Mickey Rourke has addressed Bella Thorne’s accusations regarding an incident on a film set where she claimed he injured her genitals.
The actor came under fire for comments deemed homophobic towards JoJo Siwa, his co-star on Celebrity Big Brother. Rourke inquired about the 21-year-old’s sexual orientation, to which she revealed she is attracted to girls and has a non-binary partner.
During the exchange, Rourke quipped, “If I stay longer than four days, you [Siwa] won’t be gay anymore.” Siwa confidently replied, “I can guarantee I’ll still be gay and I’ll still be in a very happy relationship.” Rourke continued, “I’ll tie you up.”
He further remarked about voting “the lesbian out real quick,” prompting JoJo to label his comments as ‘homophobic.’
As a result of the conversation, Big Brother officials summoned Rourke to the diary room, warning him that similar conduct could lead to his eviction from the house. He apologized to Siwa, and she accepted his apology.
In response to the incident, Siwa’s family and Bella Thorne shared their views. Upon seeing the interaction, Thorne took to Instagram to criticize Rourke, who was her co-star in the 2020 film “Girl.”
“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,” she shared on her Instagram Story.
“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 stated, explaining that the incident left her with ‘bruises on [her] pelvic bone,’ calling it ‘one of the all-time worst experiences of my life working as an actress.’
Rourke’s representatives responded to her allegations in a statement to Variety, firmly denying the claims.
“These allegations are extremely serious. Mr. Rourke adamantly denies any intentional misconduct. He was not made aware of any such concerns during filming and had no prior knowledge of Ms. Thorne’s discomfort until now,” a spokesperson for Rourke explained.
“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.”
ITV announced that Rourke was asked to leave the Celebrity Big Brother house due to ‘further use of inappropriate language and instances of unacceptable behavior.’
A spokesperson commented, “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 behavior.”
ITV reported a disagreement between Rourke and Chris Hughes from Love Island, noting that while no physical fight occurred, Rourke’s language was ‘threatening and aggressive.’