Mel Gibson Actor Date of Birth: 03.01.1951 Country: USA

Biography of Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson, a Hollywood actor, has committed so many outrageous acts in his life that he himself is surprised he is still alive. Close friends call him a "wild head" and say he is very similar to his reckless character in the movie "Lethal Weapon". With inherent frankness, Mel has never been afraid to speak his mind, for which he almost always paid the price. The actor has been accused of anti-Semitism, defamation, homophobia, Anglophobia, and violence, just to name a few. How did a talented actor become such a scandalous figure? Many believe that his problems with alcohol, which loosened his tongue and his fists, were to blame for his transformation. In addition to all of the above, Mel Gibson was also caught driving under the influence. Although the Hollywood troublemaker's lawyers appealed the drunk driving charges, Gibson was still sentenced to three years probation. Despite the fact that most people consider Mel Gibson an Australian, he was actually born in Peekskill, New York, on January 3, 1956. His parents, who were of Irish descent, raised 11 children. His father, a traditionalist Catholic, had the greatest influence on Mel and held extremely conservative views. In 1968, fearing that Mel would be drafted into the army and sent to Vietnam, the family moved to Australia. This was also due to the financial success of Mel's senior, who won almost $150,000 in compensation from a company for a work-related injury he sustained. After graduating from school, Mel entered the Sydney Institute of Theatre and studied acting. Mel first appeared on screen in the film "Summer City" (1977) while still a student. In 1979, he starred in the films "Tim" and "Mad Max". It is said that during the auditions for "Mad Max," Gibson showed up covered in bruises and scars from a bar fight the previous evening. The director was looking for an actor who would fit perfectly into such a role. Therefore, the role in the film was given to Mel without much effort. Mel Gibson became widely known after the release of the second part of "Mad Max" entitled "The Road Warrior" (1981). The film was incredibly successful worldwide, and American producers noticed Gibson and offered him work in Hollywood. The actor moved to the United States without hesitation, and his career skyrocketed. Mel's first Hollywood film was "The Bounty" (1984), in which he starred alongside Anthony Hopkins. He then appeared in several lesser-known films until 1987 when the action thriller "Lethal Weapon" was released, turning Gibson into a true superstar. In an interview, the actor admitted that it was only after filming "Lethal Weapon" that he overcame his fear of poverty. Mel Gibson's name was on everyone's lips, so he didn't need to worry about work. His most famous roles were in the films "The Man Without a Face" (1993), "Braveheart" (1995), "What Women Want" (2000), "The Patriot" (2000), "Signs" (2002), and "The Beaver" (2011). In 2014, he appeared in the third part of Sylvester Stallone's film series "The Expendables". Mel Gibson gained even more fame as a director. In the early 90s, he founded the company "Icon Productions" and released four films under its banner. The film "The Man Without a Face" (1993) marked Gibson's debut in mainstream cinema. It did not achieve great popularity but was warmly received by critics. The incredible success came with the film "Braveheart" (1995), a historical drama about the struggle of the Scots for independence, which won five Academy Awards. The film was highly praised by critics and audiences, although there were also negative reviews, mainly from English publications. They were outraged that the English characters in the film were portrayed as weak and lacking moral qualities. Some even called Gibson an Anglophobe. The director's next work, "The Passion of the Christ" (2004), was accompanied by even greater attacks and accusations. The film shocked viewers with its brutal scenes and detailed recreation of the era of Jesus Christ. In particular, the film used Latin, Aramaic, and Ancient Hebrew, languages spoken at the beginning of the Common Era. Pope John Paul II highly praised the film, but critics were less favorable, and Jewish organizations even called it anti-Semitic. They interpreted the film as blaming the Jews for the death of Jesus. Gibson stated that the essence of the film was completely different, but the scandal was so intense that some film companies stopped working with the director. However, Gibson didn't care because "The Passion of the Christ" was a resounding success, earning a huge amount of money worldwide. This allowed the director to pursue his next project. The film "Apocalypto," released in 2006, told the story of the last period of the Mayan civilization. It was filmed in the ancient Mayan language and, like Gibson's previous works, sparked heated debates in cinematic circles. In 2016, the biographical war drama "Hacksaw Ridge" was released, based on real events. The film tells the story of Corporal Desmond Doss, a participant in World War II. Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the highest military honor in the United States - the Medal of Honor. Due to his religious beliefs, Desmond refused to undergo firearms training or even handle weapons, but he managed to avoid a tribunal and became a military medic. He volunteered for this position and saved his comrades under enemy fire without fear of death. Andrew Garfield played the role of Corporal Doss in the film. Milo, Mel's son, was also involved in the filming. It was his first appearance on screen. The young man followed in his father's footsteps and decided to conquer Hollywood as well. In 2017, Mel Gibson was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for this role. "Hacksaw Ridge" won two Oscars for sound and made it onto the IMDb Top 250 list. Perhaps no one would have sought anti-Semitic undertones in Gibson's films if the director had been more restrained in his statements. Among his recent scandals, one of the most notable was in 2006 when Mel was arrested for drunk driving. However, it was not the drunk driving that outraged the public, but his comments about Jews. According to the police officer, the actor blamed Jews for instigating all wars and then asked if he himself was Jewish. Of course, Gibson apologized for his remarks. By the way, alcohol has always been a faithful companion to Gibson in the difficult moments of his life, of which, it must be admitted, there were many. The actor has been detained multiple times for driving under the influence, fights with journalists, disorderly conduct, and other offenses. In 2012, a major dispute broke out between Gibson and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, with whom he was working on a new film. Offended by Mel, Eszterhas posted a recording of their conversation on the Internet, in which the scandalous director made negative remarks about Jews and also used profanity towards his ex-wife Oksana Grigorieva. Once again, Gibson had to apologize for his loose tongue. The most scandalous event of recent times was the legal battle between Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva. They began dating in 2009, after the actor divorced his first wife, Robyn Moore. A year later, Grigorieva accused Gibson of domestic violence and took him to court. After lengthy legal proceedings, in 2011, the actor was found guilty of domestic violence and sentenced to three years of probation. He was given 16 hours of community service and required to undergo anger management therapy. As Arnold Schwarzenegger said in an interview, experts have figured out how to contain an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but no one knows how to contain Mel Gibson. In the fall of 2018, the crime action film "Dragged Across Concrete" premiered at the Venice Film Festival, starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn. The protagonists of the story are police officers who have been suspended from duty for using illegal interrogation methods. In need of means to survive, they begin to pursue a drug dealer, which leads to major trouble in their lives. The film received positive reviews from film critics. In March 2019, it was released in theaters in Russia. Among his recent projects is the historical drama "The Professor and the Madman," in which Mel portrayed James Murray, the editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. The film also features Sean Penn, Jeremy Irvine, and Natalie Dormer. Several lawsuits between the project's director, Farhad Safinia, Mel Gibson, and the film's production company, Voltage Pictures, are associated with the creation of this film. Due to prolonged legal proceedings, the premiere of the drama was postponed until April 2019. Currently, the science fiction film "Last Level" is preparing for release, in which Mel will once again appear in the lead role. The star is also set to appear in the drama "Black Flies" and the action film "War Pigs." As a director, Gibson is working on a new project dedicated to the figure of Jesus Christ. The film "The Resurrection of the Christ" is currently in pre-production.