Mickey Rourke was once celebrated as a Hollywood sex symbol, but after a series of boxing matches, his face drastically changed. He resorted to having surgeries to fix his appearance.

After his breakthrough performance in the film "Diner," Mickey Rourke went on to star in dozens of other crowd-favorites. He's appeared in "Iron Man," "Ashby," and "Sin City," among many others.

However, in the nineties, he decided to compete in boxing professionally. To make matters worse, the 68-year-old star once revealed he chose the wrong doctor to fix his face.

Mickey Rourke at Taglyan Cultural Complex on December 13, 2018 in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images

HIS MULTIPLE OPERATIONS

Many people said that the former heartthrob, the son of a professional bodybuilder, looked unrecognizable after getting multiple surgeries. According to Rourke, he had at least five operations:

"I had my nose broken twice. I had five operations on my nose and one on a smashed cheekbone."

ROURKE THE BOXER

Before Rourke became an actor, he had been a keen amateur boxer. His record was 27 wins and three losses. But in the early 1990s, he decided to return to the ring as a professional boxer.

He was undefeated in eight fights, with six wins (four by knockout) and two draws, during the next five years. However, due to his boxing profession, he suffered several injuries.

Actor Mickey Rourke circa 1989 | Source: Getty Images

HIS BOXING INJURIES

Like many other celebrities, Rourke chose to undergo reconstructive surgery to mend his injuries. Many of these ended up unsuccessful, so he continued to work on fixing his appearance until he was satisfied with it.

In a recent Instagram update, Rourke continues to have the long blonde hairstyle he's had for a couple of years now. His face appears to look a lot better, with his cheekbones visible as he smiled for the photo.

Mickey Rourke at The Royal Opera House on February 21, 2010 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

HIS EARLY LIFE

The actor was born Philip Andre "Mickey Rourke Jr." on September 16, 1952, into a family of Irish and French descent. His father was a professional bodybuilder who left his family when Mickey was only 6.

His mother Anne raised him alongside his brother Joey and his half-siblings. She remarried, and they moved to Miami, but his childhood was an unhappy one.

CHOOSING TO BE AN ACTOR

Rourke found solace in the boxing ring, training in the same gym Muhammad Ali started out. Ultimately, an injury stopped him from pursuing the sport professionally.

Instead, he started to pursue acting. Ultimately, this career ended up fruitful for him, and he's been known for multiple hits since the 1980s.

Mickey Rourke and Anastassija Makarenko at El Capitan Theatre on April 26, 2010 in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images

Rourke has dated several celebrities, including Sasha Volkova and Terry Farrell. He has been married twice but has no children.