The Turbulent Career of Mel Gibson

he was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars

he was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars before becoming the center of enormous

before becoming the center of enormous

before becoming the center of enormous controversy welcome to watchmojo.com and

controversy welcome to watchmojo.com and

controversy welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be taking a look at the

today we’ll be taking a look at the

today we’ll be taking a look at the career of Hollywood actor and director

career of Hollywood actor and director

career of Hollywood actor and director Mel Gibson Mel Gibson was born on

Mel Gibson Mel Gibson was born on

Mel Gibson Mel Gibson was born on january 3rd 1956 in Peekskill New York

january 3rd 1956 in Peekskill New York

january 3rd 1956 in Peekskill New York before his family moved to Sydney

before his family moved to Sydney

before his family moved to Sydney Australia when he was just 12 years old

Australia when he was just 12 years old

Australia when he was just 12 years old in his youth he contemplated joining the

in his youth he contemplated joining the

in his youth he contemplated joining the priesthood or studying journalism

priesthood or studying journalism

priesthood or studying journalism however he settled on a job at an orange

however he settled on a job at an orange

however he settled on a job at an orange juice bottling plant fortunately his

juice bottling plant fortunately his

juice bottling plant fortunately his sister took it upon herself to enroll

sister took it upon herself to enroll

sister took it upon herself to enroll him at the Institute of Dramatic Arts

him at the Institute of Dramatic Arts

him at the Institute of Dramatic Arts due to his hidden talent for doing

due to his hidden talent for doing

due to his hidden talent for doing impersonations and his ability to

impersonations and his ability to

impersonations and his ability to reproduce realistic accents so how many

reproduce realistic accents so how many

reproduce realistic accents so how many head of cattle have you got upon

head of cattle have you got upon

head of cattle have you got upon completing his training Gibson worked on

completing his training Gibson worked on

completing his training Gibson worked on several Australian stage plays and media

several Australian stage plays and media

several Australian stage plays and media productions he achieved instant

productions he achieved instant

productions he achieved instant mainstream and international fame with

mainstream and international fame with

mainstream and international fame with the release of 1979 s dystopian action

the release of 1979 s dystopian action

the release of 1979 s dystopian action film Mad Max as a result he was cast as

film Mad Max as a result he was cast as

film Mad Max as a result he was cast as the lead in the critically acclaimed

the lead in the critically acclaimed

the lead in the critically acclaimed World War one film Gallipoli which

World War one film Gallipoli which

World War one film Gallipoli which earned him a Best Actor Award from the

earned him a Best Actor Award from the

earned him a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute and cemented

Australian Film Institute and cemented

Australian Film Institute and cemented his reputation as a serious and

his reputation as a serious and

his reputation as a serious and versatile performer in 1984 Gibson

versatile performer in 1984 Gibson

versatile performer in 1984 Gibson starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the

starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the

starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the bounty during filming the cast engaged

bounty during filming the cast engaged

bounty during filming the cast engaged in serious drinking sessions he

in serious drinking sessions he

in serious drinking sessions he subsequently returned to his family with

subsequently returned to his family with

subsequently returned to his family with an alcohol addiction which proved

an alcohol addiction which proved

an alcohol addiction which proved difficult for him to overcome get your

difficult for him to overcome get your

difficult for him to overcome get your hand off him now

hand off him now

hand off him now despite his personal troubles his

despite his personal troubles his

despite his personal troubles his Hollywood career was taking off with his

Hollywood career was taking off with his

Hollywood career was taking off with his quick adoption of an American accent

quick adoption of an American accent

quick adoption of an American accent which he introduced in the river a drama

which he introduced in the river a drama

which he introduced in the river a drama in which he co-starred alongside Sissy

in which he co-starred alongside Sissy

in which he co-starred alongside Sissy Spacek as struggling Tennessee farmers

Spacek as struggling Tennessee farmers

Spacek as struggling Tennessee farmers all I gots with girl in these fields

all I gots with girl in these fields

all I gots with girl in these fields Gibson simultaneously saw huge success

Gibson simultaneously saw huge success

Gibson simultaneously saw huge success with his two sequels to Mad Max 1985 s

with his two sequels to Mad Max 1985 s

with his two sequels to Mad Max 1985 s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome caused his

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome caused his

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome caused his salary to soar to the million dollar

salary to soar to the million dollar

salary to soar to the million dollar mark and earn him the title of sexiest

mark and earn him the title of sexiest

mark and earn him the title of sexiest man alive by People magazine despite the

man alive by People magazine despite the

man alive by People magazine despite the popularity of the role the part that

popularity of the role the part that

popularity of the role the part that would forever cement Gibson as an

would forever cement Gibson as an

would forever cement Gibson as an American Hollywood star was that of the

American Hollywood star was that of the

American Hollywood star was that of the loose-canon Martin Riggs in 1989 s

loose-canon Martin Riggs in 1989 s

loose-canon Martin Riggs in 1989 s Lethal Weapon a role that he would

Lethal Weapon a role that he would

Lethal Weapon a role that he would revisit three more times during his

revisit three more times during his

revisit three more times during his career yeah you want to see crazy okay

career yeah you want to see crazy okay

career yeah you want to see crazy okay throughout the 90s Gibson remained a

throughout the 90s Gibson remained a

throughout the 90s Gibson remained a compelling force at the box office with

compelling force at the box office with

compelling force at the box office with a string of hits including air America

a string of hits including air America

a string of hits including air America Bird on a Wire forever young maverick

Bird on a Wire forever young maverick

Bird on a Wire forever young maverick ransom conspiracy theory and even as the

ransom conspiracy theory and even as the

ransom conspiracy theory and even as the bad guy in payback however his biggest

bad guy in payback however his biggest

bad guy in payback however his biggest accomplishment of the decade was the

accomplishment of the decade was the

accomplishment of the decade was the result of his directorial debut with

result of his directorial debut with

result of his directorial debut with 1993’s the man without a face the

1993’s the man without a face the

1993’s the man without a face the project led to Gibson forming his own

project led to Gibson forming his own

project led to Gibson forming his own production company called icon which he

production company called icon which he

production company called icon which he used to produce star and direct his 1995

used to produce star and direct his 1995

used to produce star and direct his 1995 epic Braveheart that film earned several

