Mel Gibson skyrocketed to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s through iconic roles in films like Mad Max and the Lethal Weapon franchise, establishing himself as one of Hollywood‘s top leading men. His directing debut Braveheart cemented his position as an A-list talent in the 1990s, raking in critical acclaims and box office riches. However, Gibson‘s once-sterling reputation took a nosedive in the 2000s amidst a series of controversies, scandals and public disgraces. Though attempted comebacks have sparked at times, the damage to the Oscar winner‘s career remains palpable. This article traces Mel Gibson‘s journey from early stardom to scandal-plagued downfall and recent efforts to revive his acting-directing credentials.
Launching to Stardom with Mad Max and Gallipoli
After studying at Australia‘s National Institute of Dramatic Art alongside peers like Judy Davis and Steve Bisley, a young Mel Gibson kicked off his acting career Down Under in the late 1970s with small TV roles. His performance in the film Summer City brought Gibson attention, leading to his casting in George Miller‘s dystopian action flick Mad Max. Though initially deemed too good-looking for the film‘s rough-and-tumble lead, Gibson ultimately won the role and catapulted to stardom when Mad Max became a surprise box office hit in 1979, grossing over $100 million worldwide on a mere $400,000 budget.
On the heels of Mad Max‘s success, Gibson cemented his status as Australia‘s hottest rising star with Peter Weir‘s 1981 anti-war drama Gallipoli. His portrayal of Frank Dunne, a WWI sprinter who meets a tragic fate, earned Gibson his first Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute. Now a bonafide star in his native country, Gibson‘s rugged charisma and acting chops were attracting Hollywood‘s attention.
Breakout Hollywood Roles in Lethal Weapon and Hamlet
Gibson‘s career reached new heights when he relocated to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s. After a string of minor box office duds, he finally broke through in Hollywood with Richard Donner‘s 1987 cop thriller Lethal Weapon opposite Danny Glover. Gibson brought intensity, humor and magnetism to the film‘s unhinged protagonist Martin Riggs, creating an iconic character that spawned three sequels and cemented Gibson‘s position as one of Tinseltown‘s hottest leading men. The original Lethal Weapon was made on a $15 million budget, but grossed an impressive $120 million worldwide.
Gibson continued to take on eclectic roles throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, from conspiracy thriller Conspiracy Theory to Forever Young alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. He garnered significant acclaim for his 1990 portrayal of Hamlet, becoming the first Australian actor to take on the iconic Shakespearean role on screen.
Directing Braveheart and Winning Oscars
But Gibson was keen to move beyond acting into directing and producing. After his 1993 directorial debut The Man Without a Face underwhelmed at the box office, Gibson bounced back triumphantly by self-financing and directing the historical epic Braveheart. The 1995 film dramatized 13th century Scottish leader William Wallace‘s battles against England during the Scottish War of Independence. Made on a $70 million budget, Braveheart was both a critical darling and massive commercial hit, grossing $210 million globally.
The most significant achievement was Braveheart‘s dominance at the 1996 Academy Awards. Gibson walked away with the Oscar for Best Director, with the film also winning Best Picture and four more awards. The surprise sweep capped off a remarkable underdog success story. Now established as a formidable creative force both in front of and behind the camera, the world was Gibson‘s oyster heading into the late 1990s. Little did he know intense controversies, scandals and self-sabotage lurked around the corner…
Scandals Emerge: Antisemitic Comments and Abuse Allegations
In 2006, Gibson‘s public image took its first major hit when he unleashed a drunken, antisemitic tirade during an arrest for drunk driving. After being pulled over for speeding at 87mph in a 45mph zone with an open container of tequila in his Lexus, Gibson went on a profanity-laced rant stating ‘‘The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." He then asked the arresting officer ‘‘Are you a Jew?" The shocking incident, which occurred as Israel bombed Lebanon amidst ongoing conflicts, sparked intense backlash against the actor-director. Though Gibson apologized, paying fines and entering rehab, the damage was done.
Further scandal erupted in Gibson‘s personal life amidst his separation and divorce from wife Robyn Moore after over 25 years of marriage. Russian musician Oksana Grigorieva, who‘d been romantically involved with Gibson, obtained a restraining order in 2010 alleging Gibson had punched her in the face while she held their baby daughter. A heated custody battle over their young child ensued, during which more of Gibson‘s vitriolic rants leaked publicly, with him calling Grigorieva a "pig in heat" along with multiple death threats. Though domestic abuse charges were eventually dropped, Gibson‘s reckless behavior cemented his astonishing fall from grace.
