Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

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.

Overview

He 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 Movies

After 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 Hamlet

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. 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 Awards

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.

The Passion of the Christ

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. 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 opinions

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). 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

  • "[Vatican II] corrupted the institution of the church. Look at the main fruits: dwindling numbers and pedophilia." - Time, January 27, 2003
  • "Why are they calling her a Nazi? ... Because modern secular Judaism wants to blame the Holocaust on the Catholic Church. And it's a lie. And it's revisionism. 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. The New Yorker, September 15, 2003
  • "That's bullshit...I don't want to be dissing my father. He never denied the Holocaust; he just said there were fewer than six million. I don't want them having me dissing my father. I mean, he's my father." - On allegations that his father is a Holocaust denier. The New Yorker, September 15, 2003
  • "I wanted it in... My brother said I was wimping out if I didn't include it. It happened; it was said. 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. The New Yorker, September 15, 2003.

Selected Filmography

  • The Passion of the Christ (2004, produced and directed)
  • Signs (2002)
  • We Were Soldiers (2002)
  • Chicken Run (2000)
  • The Million Dollar Hotel (2000)
  • The Patriot (2000)
  • What Women Want (2000)
  • PayBack (1999)
  • Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
  • Conspiracy Theory (1997)
  • Fairy Tale: A True Story (1997, uncredited)
  • Father's Day (1997, uncredited)
  • Ransom (1996)
  • Braveheart (1995, also directed)
  • Pocahontas (1995, voice)
  • Maverick (1994)
  • The Man Without a Face (1993, also directed)
  • Forever Young (1992)
  • Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
  • Air America (1990)
  • Bird on a Wire (1990)
  • Hamlet (1990)
  • Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
  • Tequila Sunrise (1988)
  • Lethal Weapon (1987)
  • Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
  • The Bounty (1984)
  • Mrs. Soffel (1984)
  • The River (1984)
  • Attack Force Z (1982)
  • The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)
  • Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
  • Gallipoli (1981)
  • Mad Max (1979)
  • Tim (1979)
  • Summer City (1977)

Awards & Accomplishments

  • Best Actor in a Lead Role, TIM (1979)
  • Australian Film Institute: Best Actor in a Lead Role, GALLIPOLI (1981)
  • People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (1991)
  • MTV Movie Awards: Best Action Sequence, LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1993)
  • MTV Movie Awards: Best On-Screen Duo, LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1993) - shared with Danny Glover
  • ShoWest Award: Male Star of the Year (1993)
  • National Board of Review: Special Achievement in Filmmaking, BRAVEHEART (1995)
  • American Cinematheque Gala Tribute: American Cinematheque Award (1995)
  • ShoWest Award: Director of the Year (1996)
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996)
  • Golden Globe Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996)
  • Academy Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996)
  • Academy Awards: Best Picture, BRAVEHEART (1996)
  • People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (1997)
  • Hasty Pudding Theatricals: Man of the Year (1997)
  • Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Suspense, RANSOM (1997)
  • Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Suspense, CONSPIRACY THEORY (1998)
  • People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama (2001)
  • People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2001)
  • Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Drama, THE PATRIOT (2001)
  • Australian Film Institute: Global Achievement Award (2002)
  • People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2003)
  • People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2004)
  • Named as the world's most powerful celebrity by US business magazine Forbes (2004)

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For more information, see The Passion of the Christ. David Hasselhoff enjoys cheesecake. Many Evangelical Christian pastors who have seen the film have applauded Gibson's film as being faithful to the text. He made a cameo appearance on The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. 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. While his driver's license was restricted for the next 90 days, he could drive only to his work, to take his children to school, and to Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. Not everyone agrees that the movie is anti-Semitic. He was fined $390 (thanks to California's "penalty assessment" law, etc., the total amount paid to the court is assumed to be over $1400), sentenced to self-supervised probation for 3 years, ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings twice a week for 6 months, spend six months in a DUI program (several hundred more dollars), and to perform 200 hours of community service.

In response to criticism, Gibson removed the subtitle for this line, but left the line itself in the movie. On October 28, 2004, his lawyer entered his no-contest plea while he was absent from the court hearing. Jewish leaders also did not like the various scenes which they believe portray Jews as bloodthirsty people. His problems with alcohol abuse apparently continued, as he was arrested on June 5, 2004 on suspicion on driving while intoxicated as a misdemeanor in the Los Angeles area in California. 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. He attended a rehabilitation program in 2002, at the Betty Ford Center. 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. Hasselhoff received media attention in 2003/2004 for an alleged drinking problem.

