JoJo Siwa Pranks Mickey Rourke on Celebrity Big Brother

JoJo Siwa, the 21-year-old dancer and pop star, has once again captured the spotlight, this time with a stunning prank on Celebrity Big Brother that involved fooling actor Mickey Rourke. Siwa, who initially gained fame through Dance Moms and her partnership with Nickelodeon, has been navigating a career shift toward a more mature, independent identity.

The incident unfolded during a group downtime segment aired Tuesday night, April 8, when Siwa convinced Rourke, 71, that he had been mistakenly identified in the house under an alias. The 20-year-old pop star and internet personality managed to keep the ruse going for several minutes before Rourke realized the joke.

“I had no idea what was going on at first,” Rourke said during a post-scene confessional. “She really had me second-guessing for a minute. She’s got that kind of energy that throws you off in a good way.”

The light-hearted exchange provided comic relief in an otherwise tension-filled week of strategic gameplay inside the Celebrity Big Brother house. Siwa later explained in a diary room segment that she wanted to lift the mood with a harmless joke.

“We’d all been stressed about nominations and gameplay,” Siwa said. “I figured, if I could get Mickey to laugh—even just once—it might help everyone relax.”

The moment quickly became a talking point online. Within hours, clips of the prank circulated on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), with hashtags like #JoJoSiwa and #CBBMickey trending in the U.S. Fans praised the interaction as one of the season’s most entertaining moments.

“JoJo Siwa just gave us the best prank in Big Brother history,” one viewer posted on social media.

Both contestants appeared to take the joke in stride. Rourke, an Oscar-nominated actor known for serious roles in The Wrestler and Sin City, appeared amused and complimentary of Siwa’s sense of humor.

“She’s got a wild imagination,” Rourke said. “It keeps things interesting.”

The episode drew increased viewership compared to the previous week, according to preliminary ratings data from CBS, suggesting that moments of levity like this may be helping to boost the show’s appeal.

With several weeks remaining in the competition, both Siwa and Rourke remain in contention for the top prize. Meanwhile, producers have hinted at more unexpected twists ahead.