Mel GibsonMel GibsonMel Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American-born Australian-reared actor, director and producer best known for either acting in Mad Max movie series, the Lethal Weapon series, Braveheart and directing The Passion of the Christ. OverviewHe was born Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson in Peekskill, New York, the sixth child of eleven born to Hutton Gibson and Ann. Mel was born with a rare physical anomaly called "Horseshoe kidney." His two kidneys are fused at the base into a U shape. This fusion anomaly occurs in about one of every 400 people. Although he maintained his United States citizenship, he was raised in Australia from the age of twelve. Following a victory on the TV game show Jeopardy!, Gibson's father, Hutton, moved his family to Australia in 1968 in protest of the Vietnam War and because he believed that changes in American society were immoral. Some people have attacked Hutton Gibson for religious views that he says are based on traditional Catholicism, and on his political opinions. A Roman Catholic, Mel Gibson has donated money to finance the construction of a traditional Catholic chapel in Malibu, California, called Holy Family. He has been married to Robyn for twenty-four years, with whom he has six sons and one daughter. Gibson and the MoviesAfter graduating from NIDA in 1977, Gibson's acting career began in Australia with appearances in the television series The Sullivans. He made his Australian movie debut as the leather-clad post-apocalyptic survivor in George Miller's Mad Max, which later became a cult hit and launched two of its own sequels. His international profile increased through Peter Weir's anti-war First World War film Gallipoli. In 1984, he made his U.S. movie debut, starring as Fletcher Christian in The Bounty. Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins played opposite Gibson as Captain Bligh. Lethal Weapon and HamletGibson moved to more mainstream filmmaking with the popular Lethal Weapon series, where he starred as a maverick and violent cop, Martin Riggs, in a buddy relationship with his older and more conservative partner played by Danny Glover. Gibson surprisingly moved to the classical genre, playing the melancholy Danish prince in Franco Zeffirelli's movie of Shakespeare's Hamlet (1990). Gibson has been equally successful as a comedy actor, in movies such as Maverick (1994) and What Women Want (2000). Academy AwardsIn 1996, Gibson received two Academy Awards (Best Director and Best Picture) for Braveheart (1995), based on the life of Sir William Wallace, a thirteenth century Scottish warlord who fought the English. The Passion of the ChristMel Gibson recently completed The Passion of the Christ, a movie in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, which recounts what Gibson describes as the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ. The movie has received praise from many Christians and a number of politically conservative Jews (e.g., Michael Medved, David Horowitz, Steven Waldman). The movie has been criticised by some liberal Christian and Jewish scholars, some of whom have claimed it may promote anti-Semitism, as it relies on passion-play images that have traditionally incited anti-Semitic incidents. The movie has been criticised by many Christian scholars for taking liberties with the New Testament storylines; a significant number of scenes and details in the movie are original ideas from an 19th century Catholic nun, Anne Catherine Emmerich, in her book "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ." Gibson was asked if his movie would be offensive to Jews today; his response was "It's not meant to. I think it's meant to just tell the truth. I want to be as truthful as possible. But when you look at the reasons Christ came, he was crucified—he died for all mankind and he suffered for all mankind. So that, really, anyone who transgresses has to look at their own part or look at their own culpability." He also stated in an interview in The New Yorker, that he trimmed a scene from The Passion of the Christ involving the Jewish high priest Caiaphas because if he did not, "they'd be coming after me at my house, they'd come to kill me." For a further discussion, see a separate article on The Passion of Christ. When the Carmelite nuns at the convent in Coimbra, Portugal got word out that they wanted to see a copy of the film before it was released on DVD, Gibson personally arranged for a special digital screening off of one inch tape and shipped in a projector and screens to view it and introduced the film in person. Later, he stopped by again to have a private meeting with the convent's most famous nun, Sister Lucia who is 98 and who is one of the three children who saw the vision of the Virgin Mary and were said to have been given secrets by her, known as the Fatima Secrets. Gibson's politics and opinionsGibson's political viewpoints, while lauded by middle America, have been described by some liberal groups variously as "conservative" and "far right." Some gay rights groups have accused him of homophobia for his alleged conservative Catholic views of homosexuality, and for allegedly depicting homosexuals as villains (The Man without a Face, Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ). However, Mel himself has never openly expressed homophobic views, any