Mickey Rourke’s appearance has changed many times over the years – but his ever-evolving eccentric wigs – which observers have suggested he appears to be wearing – could reveal more insights about the controversial star, during each chapter of his life.
The Hollywood actor, 72, who was kicked out of the Celebrity Big Brother house on Saturday night after days of appalling behaviour, has attracted mixed reactions throughout the years with not just his dark personal life but also his bizarre hairstyles.
The actor was a heartthrob in the 80s, known for his handsome looks as much as his acting, with a range of action roles from Angel Heart to Sin City to The Wrestler.
However over time, after he transitioned into boxing in the 90s, his appearance changed a lot after he had multiple reconstructive surgeries, some reportedly botched, to fix damage from the ring.
Not only was his face ever changing but his tresses were too, with many suspecting that hair thinning led him to start using wigs to cover up signs of ageing.
In Hollywood, where appearance is currency and before hair transplant surgery became widely popular, Mickey seemingly turned to wigs to maintain his former heartthrob looks.
For years, the former professional boxer was seen with a head of grey hair, however occasionally he donned blonde locks. Sometimes, it was brown hair with blonde highlights and usually hidden under a cowboy hat.
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, body language expert Judi James revealed his ever changing hair could be ‘hints of inner conflict’…
Mickey Rourke who was kicked out of the Celebrity Big Brother house on Saturday night after days of appalling behaviour, has attracted mixed reactions throughout the years with not just his dark personal life but also his bizarre hairstyles
She explained: ‘Mickey’s hair is like a chaotic, on-going red flag narrative of his emotion and personality states.
‘His looks are all extreme but also all tethered to the “mother ship” that was his style at the height of his fame in the 1980s.
‘He appears both professionally anchored to but also rejecting of the young stud look of his movies back then.
‘It was a look that told little about his abusive childhood and his complex personality and when he returns to this “hair tsunami” it is done in such a surreal way that hints of inner conflict.’
In 2016, the actor donned a questionable grey hairpiece as he attended the annual kickboxing contest Fight Night Saint Tropez in the South of France.
However Mickey’s very obvious iron grey hairpiece proved to be a distraction from the fight.
In Hollywood, where appearance is currency and before hair transplant surgery became widely popular, Mickey seemingly turned to wigs to maintain his former heartthrob looks
In 2015, the movie star was spotted out and about in a blonde wig , which body language expert Judi James suggested was a happier time for Mickey
For the last decade, Mickey, pictured, has sported a grey wig on majority of his outings (pictured in 2016)
Featuring two metallic shades of grey and casually swept into a bizarre bouffant, the wig ensured its owner cut a rather eccentric figure during his special guest appearance at the event.
An unnatural, disjointed hairline accentuated the already peculiar look as Rourke downed bottles of beer with fellow spectators.
Judi claimed this wig may have suggested ‘a desire to fight to self-protect’ from ‘perceived attacks’.
She said: ‘The “iron helmet” look was a more extreme version, with its high, thick up-sweep and a shorter cut around the back.
‘The helmet effect suggested a desire to fight to self-protect, his inner warrior stage where he might have felt the world was against him.
‘The height of the hair makes him look taller and more formidable to ward of perceived “attacks”.
‘These styles look unnatural as though he either lacked perception or intended to keep people at a long distance.
‘There was no blending or attempt to look natural, as though he was viewing life as a stage to perform on rather than an immersive, natural experience.’
Sometimes Rourke donned a brown wig with blonde highlights and usually hidden under a cowboy hat. Pictured in 2018
In 2016, the actor donned a questionable grey hairpiece as he attended the annual kickboxing contest Fight Night Saint Tropez in the South of France
Judi said: ‘Mickey’s longer grey hair looked like a signal of age-acceptance and of sociability as it was styled in a more natural way’
In 2015, the movie star was spotted out and about in a blonde wig, which Judi suggested may have been a happier time for Mickey.
She said: ‘His blonde era suggests a more optimistic and open approach to life. It’s a surfer-chic look that suggests laid-back calm and for Mickey it seemed to be worn with a congruent smile.
‘This hair suggests a more sociable phase in his social or romantic life where he was wanting to appear more youthful, flirty, fun and agreeable.
‘Rourke’s longer grey hair looked like a signal of age-acceptance and of sociability as it was styled in a more natural way.
‘Posing with actors like Pacino suggests a realization of his talent as an actor that could age like fine wine without any need to cling onto a look of eternal youth. This seemed to be Rourke at his most confident.’
Meanwhile in 2014, Mickey was spotted in a messy sterling quiff, which had brown streaks, as he stepped out in New York.
Judi claimed this hairstyle may have shown ‘acceptance of ageing and maturity’ within the actor.
She explained: ‘The most bizarre version of this look came in 2014 when he sported a rippling bouffant of silver-streaked grey hair.
Mickey posing at the winner’s board at The Orange British Academy Film Awards in 2009, with an eccentric hair style
Most recently the actor donned a long brown wig under a cowboy hat while entering the Celebrity Big Brother house
Mickey looked worlds away from his heyday in the Instagram snap as he caught up with some pals on the weekend
Rourke showed off his new wig as he enjoyed a final dinner in London before he headed into the CBB house (pictured with Liam kid Vaughan and his brother Ryan)
‘The erect hair showed off a newly-smooth forehead and the upswept thickness looked like a desire to show off youthful virility that, despite the lip-service acceptance of ageing and maturity, had been increased rather than dimmed.
