Mickey Rourke has broken his silence after actress Bella Thorne made disturbing allegations about his behavior while filming the 2020 thriller Girl.
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As previously reported, the 27-year-old former Disney Channel star accused the 72-year-old actor of physically injuring her on set.
Throne shared the claims on her Instagram Story this week after watching a clip of Rourke’s controversial exchange with JoJo Siwa on Celebrity Big Brother UK.
“This f***ing dude. GROSS. I had to work with this man - In a scene where I’m on my knees with my hands zip-tied around my back,” she wrote.
“He’s supposed to take a metal grinder to my kneecap, and instead he used it on my genitals thru my jeans. Hitting them over and over again,” Thorne said, adding that the ordeal left her with “bruises on [her] pelvic bone.”
She called it “one of the all-time worst experiences of my life working as an actress”.
Thorne also elaborated on the alleged mistreatment in a series of posts on X.
She alleged that the The Wrestler actor “humiliated” her in front of the crew by revving an engine to cover her in dirt during a scene and said she was forced to enter his trailer alone because he refused to speak with anyone else on set.
“Having to go in his trailer absolutely alone because he refused to speak to the director or producers – so I had to convince him to show up and complete his job, as he shouted crazy demands that he wanted from the producers,” she wrote.
Rourke spoke out via a statement to Variety through his spokesperson, strongly denying the allegations.
“These allegations are extremely serious. Mr. Rourke adamantly denies any intentional misconduct," they wrote. "He was not made aware of any such concerns during filming and had no prior knowledge of Ms. Thorne’s discomfort until now.”
The statement added: “Out of respect for all parties and given the gravity of the claims, Mr. Rourke will not be making further public comment at this time. He remains willing to cooperate with any appropriate inquiry through the proper channels. We affirm the right of every performer to feel safe and respected in their work environment.”
The accusations surfaced amid mounting backlash over the actor's recent behavior in the Celebrity Big Brother house.
During a now-viral episode, Rourke directed homophobic remarks at fellow contestant Siwa. When the 21-year-old told Rourke she was gay and had a non-binary partner, he responded: “If I stay longer than four days, you [Siwa] won’t be gay anymore.”
The influencer shut down the comment immediately, replying: “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay, and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.” Rourke then escalated things further by saying, “I’ll tie you up,” and later remarked that he was “going to vote the lesbian out real quick”.
Following the incident, the Rumble Fish actor was called into the diary room by Big Brother producers and issued a formal warning. He apologised to Siwa, blaming his behaviour on having a “short fuse,” and she accepted.
Reactions to his vile comments from outside the house were fierce. Siwa’s partner, Kath Ebbs, condemned the comments in an emotional Instagram video, calling them “beyond disgusting” and “dangerous".
Ebbs, who is non-binary, described Rourke’s behavior as a form of bullying rooted in the fact that he “deemed her unf***able” and had no sexual power over her. “Once she shuts it down, he says he's going to tie her up. That is a rape joke, that's what that is, call it what it is,” Ebbs said.
Despite initially staying in the house, Rourke has now exited the show. ITV confirmed the actor’s departure was tied to “further use of inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behavior," per BBC News.
“Mickey Rourke has agreed to leave the Celebrity Big Brother House this evening following a discussion with Big Brother,” a spokesperson said, adding that his language during a dispute with co-star Chris Hughes was deemed “threatening and aggressive,” though no physical altercation occurred.