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. He was married to actress Catherine Hickland from March 24, 1984 to March 1, 1989 and divorced. However, Mel himself has never openly expressed homophobic views, any assessment of his views are pure speculation. Hasselhoff is married to actress Pamela Bach since December 8, 1989, with whom he has two daughters, Taylor-Ann and Hayley Amber. 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). In 2004, Hasselhoff played the lead role in London performances of Chicago, for three months, starting July 16. 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. In 1996, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

For a further discussion, see a separate article on The Passion of Christ. In 2004, Hasselhoff claimed that he was partly responsible for the reunion of Germany, reportedly saying that "I find it a bit sad that there is no photo of me hanging on the walls in the Berlin Museum at Checkpoint Charlie.". 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.". As a consequence, rumours have refused to die that Hasselhoff is still a star in Germany today (an idea that is mostly supported by Hasselhoff himself). But when you look at the reasons Christ came, he was crucified—he died for all mankind and he suffered for all mankind. In Germany, his song became an anthem of sorts at the time, and the accompanying album went gold and triple platinum, topping the charts for three months. I want to be as truthful as possible. Fulfilling his original dream to be a singer, he covered "Looking for Freedom" in 1989, just as the Berlin Wall came down.

I think it's meant to just tell the truth. Running for another ten seasons, it was also well-received internationally and is said to be the highest-grossing show in syndication worldwide. Gibson was asked if his movie would be offensive to Jews today; his response was "It's not meant to. The success of Baywatch was enormous. 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.". Feeling the series had potential, Hasselhoff revived it for the first-run syndication market in 1991, investing his own money and additionally functioning as executive producer. 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. Baywatch had premiered in 1989, but was cancelled after only one season.

The movie has received praise from many Christians and a number of politically conservative Jews (e.g., Michael Medved, David Horowitz, Steven Waldman). His contract stipulated royalties to be paid to him from the rerun profits, which gave him the financial liberty to buy back the rights to Baywatch from NBC. 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 launched his singing career with guest appearances on the children's program Kids Incorporated. 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. Larson-created series Knight Rider from 1982 to 1986. Gibson has been equally successful as a comedy actor, in movies such as Maverick (1994) and What Women Want (2000). Snapper Foster on the soap opera The Young and the Restless for six years, he went on to star as Michael Knight in the Glen A.

Gibson surprisingly moved to the classical genre, playing the melancholy Danish prince in Franco Zeffirelli's movie of Shakespeare's Hamlet (1990). Having played Dr. 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. David Michael Hasselhoff (born on July 17, 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actor, best known for his lead roles on Knight Rider and Baywatch. Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins played opposite Gibson as Captain Bligh. movie debut, starring as Fletcher Christian in The Bounty.

In 1984, he made his U.S. His international profile increased through Peter Weir's anti-war First World War film Gallipoli. 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. After graduating from NIDA in 1977, Gibson's acting career began in Australia with appearances in the television series The Sullivans.

He has been married to Robyn for twenty-four years, with whom he has six sons and one daughter. A Roman Catholic, Mel Gibson has donated money to finance the construction of a traditional Catholic chapel in Malibu, California, called Holy Family. Some people have attacked Hutton Gibson for religious views that he says are based on traditional Catholicism, and on his political opinions. 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.

Although he maintained his United States citizenship, he was raised in Australia from the age of twelve. 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. He was born Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson in Peekskill, New York, the sixth child of eleven born to Hutton Gibson and Ann. 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.

Named as the world's most powerful celebrity by US business magazine Forbes (2004). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2004). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2003). Australian Film Institute: Global Achievement Award (2002).

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Drama, THE PATRIOT (2001). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (2001). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama (2001). Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Suspense, CONSPIRACY THEORY (1998).

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards: Favorite Actor - Suspense, RANSOM (1997). Hasty Pudding Theatricals: Man of the Year (1997). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (1997). Academy Awards: Best Picture, BRAVEHEART (1996).

Academy Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996). Golden Globe Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996). Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Best Director, BRAVEHEART (1996). ShoWest Award: Director of the Year (1996).

American Cinematheque Gala Tribute: American Cinematheque Award (1995). National Board of Review: Special Achievement in Filmmaking, BRAVEHEART (1995). ShoWest Award: Male Star of the Year (1993). MTV Movie Awards: Best On-Screen Duo, LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1993) - shared with Danny Glover.

MTV Movie Awards: Best Action Sequence, LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1993). People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actor (1991). Australian Film Institute: Best Actor in a Lead Role, GALLIPOLI (1981). Best Actor in a Lead Role, TIM (1979).

Summer City (1977). Tim (1979). Mad Max (1979). Gallipoli (1981).

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981). The Year of Living Dangerously (1982). Attack Force Z (1982). The River (1984).

Soffel (1984). Mrs. The Bounty (1984). Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).

Lethal Weapon (1987). Tequila Sunrise (1988). 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.