assessment of his views are pure speculation. It must be mentioned that the actor joked that he was a homosexual to repel an infatuated woman, played by Marisa Tomei in the 2001 hit, What Women Want - hardly the behaviour of a man with anti-gay views. His so-called conservative political views and support of "Traditional Catholic" beliefs have led to charges of anti-Semitism by Jewish leaders, charges that increased following his making of the Gospel-based movie The Passion of the Christ. One scene in the movie, that some Jews did not like, after seeing a stolen version before its release, was the one where the Jewish crowd expressed support for the crucifixion of Christ by shouting His blood be on us and on our children! (Matthew 27:25), a verse that has been historically used to justify hatred towards Jews. Jewish leaders also did not like the various scenes which they believe portray Jews as bloodthirsty people. In response to criticism, Gibson removed the subtitle for this line, but left the line itself in the movie. Not everyone agrees that the movie is anti-Semitic. Reviewer Michael Medved, who is Jewish, commented after viewing a rough cut that "the film seemed to me so obviously free of anti-Semitic intent." Even some liberals have come out in support for Gibson, claiming that traditional Catholicism is not in itself anti-Semitic, and Gibson has no record of intolerance towards Jews or other ethnic groups. Many Evangelical Christian pastors who have seen the film have applauded Gibson's film as being faithful to the text. For more information, see The Passion of the Christ. Quotes
Selected Filmography
Awards & Accomplishments
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For more information, see The Passion of the Christ. He appeared in many films, among them:. Many Evangelical Christian pastors who have seen the film have applauded Gibson's film as being faithful to the text. He died of cancer in 1986. Reviewer Michael Medved, who is Jewish, commented after viewing a rough cut that "the film seemed to me so obviously free of anti-Semitic intent." Even some liberals have come out in support for Gibson, claiming that traditional Catholicism is not in itself anti-Semitic, and Gibson has no record of intolerance towards Jews or other ethnic groups. Both books were well received. Not everyone agrees that the movie is anti-Semitic. He wrote his autobiography Wanderer in 1963 and an adventure novel of the tall ships, Voyage: A Novel of 1896 in 1976. In response to criticism, Gibson removed the subtitle for this line, but left the line itself in the movie. He defied a court order once and sailed to Tahiti with his children following a divorce. Jewish leaders also did not like the various scenes which they believe portray Jews as bloodthirsty people. He professed distaste for film acting, claiming that he did it mainly to pay for his sailing vessels. One scene in the movie, that some Jews did not like, after seeing a stolen version before its release, was the one where the Jewish crowd expressed support for the crucifixion of Christ by shouting His blood be on us and on our children! (Matthew 27:25), a verse that has been historically used to justify hatred towards Jews. Ever after regretted this action, holding himself in enormous contempt for what he considered 'ratting'.". His so-called conservative political views and support of "Traditional Catholic" beliefs have led to charges of anti-Semitism by Jewish leaders, charges that increased following his making of the Gospel-based movie The Passion of the Christ. According to his IMDB biography (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001330/bio), "As Red Scare deepens in U.S., he cooperated with the House Un-American Activities Committee, confessing his brief Communist ties. It must be mentioned that the actor joked that he was a homosexual to repel an infatuated woman, played by Marisa Tomei in the 2001 hit, What Women Want - hardly the behaviour of a man with anti-gay views. His admiration for the Communist partisans led to a brief involvement with the Communist Party. However, Mel himself has never openly expressed homophobic views, any assessment of his views are pure speculation. He won the Silver Star and a commendation from Yugoslavia's Marshall Tito. Gibson's political viewpoints, while lauded by middle America, have been described by some liberal groups variously as "conservative" and "far right." Some gay rights groups have accused him of homophobia for his alleged conservative Catholic views of homosexuality, and for allegedly depicting homosexuals as villains (The Man without a Face, Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ). His World War 2 service included running guns through German lines to the Yugoslav partisans and parachuting into Croatia. When the Carmelite nuns at the convent in Coimbra, Portugal got word out that they wanted to see a copy of the film before it was released on DVD, Gibson personally arranged for a special digital screening off of one inch tape and shipped in a projector and screens to view it and introduced the film in person. Later, he stopped by again to have a private meeting with the convent's most famous nun, Sister Lucia who is 98 and who is one of the three children who saw the vision of the Virgin Mary and were said to have been given secrets by her, known as the Fatima