Mel Gibson has finally spoken out about the controversies that have dogged him over the last year, taking the chance to explain that the taped recordings do not represent him as a person and were taken out of context. Gibson found himself at the centre of a media storm in 2010 after portions of a conversation with his ex-girlfriend that contained racial slurs were leaked online.
“Who anticipates being recorded? Who anticipates that? Who could anticipate such a personal betrayal?” said Gibson in an interview with Allison Hope Weiner of Deadline.
“I’ve never treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion or sexuality — period,” he continued. “I don’t blame some people for thinking that though, from the garbage they heard on those leaked tapes, which have been edited. You have to put it all in the proper context of being in an irrationally, heated discussion at the height of a breakdown, trying to get out of a really unhealthy relationship. It’s one terribly, awful moment in time, said to one person, in the span of one day and doesn’t represent what I truly believe or how I’ve treated people my entire life.”
Gibson decided to speak to Deadline “because editors at other media outlets seemed inclined to use this story to pursue their own agendas”. However, the Deadline chief did not pull any punches.
“You were going to do a small part in Hangover II. How did you respond to being asked to do that and then having cast members not want you in it?” Asked Weiner, before continuing.. “How did it feel to have them allow a convicted rapist (Mike Tyson) in the movie and not you?”
Gibson may have been regretting his decision to speak to that outlet after such a question, but the interview recounts that he reacted to such questions with good grace and even refused to speak ill of those who reacted negatively to his circumstances (such as the cast of Hangover II).
He did find time to praise those who have helped him through his darkest days, Whoopi Goldberg and Jodie Foster in particular. Early reports also indicate that Gibson’s performance in The Beaver is one of the finest of his career.
The Academy Award winner admitted that he had considered walking away from acting on more than one occasion in the last 12 months, but also used the interview to talk of his plans to reunite with Braveheart writer Randy Wallace in the future for another epic cinema offering.
“It’s total bodice-ripping swashbuckling stuff, but it’s funny. It’s funny and yet it’s got really good serious undertones too. Randy writes a decent script. And I responded to it right away. I thought this is hilarious. I’ve got to do this. And I’m not the main guy in the film — which is great.”
