Anthony Hopkins Reveals the Co-Star Who Made Him So Angry He Walked Off Set and Punched a Car in Rage

Anthony Hopkins has shared his experience working with Mickey Rourke on Michael Cimino’s 1990 thriller Desperate Hours, describing the actor as “very strange” and recalling several tense moments on set.

Hopkins, famous for his role as Hannibal Lecter, said Rourke’s intense method acting caused problems from the very first scene.

Rourke, staying in character, hit Hopkins on the shoulder, which left Hopkins so frustrated that he punched the side of a car in anger.

“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.”

The tension continued off-camera. Hopkins remembered Rourke being physically aggressive during other scenes.

“He was pushing me around once, and I suddenly thought, ‘I’ve had enough of this s***,’ and walked off the set,” he admitted. Despite these challenges, Hopkins returned to finish the film, which ended up receiving poor reviews and underperforming at the box office.

Ironically, Rourke sent Hopkins a note at the end of filming that painted a different picture. The letter read, “He doesn’t like actors much but had enjoyed working with me,” something Hopkins found somewhat relatable. Still, the experience made him dread going to work each day, unsure of what Rourke’s next outburst would be.

Mickey Rourke has a history of clashing with co-stars. Other actors, including Kevin Costner and Charlize Theron, have reportedly struggled with his unpredictable behavior and intense method acting style on set.

Hopkins was able to get through the challenges relatively unscathed, but his story highlights the difficulties of working with Rourke during that period of his career.

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.

It’s always fascinating to hear behind-the-scenes stories from classic films. Rourke’s approach clearly created tension, but Hopkins’ patience and professionalism allowed him to navigate a difficult set.

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