Mel Gibson is known as much for his controversies as for his work as an actor, director, and producer on Oscar-winning films such as Braveheart and Hacksaw Ridge.
The 70-year-old has a history of making racist, homophobic and antisemitic remarks, and he only added to his lengthy list of offenses by appearing to mock an American Sign Language interpreter over the weekend.
Highlights
- Mel Gibson sparked outrage after appearing to mock an American Sign Language interpreter at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto.
- He apologized for what he called “thoughtless idiocy,” but critics questioned why Hollywood keeps giving him a platform.
- Gibson’s latest controversy comes after years of backlash over antisemitic, homophobic, and racist remarks.
As on previous occasions, the backlash was swift, with netizens describing his actions as “despicable” and “gross.”
Gibson has since apologized to anyone he may have hurt, calling his conduct “thoughtless idiocy.”
Mel Gibson drew widespread condemnation after seemingly mocking a sign language interpreter
Gibson attended Fan Expo Canada on Saturday, August 29, to discuss his legacy as an entertainer as well as his upcoming projects.
As he walked onto the stage, he waved at the audience before mimicking the ASL interpreter’s movements and pointing at the crowd.
Ever since, social media users have accused him of being “casually cruel” toward someone who was simply doing her job.
“His first instinct when uncomfortable was to go for the low-hanging fruit and deride her in hopes of getting a laugh,” one observed.
A second wrote, “He just really wants to continue the downward spiral.”
“This choice is bonkers to me,” tweeted a third, while a fourth dubbed Gibson an “elite troll.”
Gibson apologized, but critics said Hollywood should stop giving him a platform
Gibson told Page Six in a statement on Monday, “Sometimes when you get pushed on a stage in a spotlight, your mind is all over the place, and sometimes spontaneous thoughtless idiocy is displayed.”
He added, “There was no intended maliciousness attached, and I certainly apologize to anyone who was upset by it.”
However, the apology did little to quell the backlash.
One Redditor criticized Gibson, noting that “the problem with this guy is that there is never any thought behind his maliciousness.”
They argued that the only way to stop him from being “hateful and insulting” would be to “stop inviting him to things and putting him on stages with a mike.”
“When will Hollywood think he has exhausted all his chances at redemption and blacklist him?” another asked.
“They are all just money-grubbing hypocrites,” a third replied.
Gibson has faced years of accusations over antisemitic remarks
Gibson famously unleashed an antisemitic tirade against a Jewish police officer who arrested him for driving under the influence in Malibu in 2006.
According to leaked police reports, the actor yelled that “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.”
In a statement following the incident, he dismissed his remarks as “just the stupid rumbling of a d***kard,” while saying he was working to heal himself and those he had offended.
Although there were no reports of similar comments in the years that followed, Gibson faced fresh accusations in 2012 over his involvement in a stalled film about Jewish historical figure Judah Maccabee.
Warner Bros. halted the project a year after Gibson boarded it in 2011, following a highly publicized nine-page letter from screenwriter Joe Eszterhas.
Eszterhas alleged that Gibson repeatedly used antisemitic slurs during their collaboration, referred to the Torah as “Hebrew voodoo,” and called the persecution of Jews “horseshit.”
Gibson denied the allegations, dismissing them as “utter fabrications.”
He also faced backlash over homophobic and racist comments
Gibson faced severe backlash from the LGBTQ+ community following a 1991 interview with Spanish newspaper El País.
When asked about gay people, he mocked them by gesturing toward his rear end and stating, “This is only for taking a s**t.”
“I don’t lend myself to that kind of confusion,” he added.
Gibson doubled down on his remarks, saying in a 1995 interview that he would apologize only “when hell freezes over.”
Meanwhile, Gibson’s racism came to light in 2010, when RadarOnline published audio recordings of phone conversations between him and his then-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva.
During an obscenity-laced argument, Gibson was heard berating Grigorieva over her clothing and appearance, telling her that if she were violated by “a pack of n****s,” it would be her own fault, and that she looked like a “f**king pig” in heat.
Gibson called the recordings edited.
"A terrible person," a netizen said about Gibson