Secrets. He also joined the Marines under the name John Hamilton. For a further discussion, see a separate article on The Passion of Christ. After only two film roles, however, he left Hollywood to serve as an undercover agent with the with William J. Donovan's COI office and remained after it became the OSS. So that, really, anyone who transgresses has to look at their own part or look at their own culpability." He also stated in an interview in The New Yorker, that he trimmed a scene from The Passion of the Christ involving the Jewish high priest Caiaphas because if he did not, "they'd be coming after me at my house, they'd come to kill me.". His first film role starred Madeleine Carroll, with whom he fell in love and married. But when you look at the reasons Christ came, he was crucified—he died for all mankind and he suffered for all mankind. He became a print model and eventually was signed to a contract with Paramount Studios, who dubbed the 6' 5" (1.96 m) actor The Most Beautiful Man in the Movies and The Beautiful Blond Viking God. I want to be as truthful as possible. After serving as sailor and fireman on larger vessels, he was awarded his first command at 19, and sailed around the world several times. I think it's meant to just tell the truth. He ran away to sea at 17, as a ship's boy, then later was a fisherman on the Grand Banks. Gibson was asked if his movie would be offensive to Jews today; his response was "It's not meant to. Hayden was a genuine adventurer and man of action, not dissimilar from many of his movie parts. The movie has been criticised by many Christian scholars for taking liberties with the New Testament storylines; a significant number of scenes and details in the movie are original ideas from an 19th century Catholic nun, Anne Catherine Emmerich, in her book "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.". As a child, he lived in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and Maine, where he attended Wassookeag School in Dexter, Maine. The movie has been criticised by some liberal Christian and Jewish scholars, some of whom have claimed it may promote anti-Semitism, as it relies on passion-play images that have traditionally incited anti-Semitic incidents. After his father died, he was adopted at the age of nine by James Hayden and renamed Sterling Walter Hayden. The movie has received praise from many Christians and a number of politically conservative Jews (e.g., Michael Medved, David Horowitz, Steven Waldman). Hayden's parents were George and Frances Walter, who named him Sterling Relyea Walter. Mel Gibson recently completed The Passion of the Christ, a movie in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, which recounts what Gibson describes as the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ. He also played the Irish policeman, Captain McCluskey, who was gunned down by Al Pacino, in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather in 1972. In 1996, Gibson received two Academy Awards (Best Director and Best Picture) for Braveheart (1995), based on the life of Sir William Wallace, a thirteenth century Scottish warlord who fought the English. Strangelove (1964). Gibson has been equally successful as a comedy actor, in movies such as Maverick (1994) and What Women Want (2000). Ripper in Dr. Gibson surprisingly moved to the classical genre, playing the melancholy Danish prince in Franco Zeffirelli's movie of Shakespeare's Hamlet (1990). Jack D. Gibson moved to more mainstream filmmaking with the popular Lethal Weapon series, where he starred as a maverick and violent cop, Martin Riggs, in a buddy relationship with his older and more conservative partner played by Danny Glover. He is most noted for his appearance as Gen. Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins played opposite Gibson as Captain Bligh. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir. movie debut, starring as Fletcher Christian in The Bounty. Sterling Hayden (March 26, 1916 - May 23, 1986) was an American actor. In 1984, he made his U.S. Virginia (1941). His international profile increased through Peter Weir's anti-war First World War film Gallipoli. Blaze of Noon (1947). He made his Australian movie debut as the leather-clad post-apocalyptic survivor in George Miller's Mad Max, which later became a cult hit and launched two of its own sequels. El Paso (1949). After graduating from NIDA in 1977, Gibson's acting career began in Australia with appearances in the television series The Sullivans. The Asphalt Jungle (1950). He has been married to Robyn for twenty-four years, with whom he has six sons and one daughter. Flaming Feather (1952). A Roman Catholic, Mel Gibson has donated money to finance the construction of a traditional Catholic chapel in Malibu, California, called Holy Family. Denver and Rio Grande (1952). Some people have attacked Hutton Gibson for religious views that he says are based on traditional Catholicism, and on his political opinions. Hellgate (1952). Following a victory on the TV game show Jeopardy!, Gibson's father, Hutton, moved his family to Australia in 1968 in protest of the Vietnam War and because he believed that changes in American society were immoral. The Golden Hawk (1952). Although he maintained his United States citizenship, he was raised in Australia from the age of twelve. Fighter Attack (1953). Mel was born with