epic Braveheart that film earned several

epic Braveheart that film earned several Oscars including that of Best Director

Oscars including that of Best Director

Oscars including that of Best Director and made Mel Gibson Hollywood’s biggest

and made Mel Gibson Hollywood’s biggest

and made Mel Gibson Hollywood’s biggest star his star power would comfortably

star his star power would comfortably

star his star power would comfortably carry him into the new millennium with

carry him into the new millennium with

carry him into the new millennium with all three of his films in 2000 grossing

all three of his films in 2000 grossing

all three of his films in 2000 grossing over 100 million dollars these box

over 100 million dollars these box

over 100 million dollars these box office draws consisted of the American

office draws consisted of the American

office draws consisted of the American Revolutionary War epic the Patriot the

Revolutionary War epic the Patriot the

Revolutionary War epic the Patriot the offbeat romantic comedy what women want

offbeat romantic comedy what women want

offbeat romantic comedy what women want and as the charming voiceover of rocky

and as the charming voiceover of rocky

and as the charming voiceover of rocky in the stop-motion animated feature

in the stop-motion animated feature

in the stop-motion animated feature chicken run ironically shortly following

chicken run ironically shortly following

chicken run ironically shortly following his overwhelming box-office success in M

his overwhelming box-office success in M

his overwhelming box-office success in M night Shyamalan signs in which he played

night Shyamalan signs in which he played

night Shyamalan signs in which he played a priest who had lost his faith Mel

a priest who had lost his faith Mel

a priest who had lost his faith Mel Gibson became the subject of intense

Gibson became the subject of intense

Gibson became the subject of intense controversy with the release of his

controversy with the release of his

controversy with the release of his deeply personal religious project The

deeply personal religious project The

deeply personal religious project The Passion of the Christ

Passion of the Christ

Passion of the Christ in 2004 the result was a public and

in 2004 the result was a public and

in 2004 the result was a public and Hollywood uproar over the perception

Hollywood uproar over the perception

Hollywood uproar over the perception that the film was anti-semitic it is

that the film was anti-semitic it is

that the film was anti-semitic it is possible for people who are not even

possible for people who are not even

possible for people who are not even Christian to get into the kingdom of

Christian to get into the kingdom of

Christian to get into the kingdom of heaven it’s just easier for and I have

heaven it’s just easier for and I have

heaven it’s just easier for and I have to save it because that’s what I believe

to save it because that’s what I believe

to save it because that’s what I believe remarkably the controversy became a

remarkably the controversy became a

remarkably the controversy became a powerful marketing tool and the film set

powerful marketing tool and the film set

powerful marketing tool and the film set a new record for pre-sales

a new record for pre-sales

a new record for pre-sales and became the number one film in

and became the number one film in

and became the number one film in America taking in eight hundred and

America taking in eight hundred and

America taking in eight hundred and fifty million dollars Gibson’s follow-up

fifty million dollars Gibson’s follow-up

fifty million dollars Gibson’s follow-up project again landed him in the

project again landed him in the

project again landed him in the director’s chair for Apocalypto an epic

director’s chair for Apocalypto an epic

director’s chair for Apocalypto an epic said at the end of the Mayan

said at the end of the Mayan

said at the end of the Mayan civilization unflinchingly it became a

civilization unflinchingly it became a

civilization unflinchingly it became a hit despite coinciding with media

hit despite coinciding with media

hit despite coinciding with media coverage of Gibson’s second arrest for

coverage of Gibson’s second arrest for

coverage of Gibson’s second arrest for impaired driving and further

impaired driving and further

impaired driving and further anti-semitic backlash following his

anti-semitic backlash following his

anti-semitic backlash following his drunken remarks to a police officer

drunken remarks to a police officer

drunken remarks to a police officer despite his battered public image and

despite his battered public image and

despite his battered public image and new focus on directing Mel Gibson has

new focus on directing Mel Gibson has

new focus on directing Mel Gibson has returned to acting in the film

returned to acting in the film

returned to acting in the film adaptation of the BBC television series

adaptation of the BBC television series

adaptation of the BBC television series edge of darkness in which he plays the

edge of darkness in which he plays the

edge of darkness in which he plays the role of a detective

role of a detective

role of a detective investigating the death of his own

investigating the death of his own

investigating the death of his own daughter this marks his first starring

daughter this marks his first starring

daughter this marks his first starring role in eight years and new focus on

role in eight years and new focus on

role in eight years and new focus on rekindling his former Hollywood status

rekindling his former Hollywood status

rekindling his former Hollywood status you had better decide whether you’re

you had better decide whether you’re

you had better decide whether you’re hanging on the cross or banging into

hanging on the cross or banging into

hanging on the cross or banging into nails