Mickey Rourke, the Oscar-nominated actor best known to mainstream audiences for his role in Iron Man 2, has publicly condemned a fundraising campaign created to help him avoid eviction from his rental home, calling the effort humiliating.

On January 4, a campaign was launched on GoFundMe to support the 73-year-old actor, who was reported to be facing financial difficulties and owing nearly USD 60,000 in unpaid rent. The fundraiser, created under Rourke’s name and allegedly organized by his longtime management team, aimed to raise USD 100,000 so he could remain in his rented home.

However, a day later, Rourke posted a video on Instagram—where he has around 500,000 followers—strongly criticizing the campaign. Appearing visibly exhausted and sitting beside his dog, the actor said he was angry, confused, and upset. “Something happened that really pissed me off,” he said. “Someone set up some kind of fund or organization to raise money for me. But that was not me.”

Rourke insisted that he would never ask for charity if he needed money. “I’d rather shoot myself in the ass,” he declared. “I don’t understand why anyone would do this. I honestly don’t even know what GoFundMe is.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the account was created by Liya-Joelle Jones, an assistant to Kimberly Hines, who managed Rourke for over a decade. Both Hines and Jones claimed the fundraiser had been created with Rourke’s permission.

Rourke, however, flatly denied authorizing the campaign or knowing who set it up. He emphasized that he would never ask fans or strangers for financial help. The actor said he would contact his longtime lawyer, Bill Sobel, to return all donated funds, which had reportedly reached USD 95,000 by the end of January 5.

“I will never ask a stranger or a fan for a single cent,” Rourke stressed. “That’s not who I am. Anyone who knows me knows that. It’s humiliating and incredibly embarrassing. I want everyone to get their money back. This will pass.”

Rourke also candidly admitted that he mismanaged his finances throughout his career, saying his highest estimated net worth was around USD 5 million. “I did a terrible job managing my career,” he said. “I wasn’t good with people. I spent 20 years in therapy dealing with that. But I’m not that person anymore. I’m not as wild as I was 20 years ago.”

The actor has been renting a 142-square-meter home in Los Angeles since March 2025. His monthly rent reportedly increased from USD 5,200 to USD 7,000. According to a lawsuit filed on December 29, 2025, the landlord accused Rourke of owing USD 59,100 in back rent and is seeking legal fees as well as termination of the lease.

Born Philip Andre Rourke Jr. in 1952, Mickey Rourke is an American actor, screenwriter, and former professional boxer. He rose to fame in the 1980s with a rugged screen persona in films such as Angel Heart and Rumble Fish. At the height of his career, he left Hollywood to pursue boxing, causing his acting career to stall for years. He made a celebrated comeback in the 2000s with Sin City and especially The Wrestler (2008), which earned him a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, and an Academy Award nomination. He later appeared in commercially successful films including The Expendables and Immortals. Overall, movies featuring Rourke have grossed more than USD 1.9 billion worldwide.

In his personal life, Rourke has spoken openly about a turbulent childhood following his parents’ divorce, two short-lived marriages, and long-standing struggles with fame, finances, and personal issues.