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HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - A fundraising campaign for actor Mickey Rourke topped its $100,000 goal Tuesday, possibly paving the way for the once-celebrated star of "The Wrestler" and "The Pope of Greenwich Village" to avoid eviction from his Los Angeles home, but Rourke has disavowed the campaign, saying he would never accept charity.
As of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, $102,693 had been pledged from nearly 3,000 donors to a GoFundme launched on Sunday -- purportedly on the behalf of and with the consent of the " 9 1/2 Weeks" star, but the page showed that donations had been paused, without any indication why.
In December, Rourke was served with a notice to pay about $60,000 in back rent, according to published reports.
Late Monday, Rourke posted a video on Instagram disavowing the fundraiser, saying, "That's not me, OK? ... If I needed money, I wouldn't ask for no (expletive) charity." Rourke said he would rather "stick a gun up" a certain body part "and pull the trigger" before he would take charity.
The actor said he was "frustrated" and "confused" by the GoFundMe effort, which he called "embarrassing" and "humiliating." He said he did not know who was behind its establishment.
The fundraiser's page recounts Rourke's career transition from acting to boxing and describes his mental health and financial struggles.
"Boxing -- real and punishing -- left lasting physical and emotional scars, and the industry that once celebrated him moved on quickly," the page said. "What followed were years of struggle not defined by spectacle, but by survival: health challenges, financial strain and the quiet toll of being left behind."
The fundraiser page said it was created with Rourke's "full permission" to help prevent eviction, but Rourke told a different story.
"Don't give any money and if you gave money, get it back," he said.
He said if he needed money, he would borrow it and has been lent funds by a close friend.
He said he stopped paying rent at his rented home because his new landlords let the residence deteriorate and become infested with rats, among other complaints. Rourke conceded that he has "done a really terrible job of managing my career" and "wasn't very diplomatic," leading him to endure "over 20 years of therapy." He said he is no longer the person he was years ago.
But he urged people not to support the GoFundMe account.
Rourke is an Oscar-nominated actor whose breakout role was in Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film "Rumble Fish." He is also known for his leading roles in movies such as "Barfly" and "Diner."