CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses alleged harassment and abuse.
Bella Thorne has made some shocking claims about her time on the set of the 2020 thriller Girl, accusing co-star Mickey Rourke of behaviour that left her “bruised” and humiliated.
In a series of Instagram Stories posted on Friday, Thorne described working with Rourke as “one of the all-time worst experiences” of her acting career.
The 27-year-old actress alleged that during a scene where her character was restrained, Rourke, 72, was supposed to use a metal grinder on her knee cap. Instead, she claims he directed it at her genitals through her jeans, hitting her repeatedly.
“I had bruises on my pelvic bone,” she wrote. “This fucking dude. GROSS.” Thorne shared these allegations alongside a BBC article detailing Rourke’s recent controversy on Celebrity Big Brother UK, where he received a formal warning for making homophobic comments toward singer JoJo Siwa.
Thorne didn’t hold back in describing the alleged mistreatment. She claimed that in another scene, Rourke revved an engine and covered her in dirt, seemingly for his amusement. “I guess he thought it was funny to humiliate me in front of the entire crew,” she said.
The former Disney star also recounted how Rourke refused to communicate with the film’s director or producers, forcing her to approach him alone in his trailer to convince him to finish filming. “He shouted crazy demands… I had to beg him. Alone. In his trailer,” Thorne wrote.
She explained that despite feeling uncomfortable, she did what was necessary to ensure the movie could be completed and that the hard work of the cast and crew wouldn’t be wasted.
“I didn’t want to do it. I was uncomfortable, but I did what I was asked to do and what was best for the [movie].”
Rourke has not responded publicly to these allegations, and his representatives have yet to comment.
The accusations come amid a week of bad press for Rourke, who faced backlash for his remarks on Celebrity Big Brother UK. During a conversation with Siwa, he said he could “make her straight” and used a homophobic slur.
Producers warned him that further inappropriate behaviour could result in his removal from the show.
Lead image: Getty / Celeb Big Brother
