Anthony Hopkins Opens Up About the Co-Star He ‘Hated’ Working With: ““I’ve Had Enough of This —-”

Anthony Hopkins has opened up about his difficult experience working with Mickey Rourke on Michael Cimino’s 1990 thriller Desperate Hours. The legendary actor called Rourke “very strange” and described several tense moments on set that made filming a challenge.

Hopkins recalled one of his first scenes with Rourke, who stayed in character and hit him on the shoulder. “All I can remember was that this made me so angry, I punched the side of the car in genuine rage,” Hopkins said.

“In fact, I punched it so hard, I knocked a dent in it.” Even off-camera, Hopkins remembered Rourke being aggressive on set, pushing him around during another scene. “He was pushing me around once, and I suddenly thought, ‘I’ve had enough of this —- and walked off the set,” he admitted.

Despite the tension, Hopkins returned to finish the movie, which ultimately received poor reviews and performed badly at the box office.

Surprisingly, Rourke later sent Hopkins a note at the end of filming. “He doesn’t like actors much but had enjoyed working with me,” Hopkins recalled reading. The letter made it seem like they had found a strange kind of connection despite the chaos.

Hopkins said he often dreaded going to work because he didn’t know what Rourke would do next. The behavior was especially frustrating because it was all for a movie that was quickly forgotten.

Mickey Rourke has a history of tense relationships with co-stars. Over the years, several actors, including Kevin Costner and Charlize Theron, have reported challenges working with him due to his intense method acting style and unpredictable behavior on set.

Mickey Rourke was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for his performance in the film, but lost to Andrew Dice Clay for The Adventures of Ford Fairlane at the 11th Golden Raspberry Awards.

Hopkins emerged from the experience relatively unscathed but remembered it as one of the more difficult professional experiences in his career.

It’s fascinating to hear behind-the-scenes stories from classic films. Rourke’s intense style clearly clashed with other actors, but Hopkins’ patience and professionalism helped him navigate the situation.

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