Mickey Rourke has addressed the shocking claims made by his former “Girl” co-star Bella Thorne.
Reps for “The Wrestler” actor, 72, released a statement after Thorne, 27, accused Rourke of “taking a metal grinder” to her genitals and “bruising her pelvic bone” while filming a scene in 2020.
“This f–king 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,” Thorne tweeted on Friday amid Rourke’s “Celebrity Big Brother” controversy. “He’s supposed to take a metal grinder to my knee cap and instead he used it on my genitals thru my jeans.”
“Hitting them over and over again. I had bruises on my pelvic bone,” she alleged. “Working with Mickey was one of the all-time worst experiences of my life working as an actress.”
While Rourke’s team recognized that Thorne’s claims were both “extremely serious” and “deeply troubling,” they also said the “9½ Weeks” actor denied “any intentional misconduct.”
“We are aware of the deeply troubling statements made by Bella Thorne regarding her experience on set with Mr. Rourke during the production of a past film,” the statement read, per The Hollywood Reporter. “These allegations are extremely serious. Mr. Rourke adamantly denies any intentional misconduct.”
“He has not been contacted previously with any claims of this nature and was unaware of any discomfort expressed by Ms. Thorne at the time,” Rourke’s team continued. “Out of respect for all parties involved and in light of the gravity of the claims, Mr. Rourke will refrain from commenting further at this time. He is prepared to cooperate fully with any appropriate inquiry.”
The statement concluded: “We extend our support to all professionals who deserve to feel safe and respected in their workplace.”
Meanwhile, the former Disney Channel star made a series of other surprising claims about Rourke regarding their time filming the horror flick “Girl” five years ago.
Thorne alleged that Rourke chose to “speed up and rev his engine so he could cover me completely in dirt” and that she was forced to visit Rourke’s trailer “absolutely alone” because the actor “refused to speak” to anyone on set besides her.
“In fact I had to beg. Alone. In his trailer. Since the movie could not be finished without him,” Thorne alleged in another tweet on Friday. “Everyone’s work would’ve just been lost and completely for nothing. I didn’t wanna do it. I was uncomfortable, but I did what I was asked to do and what was best for the movie.”
“Mickey should’ve never put anybody in that movie in any of those positions that he did,” she concluded.
Thorne’s stunning allegations and Rourke’s subsequent response came shortly before the “Sin City” star was booted from “Celebrity Big Brother UK” over the weekend for “inappropriate language” and “unacceptable behavior.”
While Rourke made a series of homophobic comments in front of fellow contestant JoJo Siwa earlier in the week, he also reportedly butted heads with housemate and “Love Island” alum Chris Hughes.
“Mickey Rourke has agreed to leave the Celebrity Big Brother House this evening following a discussion with Big Brother regarding further use of inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behaviour,” a spokesperson for the show confirmed on Saturday.
Rourke then apologized for “stepping over the line” and “losing it for a few seconds” during filming.
“I stepped over the line, and I take responsibility for doing the wrong thing,” he said. “Because I lost my temper, and I’ve been trying to work on it my whole life, and I wish I would have had better self-control, and I’m very sorry.”
“I’m ashamed of myself for losing it for a few seconds there. Nobody got touched or hurt,” Rourke added. “Maybe some feelings got hurt, or maybe others have feelings about others getting upset, but, you know, I’m sorry about that.”
