Mickey Rourke has denounced a GoFundMe page that was set up on his behalf.
On Sunday (December 4), a fundraiser was created for Rourke amid claims he was on the verge of being kicked out of his home.
Reportedly, the actor owes nearly $60,000 in unpaid rent, and his landlord was kicking him out of the property as a result.
The assistant to Rourke's manager, Kimberley Hines, created the page and in the bio stated that they'd received his 'full permission' to do so.
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Part of the lengthy bio read: "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."
In just 48 hours, over $102,000 has been raised for the 73-year-old, surpassing its target.
Rourke has now addressed the GoFundMe page, branding it 'humiliating' and encouraging his fans not to donate.
What Rourke says
In a lengthy video posted to his Instagram, Rourke said: "Something’s come up that... I’m really frustrated, confused, and I don’t understand... Somebody set up some kind of foundation or fund for me, to donate money, like charity. And that’s not me, OK?
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"If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for no f**king charity. I’d rather stick a gun up my a** and pull the trigger."
He went on: "This thing is very embarrassing... Don’t give any money, and if you gave money, get it back. It’s really humiliating. They say it’s up to $100,000. I wouldn’t take a f**king nickel of charity from anybody."
While it wasn't Rourke who created the page, his manager, Hines, has confirmed that her assistant did it for her and insists that the actor was told about it in advance.
Hines also confirmed that the page is 100 per cent legit and that any funds raised will go to the actor if he accepts them.
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What his manager has said
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she shared: "The GoFundMe was done for Mickey. That money’s going to Mickey. It’s not going to me. And if Mickey doesn’t want this money now and decides, 'I don’t want help, it’s like it’s charity,' the money will be returned.
"He doesn’t even have a key to his house. We had to get movers there, get all his clothing out, organize a new apartment for him, get a storage shed. All of this is being paid for by his management team, which is me."
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"Nobody’s trying to grift Mickey," Hines went on. "I want him working. I don’t want him doing a GoFundMe. The good thing about this is that he got four movie offers since yesterday.
"People are emailing him movie offers now, which is great because nobody’s been calling him for a long time."
UNILAD have approached Hines for additional comment.
Topics: Mickey Rourke, Celebrity, News, Money, GoFundMe
Niamh Shackleton