According to court records obtained by Page Six, the residence on Drexel Avenue is now back under the control of its landlord, Eric T. Goldie. The ruling was issued Monday by the Los Angeles County Superior Court after a default judgment was filed, meaning the actor did not appear in court to contest the case or respond to the complaint before the deadline.
The legal filing granted the landlord “possession” of the property rather than awarding damages. The development was first reported by People magazine on Tuesday. Representatives for the 73-year-old actor have not yet publicly commented on the situation.
The dispute over the property reportedly began late last year. In December, a legal notice demanded that Rourke either vacate the home within three days or pay $59,100 in unpaid rent. Shortly afterward, in January, the actor was seen removing personal belongings from the residence. A moving truck from U-Haul was later spotted parked in the driveway as the relocation process continued.
At the time, sources told Page Six that the Iron Man 2 star had temporarily relocated to an upscale hotel in West Hollywood, where rooms reportedly start at around $550 per night.
During the same period, a crowdfunding campaign appeared online in an attempt to raise money to help prevent the eviction. The fundraiser was launched on GoFundMe by a woman named Liya-Joelle Jones, who set a goal of collecting $100,000.
Rourke quickly distanced himself from the campaign, however, saying he had nothing to do with it. In a video posted to Instagram in January, the actor expressed frustration over the situation and firmly denied requesting any financial assistance.
Looking confused and irritated while holding a small dog in the clip, he insisted he had never asked anyone for “charity.” Rourke even claimed he had no familiarity with crowdfunding platforms and said he would never seek money that way.
“If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for charity,” he said in the video, emphasizing that pride would prevent him from requesting public donations.
Despite the eviction situation, Rourke’s representatives say the actor continues to receive work offers. His manager, Kimberly Hines, told TMZ earlier this year that Rourke has turned down several opportunities because he prefers to hold out for higher-paying roles. According to Hines, the actor is unwilling to accept jobs that pay less than $200,000 per day.
Sources familiar with Rourke’s finances have also suggested that the actor’s spending habits have sometimes made it difficult for him to maintain financial stability. An insider told the Daily Mail that Rourke has long lived a lavish lifestyle and faced personal struggles in the past, including issues involving substance use.
The source claimed that although Rourke still has opportunities to earn substantial sums through films, television projects, and reality shows, he tends to spend quickly, leaving him in a difficult financial position again soon after earning money.
Rourke rose to fame in the 1980s with performances in films such as 9½ Weeks and later experienced a major career comeback with his acclaimed role in The Wrestler. Despite the ups and downs of his career and personal life, the actor has remained a recognizable and sometimes controversial figure in Hollywood.