a rare physical anomaly called "Horseshoe kidney." His two kidneys are fused at the base into a U shape. This fusion anomaly occurs in about one of every 400 people. Crime Wave also called The City is Dark, (1954). He was born Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson in Peekskill, New York, the sixth child of eleven born to Hutton Gibson and Ann. Prince Valiant (1954). Mel Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American-born Australian-reared actor, director and producer best known for either acting in Mad Max movie series, the Lethal Weapon series, Braveheart and directing The Passion of the Christ. Arrow In the Dust (1954). Named as the world's most powerful celebrity by US business magazine Forbes (2004). Johnny Guitar (1954), title role. People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2004). Naked Alibi (1954). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2003). Suddenly (1954). Australian Film Institute: Global Achievement Award (2002). Timberjack (1955). Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Drama, THE PATRIOT (2001). Shotgun (1955). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2001). The Eternal Sea (1955). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama (2001). The Last Command (1955), playing Jim Bowie. Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Suspense, CONSPIRACY THEORY (1998). The Come On (1956). Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Suspense, RANSOM (1997). The Killing (1956). Hasty Pudding Theatricals: Man of the Year (1997). Crime of Passion (1957). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (1997). 5 Steps to Danger (1957). Academy Awards: Best Picture, BRAVEHEART (1996). Gun Battle at Monterey (1957). Academy Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996). Zero Hour!(1957). Golden Globe Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996). Ten Days to Tulara (1958). Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996). Terror in a Texas Town (1958). ShoWest Award: Director of the Year (1996). Strangelove (1964). American Cinematheque Gala Tribute: American Cinematheque Award (1995). Dr. National Board of Review: Special Achievement in Filmmaking, BRAVEHEART (1995). Carol for Another Christmas TV (1964). ShoWest Award: Male Star of the Year (1993). Hard Contract (1969). MTV Movie Awards: Best On-Screen Duo, LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1993) - shared with Danny Glover. Ternos Cacadores (1969). MTV Movie Awards: Best Action Sequence, LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1993). Loving (1970). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (1991). Le Saut de l'ange (1971). Australian Film Institute: Best Actor in a Lead Role, GALLIPOLI (1981). The Godfather (1972). Best Actor in a Lead Role, TIM (1979). Le Grand départ (1972). Summer City (1977). The Long Goodbye (1973). Tim (1979). The Final Programme (1973). Mad Max (1979). Deadly Strangers (1974). Gallipoli (1981). Is It Any Wonder? (1975). Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981). Cipolla Colt (1975). The Year of Living Dangerously (1982). 1900 (1976). Attack Force Z (1982). King of the Gypsies (1978). The River (1984). Winter Kills (1979). Soffel (1984). The Outsider (1979). Mrs. Nine to Five (1980). The Bounty (1984). The Starlost: The Beginning TV (1980). Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Gas (1981). Lethal Weapon (1987). Venom (1982). Tequila Sunrise (1988). The Blue and the Gray TV Series (mini) (1982). Lethal Weapon 2 (1989). Hamlet (1990). Bird on a Wire (1990). Air America (1990). Lethal Weapon 3 (1992). Forever Young (1992). The Man Without a Face (1993, also directed). Maverick (1994). Pocahontas (1995, voice). Braveheart (1995, also directed). Ransom (1996). Father's Day (1997, uncredited). Fairy Tale: A True Story (1997, uncredited). Conspiracy Theory (1997). Lethal Weapon 4 (1998). PayBack (1999). What Women Want (2000). The Patriot (2000). The Million Dollar Hotel (2000). Chicken Run (2000). We Were Soldiers (2002). Signs (2002). The Passion of the Christ (2004, produced and directed). The New Yorker, September 15, 2003. But, man, if I included that in there, they'd be coming after me at my house, they'd come kill me." - On his removal of a scene showing a Jewish mob proclaiming "His blood be on us and on our children." Who exactly "they" are is unclear. It happened; it was said. My brother said I was wimping out if I didn't include it. "I wanted it in.. The New Yorker, September 15, 2003. I mean, he's my father." - On allegations that his father is a Holocaust denier. I don't want them having me dissing my father. He never denied the Holocaust; he just said there were fewer than six million. "That's bullshit...I don't want to be dissing my father. The New Yorker, September 15, 2003. And they've been working on that one for a while." - On criticism of Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nineteenth-century nun whose writings influenced his portrayal of Jesus' death and also featured heavy anti-Semitic overtones. And it's revisionism. Because modern secular Judaism wants to blame the Holocaust on the Catholic Church. And it's a lie. "Why are they calling her a Nazi? .. Look at the main fruits: dwindling numbers and pedophilia." - Time, January 27, 2003. "[Vatican II] corrupted the institution of the church. |