunded, adding that ‘THE PERSON WHO PULLED THIS C**P SHOULDN’T GET ONE F*** DOLLAR.’
Rourke concluded by saying all he’s concerned about at this moment is the health and well-being of his friend, actor Eric Dane, who last April shared his diagnosis with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disorder that affects nerve cells controlling the muscles.
‘PLEASE SHOOT ERIC SONE [Sic] “STRONG PRAYERS ” PLEASE”!!!!!!!’ pleaded the one-time Hollywood heartthrob, who’s been snubbing job offers despite his financial woes and eviction battle.
Rourke’s latest social media share comes in the wake of reports he’s being selective about his work projects despite ongoing financial troubles and his eviction battle.
The star’s manager, Kimberly Hines, recently revealed that Rourke has been getting a number of job offers, per TMZ.
The offers range from indie films, photoshoots as well as live appearances and signings. Hines added that she received six offers for the actor in just two days.
Rourke is trying to give back the money raised on GoFundMe – over $100,000 – to the generous people who were trying to help him; pictured in 2010 in Beverly Hills
The actor, 73, pictured on January 1 at the Los Angeles home he was facing eviction from, denounced the GoFundMe set up in his name in another Instagram rant on Thursday
Rourke’s pride, however, is apparently getting in the way of an actual job.
Hines said Rourke will only consider work that pays like an A-lister, in the range of $200,000 per day.
The Oscar-winner – who has worked with the likes of Kim Basinger, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba and Benicio del Toro – is also intent on working in the same league of top-rate actors and directors he’s accustomed to.
Hines added she believes that if Rourke prioritizes quality projects, the money will eventually come.
The manager said the actor was staying at a West Hollywood hotel with his three dogs, but he was soon checking out. According to TMZ, Rourke has a new apartment in Los Angeles.
Rourke called the crowdfunding a ‘scam’ and ‘a cruel embarrassment’ in his expletive-laced message
The actor has since moved out of the three-bedroom, 2.5 bath Spanish bungalow in the Beverly Grove area of Los Angeles
Rourke, pictured in 2022 in West Hollywood, revealed there was still $90,000 left to return to GoFundMe donors
Hines believes Rourke has what it takes to get back to ‘being at the top again’ but will need to return back to work to get back on his feet.
Rourke’s faltering career was revitalized with his 2008 role in Darren Aronofsky’s drama The Wrestler, where he starred as Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson.
He received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance and won a Golden Globe as well as a BAFTA award.
He would go on to act in Iron Man 2 (2010) and The Expendables (2010), but his career would fizzle out once again.
Other well-known films on his resume include 9½ Weeks (1986), Angel Heart (1987) and Sin City (2005).
Rourke was considered one of Hollywood’s most intense and talented leading men in the 1980s and early ‘90s.
But his perception as the charismatic anti-hero quickly took a tumble as self-destructive behavior and addiction fueled a reputation for being impossible to work with.
By the early ’90s, his career faltered and he stepped away from Hollywood to pursue professional boxing. The profession caused him numerous injuries including a broken nose and cheekbone which he reportedly tried to fix with plastic surgery but left him almost unrecognizable.
Rourke was considered one of Hollywood’s most intense and talented leading men during his heydey in 1980s and early ‘90s; pictured in 1980 in New York
Rourke was served a notice last month to pay $59,100 in back rent he allegedly owed on his Los Angeles property within three days, or risk eviction.
A fundraiser was launched by a woman named Liya-Joelle Jones, who said she works as an assistant to Hines. Jones claimed the GoFundMe was created with Rourke’s ‘full permission.’
Within two days, the campaign raised $100,490 effectively surpassing its $100,000 goal.
Hines also admitted that they had informed Rourke of the GoFundMe but he may not have fully comprehended what was happening, telling The Hollywood Reporter: ‘“We said, “Mickey, there’s some people that want to help you out.” He’s like, “Okay, great.” I don’t think he understood, and now it’s taken on this media frenzy, and he flipped out.’
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