Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson
AO
Born
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson

(1956-01-03) January 3, 1956 (age 70)
Peekskill, New York, USA
Occupation(s)Actor, film director
Years active1979 - present
Spouse(s)Robyn Moore Gibson
(m. 1980–2011)
Children8
Parent(s)Hutton Gibson
Anne Patricia
(née Reilly)
Signature

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson AO (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor and film director. He is mostly known for his roles in action. Among his most famous roles are in Mad Max (1979), Gallipoli (1981), The Bounty (1984), Lethal Weapon (1987), Braveheart (1995), The Prince of Egypt (1997), and Chicken Run (2000). He directed The Passion of the Christ in 2004. He loosely based it on the visions of St. Catherine Emmerich.

Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, United States. His father, Hutton Gibson, was a veteran soldier during World War II, and was also a famous writer. His family moved to Australia in 1968, when he was 12. He studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. He also has Irish citizenship.

During the 1980s, Gibson founded Icon Entertainment, a production company, which Atom Egoyan described as "an alternative to the studio system". When director Peter Weir cast him as a major character in World War I drama Gallipoli, he earned a Best Actor from the Australian Film Institute Awards, which cemented him as an serious, versatile and recognisable actor.

In 1995, Gibson received the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Braveheart. He later directed and produced The Passion of the Christ in 2004, a controversial drama regarding Jesus, which was viewed as antisemitic by many people. Allegations of antisemitism and racism by Gibson led to a downfall in his career, and later revived his career, particularly with the 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge, which won two Academy Awards and was nominated for an additional four.

Early life

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, as the sixth of 11 children. He is of Irish descent, and the second son of Hutton Gibson, a writer, and Irish-born Anne Patricia (nee Reilly, died 1990). Gibson’s paternal grandmother was opera contralto Eva Mylott (1875–1920), who was born in Australia, to Irish parents, while his paternal grandfather, John Hutton Gibson, was a millionaire and tobacco businessman from the South.

One of Gibson's younger brothers, Donal, is also an actor. Gibson's first name is derived from St. Mel’s Cathedral, located in his mother's hometown of Longford, Ireland. His second name, Colmcille, is also shared with an Irish saint. Because of his mother, Gibson possesses dual Irish and American citizenship. Gibson is also an Australian permanent resident.

Gibson's father was awarded US$145,000 in a work-related-injury lawsuit against the New York Central Railroad on Valentine's Day, 1968, and soon afterwards relocated his family to West Pymble, Sydney, Australia. Gibson was twelve at the time. The move to his grandmother's native Australia was for economic reasons, and his father's expectation that the Australian Defence Force would reject his eldest son for the draft during the Vietnam War.

During his years in high school, Gibson was educated by members of the Congregation of Christian Brothers at St Leo’s Catholic College in Wahroonga, New South Wales.

Controversy

Mel Gibson, was revealed by screenwriter Joe Eszterhas to have referred to Jews as "Hebes", "Jewboys" and "oven-dodgers" and the Holocaust as "mostly a lot of horses**t" during their production of a film about the Book of Maccabees. The film's sources included highly antisemitic writings by two nuns.

Mel Gibson also believed in the antisemitic trope that the Torah "made reference to the sacrifice of Christian babies and infants." He was also accused of harassing Jewish-American actress Winona Ryder by asking her whether she was an "oven-dodger."

