The Oscar-winning actor, who plans to direct and star in ‘Lethal Weapon 5,’ has managed to avoid one scandal after another during his 46-year career
Although Will Smith made a timid return to public life last week — keeping a low profile and apologizing for the umpteenth time for slapping Chris Rock during the Oscars — Mel Gibson he just released his sixth feature film of 2022. Despite being accused of abuse and racism several times, his career doesn’t seem to have been affected.
Gibson’s last film, On the Line, was a commercial failure. However, this does not bother him. He is already set to direct and star in the fifth sequel to ‘Lethal Weapon’, which is expected to be released next year. Gibson has also signed on to star in a prequel to the John Wick saga.
In 1996, after writing, directing, producing and starring in Braveheart, Gibson won two Oscars, for best picture and best director, marking the zenith of his career before an avalanche of scandals followed.
Gibson after “Braveheart” resorted to roles of villains, action heroes, coke seducers. Neither of these performances won him much praise, but they allowed him to make a lot of money while escaping critical scrutiny.
From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, Gibson’s alcohol-fueled temper drove him down a path of self-destruction.
He admitted assaulting Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of his eighth child, and, in a leaked recording, was heard threatening to kill her. Also, in another recording he cursed black people. In 2006, he was arrested for drink-driving, making anti-Semitic comments to police officers while being handcuffed. A police surveillance camera captured his entire delirium for the world to see.
Although his reputation took a hit, the actor was determined to return to the limelight. He took any role he was offered, and few prominent actors or directors were initially willing to work with him.
“The same thing that happened to Mel Gibson happened to actors like John Travolta or Bruce Willis,” says Erich Schwartzel, entertainment reporter for the Wall Street Journal. “After huge success, they end up in the middle between conventional and low-budget productions.” Gibson’s controversial past, however, further complicates matters.
Several Hollywood observers predicted that Gibson would eventually return to big-budget productions, with aspirations of another Oscar.
Mel Gibson’s “powerful” friends helped restore his reputation. Foster cast him as the lead in her psychological drama, The Beaver (2011). When asked about her casting choice, she said that Gibson was the person she loved most in the film world and denied that he was racist or sexist.
For his part, Downey Jr. – at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles in 2011 – publicly asked for forgiveness on behalf of the actor, because “anyone who is free from sin is in the wrong industry.” Gibson was also very supportive of the ‘Iron Man’ actor when he was in treatment for an addiction.
The ‘Braveheart’ star also gave up alcohol during this rehab. And, in 2012 — as part of his ex-partner abuse trial — a judge ordered him to undergo anger management therapy.
All of this seemed to work. At the 2017 Academy Awards – just 11 years after his arrest – the actor was nominated for best director for ‘Hacksaw Ridge’.
The #MeToo movement also helped boost Gibson’s public image. In 2017, during a press conference to promote the comedy “Daddy’s Home”, along with Will Ferrell and Wahlberg, Mel Gibson answered a question about Harvey Weinstein, which was well received by the audience. “My heart goes out to the victims, I’m glad they spoke up. A lot of light fell on places where there were shadows… that’s a healthy thing.” As of 2022, Gibson has also offered to testify against Harvey Weinstein in ongoing rape trials.
Still, despite Hollywood welcoming back the “Braveheart” star, some aspects of his character don’t seem to have changed over the years. The last major controversy the star was involved in took place in 2021 when he greeted former President Donald Trump at a boxing match. His action was widely applauded by the far-right media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O99GK6wQfM
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I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
