The actor-director, who is currently in Dublin shooting The Professor and The Madman, has made a return to the media eye with his new film Hacksaw Ridge generating a lot of Oscar buzz.
In a recent interview with Variety, Mel Gibson talked about the new film and also spoke about his desire to close dark chapters (which includes making anti-Semitic slurs in the past as well as racist comments and comments about the LGBT community) in his life and not allow them define him and his work.
Gibson was arrested in 2006 for driving under the influence, and a police transcript recorded a number of anti-Semitic statements he made.
Gibson said ‘it was an unfortunate incident’ where he ‘was loaded and angry and arrested.’ He continued: ‘I was recorded illegally by an unscrupulous police officer who was never prosecuted for that crime. And then it was made public by him for profit, and by members of – we’ll call it the press. So, not fair. I guess as who I am, I’m not allowed to have a nervous breakdown, ever.’
The incident had a negative impact on his career and Gibson expressed his belief that the situation was unfair. ‘I’ve never discriminated against anyone or done anything that sort of supports that reputation,' he said.
‘And for one episode in the back of a police car on eight double tequilas to sort of dictate all the work, life’s work and beliefs and everything else that I have and maintain for my life is really unfair.’
Hacksaw Ridge is now being applauded as Gibson’s ‘comeback’. He says: ‘Ten years have gone by. I’m feeling good. I’m sober, all of that kind of stuff, and for me it’s a dim thing in the past.
‘But others bring it up, which kind of I find annoying, because I don’t understand why after 10 years it’s any kind of issue. Surely if I was really what they say I was, some kind of hater, there’d be evidence of actions somewhere. There never has been.’
