Mel Gibson Was Blacklisted From Hollywood, Until Everyone Forgot About His Past Comments
"I had really good highs but some very low lows," Mel Gibson said. He has been making a comeback in 2023 and 2024 despite his past.
Feb. 26 2024, Published 8:39 a.m. ET
Controversy might run high throughout all of Hollywood, but Mel Gibson surely makes up a solid chunk of it. The actor and director has been involved in various parts of the industry which means he has plenty of power.
When someone with a lot of power gets called out for their opinions, the results can vary. A look into Mel's mishaps might give some insight into how he ended up where is now.
What happened to Mel Gibson?
Mel's phenomenally artistic and well awarded career is dotted with legal issues and problematic behavior. "I had really good highs but some very low lows," he said in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald.
While struggling with drinking, he found himself in a variety of vehicular-related issues because he was under the influence. He pled no contest to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge in 2006.
Legal issues aren't the only stains on Mel's records. He was also accused of homophobia after some negative comments about the LGBTQ+ community. Mel doubled down on the comments until years later when he blamed the situation on the fact that he was under the influence.
Mel has also been slammed for racist and misogynistic comments. During a recorded phone call, he told his ex-wife Oksana Grigorieva it would be her fault if she were "raped by a pack of n------."
Oksana got a restraining order against Mel to protect herself and their daughter. He was also hit with a misdemeanor battery charge to which he pled no contest.
Mel ended up being shut out of Hollywood for a long time, but over time he has made somewhat of a comeback. He even received more accolades in recent years and prominent figures in the community have advocated for his return.
In 2020, Winona Ryder admitted that Mel made some anti-Semitic and homophobic comments towards her, including references to the Holocaust. While Mel denied the allegations, his history of sticky situations was brought back into the light.
Where is Mel Gibson now?
“I don’t think it’s going to affect his career at this point, unless something new and devastating comes out,” Howard Bragman, longtime Hollywood crisis manager told Variety. “Mel Gibson has proven to be the exception to the rule. If there’s a new incident, people in Hollywood who’ve stood by him are going to have to re-think their association.”
Mel had three acting releases in 2023 and is set for two more in 2024, plus a rumored third. He returned to directing by partnering with Mark Wahlberg for Flight Risk. “We love the undeniable electric pairing of Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg. These world-class talents combining for this dynamic, character-driven film will make Flight Risk one of the most suspense-filled, must-see events of the year," Joe Drake, Lionsgate Movie chairman, told Deadline.
"An Air Marshal transporting a fugitive across the Alaskan wilderness via a small plane finds herself trapped when she suspects their pilot is not who he says he is," explains IMDb's description of the movie.
