Freshly back from Russia, Mickey Rourke was spotted at Nello on the Upper East Side on Tuesday.
Spies said Rourke — who ruffled feathers by wearing Vladimir Putin T-shirts during his recent trip — told restaurateur Nello Balan the shirts weren’t political.
“Me and politics are like night and day. I never understand it, that’s why I’m an artist/actor,” Rourke said, adding he was visiting his Russian fiancée’s family, and, “I like Russia, but I love USA.” And he “wishes for peace all over.”
Rourke dined with two companion dogs at his table. He said his role in indie film “Ashby,” in which he plays a CIA agent with only a few months to live, is “his best yet.”