‘The Steve Tyler lips added to the sense of a desire to look louche and desirable.’
Most recently the actor donned a long brown wig under a cowboy hat while entering the Celebrity Big Brother house.
The star debuted the bold new look just the day before his appearance on the ITV reality series as he enjoyed a final dinner in London.
Mickey looked worlds away from his heyday in the Instagram snap as he caught up with some pals on the weekend.
He wrote: ‘In London at the moment with Liam kid Vaughan and his brother Ryan Vaughan. LIVERPOOL strong’.
‘The recent brunette showed an acute shape-shift,’ Judi said. ‘The height and the bouffant has been replaced by a flatter, longer look that falls over one eye.
‘This change suggests a desire to re-brand with a look that is softer and less about virility.
1986: Part of the 80s action star’s turbulent history is his martial arts background, and the injuries he endured as a result of years in the ring – and he has openly discussed many of the cosmetic procedures he has had since
‘The colour is warmer and the depth of the colour suggests a desire to display some emotional depth, too.
‘If anything it’s a little more feminine and shows a desire to appear more agreeable. As a re-brand it clearly fell at the first hurdle on CBB but hints that maybe the intention was there in terms of displaying a less rebellious personality.’
However it’s not just Mickey’s hair that has been evolving throughout the years, the actor has been very open about her changing face as well.
Mickey has notoriously battled addiction – both drugs and alcohol – in the past and has taken blame for his own career decline over the years.
The actor previously embarked on an amateur boxing career between 1964 to 1973.
Mickey’s amateur fighting career stretched from when he was 12 years old until his early 20s, during which time he racked up 27 wins and only three losses.
He then decided to concentrate on his acting, starring in films including Rumble Fish, The Pope Of Greenwich, 9½ Weeks and Angel Heart.
He then returned to professional boxing in 1991, but the stint saw the star suffer with a variety of injuries including a broken nose, split tongue, a compressed cheekbone and memory loss.
2021: Mickey, pictured in 2021, has discussed about needing cosmetic procedures in past interviews
In 2017 – eight years on – Mickey took to Instagram to once again to share that he had had a ‘nose job’
In October, he opened up about his regret over taking steroids and eating huge meals six times a day to gain weight for his role in 2008 movie, The Wrestler
Meanwhile, in 2009, he opened up to MailOnline about having cosmetic surgery to fix facial injuries.
He said: ‘Most of it was to mend the mess of my face because of the boxing, but I went to the wrong guy to put my face back together.
‘I had my nose broken twice. I had five operations on my nose and one on a smashed cheekbone.’
He continued: ‘I had to have cartilage taken from my ear to rebuild my nose and a couple of operations to scrape out the cartilage because the scar tissue wasn’t healing properly,’ calling it one of the most ‘painful operations’ he’s had.
In that same year, the Hollywood star told how doctors had previously urged him to stop fighting amid fears over his memory loss.
Speaking to Interview Magazine in 2009: ‘I started having some memory-loss issues. I took a neurological exam, and they said, “Well, you should stop fighting now.”
‘And I kept begging them for one more fight, one more fight, and the doctor said to me, “How much are they going to pay you?” I was supposed to fight three more times, and one would have been for a cruiser belt.
‘So I said, “I just need to fight three more times.” He said, “Listen, you can’t even get hit in the head one more time, your neuro is so bad”.’
Meanwhile, back in 2022, the retired boxer confessed that he’s had numerous MRIs due to the amount of concussions he’s suffered ‘over the years.’
‘Gotta make sure “the head isn’t scrambled eggs,”‘ the Man of God actor wisecracked.
Elsewhere, last year Mickey opened up about his regret over taking steroids and eating huge meals six times a day to gain weight for his role in 2008 movie, The Wrestler.
The actor always denied using the performance-enhancing drug to achieve his muscle-bound look in the Oscar-nominated film.
But as he reflected on his role on Instagram, the star finally admitted to using the drug and said it took him four or five years to shift the weight.
Mickey shared a snap of himself in the movie alongside a caption which read: ‘Was just finishing up my nightly 2 hr trainning. [sic] I was thinking back to when I did a film called the Wrestler.’
‘I honestly regret putting on 70 pounds to look the part.. I did not feel comfortable in my own skin and it took almost 4 or 5 years to get back to 180.
‘It was not a great well thought out plan, I of course used steroids and ate enormous amounts of food 6 times a day.
‘Was very stupid on my part my, only real accomplishment was long hrs in gym. I regret it but I’ve made many dumb ass decisions in my life. I cringe when I see photos of myself.
‘I never said I was the sharpest pencil in the box. Oh well I was thinking out loud and thought perhaps I could get this mesg out to some young dude who wants to get bigger and bigger.’
The film followed a faded professional wrestler who must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle.
For his role in the movie as Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, Mickey earned himself an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
In 2009, he hit back at claims he used growth hormones or controversial sports drugs to enhance his physique.
He told Men’s journal: ‘I did some stuff. You wouldn’t classify it as steroids, but I did some heavy duty supplements… but not the regular stuff.’