Mickey Rourke Denies Involvement in GoFundMe: ‘I Wouldn’t Ask for No F***ing Charity’
What To Know
- Mickey Rourke publicly denied any involvement in or approval of a GoFundMe campaign.
- The fundraiser claimed it was created with his permission to help cover nearly $60,000 in back rent.
- Despite Rourke’s denial, the campaign raised over $100,000 before donations were paused.
Actor Mickey Rourke has denied any involvement in setting up a GoFundMe page that was allegedly created to help him avoid eviction from his home after falling behind on nearly $60,000 of his rent.
On Sunday, January 4, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the Oscar-nominated actor and former boxer remain in his Los Angeles apartment. Called “Help Mickey Rourke Stay in His Home,” the page pleaded with fans to donate funds to help the actor stay in his home. However, Rourke took to Instagram to deny any involvement in the campaign.
“Somebody set up some kind of foundation or fund for me to donate money, like in a charity, and that’s not me, OK?” said the actor in a video posted to Instagram on Monday. “If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for no f***ing charity. I’d rather stick a gun up my a** and pull the trigger.”
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Liya-Joelle Jones, the assistant to Rourke’s manager, Kimberly Hines, organized the fundraising effort on his behalf. “Today, Mickey is facing a very real and urgent situation: the threat of eviction from his home. This fundraiser is being created with Mickey’s full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses and prevent that from happening,” the fundraiser’s description stated. “Fame does not protect against hardship, and talent does not guarantee stability. What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing, and the chance to regain his footing.”
However, Rourke stated in his post: “Whoever did this … I don’t know why they did it. I don’t understand it. I wouldn’t know what a GoFund foundation is in a million years.”
“My life is very simple. I don’t go to outside sources like that. And yeah, it is embarrassing, but I’m sure I’ll get over it like anything else,” Rourke further commented.
The goal, according to the GoFundMe description, is to “give Mickey stability and peace of mind during an extremely stressful time.” It concluded, “Any donation, no matter the size, will make a real difference. And if you’re not able to contribute, sharing this page is a huge help and deeply appreciated.”
As of this writing, $100,997 has been raised toward the campaign’s $100,000 goal for Rourke. Donations are now paused.
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On December 18, Rourke was served a notice stating that he owes his landlord, Eric Goldie, $59,100 in back rent, or vacate the property within three days, People reported. He ultimately “failed to comply with the requirements of” the notice.
Rourke rose to fame in the ’80s with the help of films like Diner (1982), Rumble Fish (1983), Year of the Dragon (1985), 9 1/2 Weeks (1986), Barfly (1987), and Angel Heart (1987). In the early ’90s, he took a step back from acting to pursue a professional boxing career. He ultimately returned to acting, finding success in movies like The Wrestler (2008), Sin City (2005), Iron Man 2 (2010), and The Expendables (also 2010).
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