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Sacks, Ethan (December 24, 2011). "Mel Gibson officiallly divorces wife of 31 years". New York: NY Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. 1 2 "Mel Gibson and his girlfriend welcome a baby girl". Retrieved October 2, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  3. ↑ Mark Morris (July 16, 2000). "Mel Gibson: Proud or prejudiced?". The Observer. Guardian News and Media Limited.
  4. ↑ John Hiscock (January 21, 2010). "Mel Gibson interview". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited.
  5. ↑ Matt Probert; Leela Probert. "Mel Gibson". The Probert Encyclopaedia. The New Society For The Diffusion of Knowledge. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "Mel Gibson". eNews Reference. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  7. ↑ Clarkson, Wensley (1993). Mel Gibson: Living Dangerously. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. p. 30.
  8. ↑ Stephen M. Silverman. "Jonathan Rhys Meyers Crowned Best Actor in Ireland". People Magazine. Archived from the original on March 19, 2008. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
  9. ↑ "The Australian Film Institute | Past Winners". Archived from the original on July 23, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  10. ↑ Madden, Caroline (December 1, 2021). "The Passion Of The Christ Controversy Explained". /Film. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  11. ↑ Nolan, Emma (June 23, 2020). "All the Times Mel Gibson Has Been Accused of Anti-Semitism and Racism". Newsweek. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  12. ↑ "'Hacksaw Ridge' wins 2 Oscar awards, honoring local Desmond Doss - WSMV Channel 4". March 1, 2017. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Oscar Winners 2017: See the Complete List! - Oscars 2023 News | 95th Academy Awards". ABC. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  14. ↑ "RTÉ.ie Entertainment: Mel Gibson to be honoured at IFTA ceremony". RTÉ.ie. July 27, 2009. Archived from the original on July 27, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ↑ Donegan, Lawrence (February 29, 2004). "Passion player". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  16. ↑ Hanrahan, John (1986). Mel Gibson. Little Hills Press. ISBN 978-0-949773-34-0.
  17. ↑ McCarty, John (1997). The Films of Mel Gibson. Carol Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-8065-1918-0.
  18. ↑ Clarkson, Wensley (2005). Mel Gibson: Man on a Mission. John Blake. ISBN 978-1-85782-577-0.
  19. ↑ "Donal Gibson". IMDb. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Tea With Mel Gibson". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Mel Gibson's Wife Files for Divorce". TMZ. April 13, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Jonathan Rhys Meyers Crowned Best Actor in Ireland". Peoplemag. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  23. ↑ McMahon, Neil (January 9, 2016). "Mel Gibson doesn't deserve to be hailed as a prodigal son after his misogyny, racism". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Mel Gibson We Were Soldiers". www.female.com.au. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  25. ↑ Mel Gibson: Living Dangerously. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press. 1999. pp. 30. ISBN 978-1-56025-225-2.
  26. ↑ "Is the Pope Catholic? | Dallas Observer". Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Mel Gibson's Biography/Filmography | Fox News". Fox News. March 20, 2014. Archived from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  28. ↑ "A son's dangerous passion, in the name of the father". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 2, 2004. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 McDermott, Jim (January 13, 2023). "Mel Gibson and the dangers of Catholic antisemitism". American Magazine. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  30. ↑ An insult to Holocaust survivors who had not been burned in the ovens at the Auschwitz concentration camp run by Nazi troops in occupied Poland.
  31. ↑ Hier, Marvin; Brackman, Harold (June 22, 2003). "Mel's Passion". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  32. ↑ "AACTA - Past Winners - 1979". AACTA.org. Retrieved November 9, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  33. ↑ "AACTA - Past Winners - 1981". AACTA.org. Retrieved November 9, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  34. ↑ "People's Choice Awards Nominees & Winners: 1991". PeoplesChoice.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  35. ↑ "People's Choice Awards Nominees & Winners: 1997". PeoplesChoice.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  36. 1 2 "People's Choice Awards Nominees & Winners: 2001". PeoplesChoice.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  37. ↑ "People's Choice Awards Nominees & Winners: 2003". PeoplesChoice.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  38. ↑ "People's Choice Awards Nominees & Winners: 2004". PeoplesChoice.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  39. ↑ "Star-gazing". The Milwaukee Journal. March 13, 1993. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  40. ↑ DeArmond, Michelle (March 8, 1996). "Travolta, Bullock honored". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  41. ↑ BWW News Desk (March 25, 2010). "Jennifer Garner and Sarah Silverman Added to All-Star Lineup Honoring Matt Damon". Broadway World. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  42. ↑ Rush, George; Molloy, Joanna and Jones, Baird (February 25, 1997). "Contract talks put sly on the cutting edge". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  43. ↑ Sams, Christine (December 9, 2002). "Gulpilil leads lesser lights to glory". The Sun-Herald. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  44. ↑ "MAY 1003 GIBSON SPEAKS AT LMU'S UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT PR". lmu.com. Loyola Marymount University. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  45. ↑ "Jesus helps Mel hit No. 1". CNNMoney.com. June 18, 2004. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  46. ↑ Galloway, Stephen (November 15, 2004). "Innovator of the Year: Mel Gibson". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  47. ↑ "Awestruck by 'Lethal Weapon'". Malaysia Star. September 23, 2007. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  48. ↑ "Mel Gibson to be honoured at IFTA ceremony". Rte.ie. February 8, 2008. Archived from the original on July 27, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2008.

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