Mickey Rourke distances himself from fundraiser to stop his eviction

Mickey Rourke has blasted a fundraiser started by his team to support his living costs. Photo / Getty Images

Mickey Rourke has distanced himself from a campaign that raised nearly $200,000 to prevent him from becoming homeless, calling the fundraising effort “embarrassing” and “humiliating”.

The Sin City star is on the brink of being evicted from his Los Angeles home of 10 years, with an amassed debt of US$59,100 ($102,142) in back rent, according to People.

A GoFundMe to cover his housing costs has raised over US$100,000 to date, taking donations from concerned fans and members of the film community.

Rourke posted a video to Instagram yesterday denying any knowledge of the fundraiser and claiming he was ashamed of the stunt, the Guardian reported.

“If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for no f***ing charity.”

The assistant to Rourke’s manager Kimberly Hines, Liya-Joelle Jones, is listed as the creator of the GoFundMe, writing that the project had the 72-year-old’s “full permission”.

“Fame does not protect against hardship, and talent does not guarantee stability. What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing and the chance to regain his footing.”

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But the former professional boxer vehemently denied even knowing how the fundraising service operates.

“Whoever did this ... I don’t know why they did it. I wouldn’t know what a GoFundMe is in a million years.

“I would never ask strangers or fans for a nickel. It’s not my style. You ask anybody who knows me. It’s humiliating and f***ing embarrassing ... I want you to get your money back. All things will pass.

“There’s only one person I can think of that would do such a thing. I hope it’s not the person I’m thinking about.”

But Hines told the Hollywood Reporter the star had known and given permission for the fundraiser, claiming the intention behind the campaign was pure.

“I don’t think he understood, and now it’s taken on this media frenzy, and he flipped out.

“No one’s touched this GoFundMe money. This money has been to help Mickey. If Mickey doesn’t want the money, the money will go back.”

Rourke’s precarious living situation comes off the back of a series of personal misfortunes, including his early departure from Celebrity Big Brother UK last year over controversial comments he made on the show.

He has blamed his financial woes on mismanagement throughout his 46-year film career.

“I wasn’t very diplomatic. I had to go to 20 years of therapy to get over that. But I’m not that person anymore ... I’m not that wild man I was 20 years ago.”