Mel Gibson Filmography and Box Office since 2000
| Year | Film | Budget | Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Patriot | $110 million | $215 million |
| 2002 | We Were Soldiers | $75 million | $114 million |
| 2002 | Signs | $72 million | $408 million |
| 2004 | The Passion of the Christ * | $30 million | $622 million |
| 2006 | Apocalpyto | $40 million | $121 million |
| 2016 | Blood Father | $5 million | $9 million |
| 2016 | Hacksaw Ridge | $40 million | $175 million |
* self-financed by Gibson
Financial Success Despite Scandals
Astonishingly, while scandals were ravaging his reputation, Gibson was simultaneously enjoying mammoth financial success. His self-financed Aramaic-language biblical drama The Passion of the Christ grossed over $600 million worldwide in 2004 on a tiny $30 million budget, with Gibson reportedly pocketing an unprecedented $450 million himself from the surprise indie blockbuster hit. Despite public relations disasters and controversial views, Gibson clearly retained a loyal global fanbase who kept lining up for his films.
Between his messy divorce settlement with Robyn Moore rumored at over $400 million and lawsuit settlements/child support payments to Oksana Grigorieva also in the tens of millions, Gibson has forked out a fortune dealing with the fallout from scandals. Estimates peg Gibson‘s total divorce/legal costs over the past 15 years approach nearly $500 million. Yet today he still maintains an extremely healthy net worth estimated conservatively between $425-$425 million. The astronomical payday from Passion‘s profits combined with shrewd real estate investments explain how Gibson retains such enviable wealth.
Indeed, financial security is likely the chief reason Gibson has remained employable in Hollywood despite widespread condemnation from powerful public figures like Ari Emanuel, who wrote an open letter urging industry figures to blacklist Gibson. While public opinion may be split given his noxious statements and abusive behavior, the combination of loyal fans who separate art from artist and wealth insulating him from complete cancellation have enabled Gibson‘s continued directorial and acting opportunities.
Attempted Comebacks: From Get the Gringo to Wild Bunch Remake Plans
In the 2010s, Gibson has slowly tried working his way back into Hollywood‘s good graces after years as a controversial pariah. Ironically, his first post-scandal starring role came in a production bankrolled south of the border. The Spanish-financed crime comedy Get the Gringo premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Though American distributors passed, Fox picked up distribution rights for a limited US theatrical run followed by VOD. Despite tepid box office, reviews praised Gibson‘s performance as a widower raising his teenage daughter.
While efforts like Get the Gringo underwhelmed commercially, Gibson earned some of his best reviews in over a decade playing an ex-convict in 2016‘s Blood Father. That same year, his WWII drama Hacksaw Ridge marked Gibson‘s first directorial effort in a decade. A clear attempt at reputational rehabilitation focused on a heroic WWII medic who served nobly despite refusing to carry a weapon, Hacksaw Ridge earned generally strong reviews out of both the Venice Film Festival and upon its theatrical release. While not quite a full-fledged comeback, Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations signaled Gibson may have regained a tenuous foothold back into Hollywood‘s good graces.
Most recently, Gibson has been developing a remake of samurai classic The Wild Bunch with Warner Bros. Reports suggest Bryan Bagby‘s script modernizes the western as a tale about drug cartel members along the Texas-Mexico border. If greenlit, helming a violent action film could mark another step towards career resurgence. Prior to that, Gibson also directed 2019‘s The Professor and the Madman starring Sean Penn and Natalie Dormer. Though it earned mixed reviews and was plagued by behind-the-scenes troubles between Gibson and producer Voltage Pictures, it underscored his continued though strained viability as a filmmaker.
Legacy: Iconic Work vs Damaged Reputation
Looking back, Mel Gibson boasts one of the most remarkable Hollywood careers pockmarked by scandal. His iconic mad cop in Lethal Weapon, battle-scarred underdog in Braveheart and haunting biblical epic in The Passion of the Christ ensure Gibson‘s artistic legacy is secure. From leading man to heralded director/producer, few talents have showcased such versatility and magnetism at their peak. For a time, Gibson stood tall as an exemplar of the American Dream – a humble Australian transplant who became Tinseltown royalty on the strength of unrelenting drive.
However, there is equally no denying Gibson‘s scandals and disgraces have irreparably damaged his once-pristine public reputation. The passing years have lent nuance regarding the complex personal circumstances surrounding controversies, yet his inflammatory stances understandably remain deeply hurtful for marginalized communities targeted. Perhaps Gibson will enjoy continued acting opportunities among loyalists, but regaining unequivocal admiration as a top star or filmmaker appears out of reach.
Nonetheless, Mel Gibson‘s story remains undeniably that of profound cinematic triumphs capped by self-inflicted personal alienation. The Mad Max star who rose meteorically from obscurity crashed and burned just as spectacularly for all to see. His ongoing attempts at rising phoenix-like from the ashes continue eliciting both empathy and revulsion. Gibson himself once insightfully called show business "the dishing out and eating of bowl loads of s**t." As his scandalous, uneven four-decade journey has shown, that pithy quote rings true now more than ever.