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Encyclopedia > Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson

Gibson at the 1990 Air America premiere
Born Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson
January 3, 1956 (1956-01-03) (age 52)
Peekskill, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor,
Director,
Producer,
Screenwriter
Years active 1976-present
Spouse(s) Robyn Moore (1980-present)

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson, AO (born January 3, 1956) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American-Australian actor, director, producer and screenwriter. Born in the United States, Gibson moved to Australia when he was 12 years old and he later studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. After establishing himself as a household name with the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon series, Gibson went on to direct and star in the Academy Award-winning Braveheart. Gibson's direction of Braveheart made him the sixth actor-turned-filmmaker to receive an Oscar for Best Director.[1] In 2004, he directed and produced The Passion of the Christ, a blockbuster movie[2] that portrayed the last hours of the life of Jesus. Gibson is an honorary Officer of the Order of Australia and was ranked the world's most powerful celebrity in the annual list by Forbes magazine in 2004.[3] The Australian Film Institute Awards (often abbreviated to AFI Awards) is an annual awards ceremony administered by the Australian Film Institute, held in late November or early December. ... The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. ... Tim (1979) is an Australian romance movie between an older woman (played by Piper Laurie) and a younger, retarted man (played by Mel Gibson). ... Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. ... The Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. The Order was established on February 14, 1975, when Queen Elizabeth II signed Letters Patent instituting the Order. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. ... Screenwriters, scenarists, or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies and television programs are made. ... The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... Lethal Weapon is a 1987 action film, the first in a series of American movies that were released in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1998, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to directors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... This article is about the film. ... Blockbuster, as applied to film or theater, denotes a very popular and/or successful production. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. The Order was established on February 14, 1975, when Queen Elizabeth II signed Letters Patent instituting the Order. ... For other uses, see Forbes (disambiguation). ...

Contents

Early life

Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, the sixth of eleven children. He is the second son of Hutton Gibson and Irish-born Anne Reilly Gibson. His paternal grandmother was the Australian opera soprano, Eva Mylott (1875–1920).[4] One of Gibson's younger brothers, Donal, is also an actor. Gibson's first name comes from a 5th century Irish Saint, Mel, founder of the diocese of Ardagh which contains most of his mother's native County, while his second name, Columcille, is also linked to an Irish saint.[5] Columcille is also the name of the parish in County Longford where Anne Reilly was born and raised. Because of his mother, Mel Gibson holds dual citizenship in America and the Republic of Ireland.[6] Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. ... This article is about the state. ... Hutton Peter Gibson (born August 26, 1918) is a writer on religion and the father of actor Mel Gibson. ... Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... For other uses, see Opera (disambiguation). ... This article is about the voice-type. ... Eva Mylott (1875 Tuross Head, Australia - c. ... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: notability If you can address this concern by improving, copyediting, sourcing, renaming or merging the page, please edit this page and do so. ... Saint Mel died in 488. ... The Diocese of Ardagh was established in 1111 at the Synod of Rathbreasail as the see for east Connacht. ... A separate article is titled Columba (constellation). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ...


Hutton Gibson relocated his family to Sydney, Australia in 1968, after winning $145,000 in a work related injury lawsuit against New York Central on February 14, 1968.[7][unreliable source?] The family moved when Gibson was twelve. The move to Hutton's mother's native Australia was for economic reasons and because he thought the Australian military would reject his oldest son for the Vietnam War draft.[8] This is about the city of Sydney in Australia. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood. ...


Gibson was educated by Christian Brothers at St. Leo's Catholic College in Wahroonga, New South Wales during his High School years. Note: This page needs to be cleaned up to be brought into conformance with the Manual of Style. ... St. ... Wahroonga is a suburb of Sydney, Australia. ... NSW redirects here. ...


Stage career

Growing up, Mel Gibson considered becoming a journalist, a chef, or a religious brother. Then Gibson’s older sister Mary secretly submitted $5 along with an application for the recent high school graduate to the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. After the audition, Gibson was accepted into an acting class that included Judy Davis and Steve Bisley. The students at NIDA were classically trained in the British theatre tradition rather than for screen acting[9]. As students, Gibson and Judy Davis played the leads in Romeo and Juliet, and Gibson played the role of Queen Titania in an experimental production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.[10]. After graduation in 1977, Gibson immediately began work on the filming of Mad Max, but he continued to work as a stage actor, joining the State Theatre Company of South Australia in Adelaide. Gibson’s theatrical credits include Waiting for Godot, playing Estragon opposite Geoffrey Rush, and a 1982 Sydney production of Death of a Salesman, playing Biff Loman. Gibson’s most recent theatrical performance was a 1993 Telluride production of Love Letters by A. R. Gurney, opposite Sissy Spacek.[11] At the beginning of his acting career, Gibson also appeared in television pilots for series including The Sullivans, Cop Shop and Punishment. The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... Judy Davis (born 23 April 1955) is an Academy Award-nominated and 3-time Emmy Award-winning Australian actress. ... Steve Bisley (born 1951 at Lake Munmorah, New South Wales, Australia), is a well-known Australian actor, who attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art. ... The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. ... Judy Davis (born 23 April 1955) is an Academy Award-nominated and 3-time Emmy Award-winning Australian actress. ... For other uses, see Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Titania (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see A Midsummer Nights Dream (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Adelaide (disambiguation). ... Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, in which the characters wait for Godot, who never arrives. ... Estragon (affectionately Gogo; he tells Pozzo his name is Adam) is one of the two main characters from Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot. ... Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning Australian actor. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... For other uses, see Death of a Salesman (disambiguation). ... The Town of Telluride, a Home Rule Municipality, is the county seat of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the State of Colorado in the United States. ... Love Letters is a play written by A. R. Gurney. ... A.R. Gurney (November 1, 1930 - ) is an American playwright and novelist. ... Mary Elizabeth Sissy Spacek (born December 25, 1949) is an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. ... The Sullivans was an Australian made drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. ... Cop Shop is also an informal term for a police station Cop Shop was an Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday operations of both the uniformed police officers and the plain-clothes detectives of the fictional Riverside Police Station. ... Punishment is an Australian television series made by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Ten Network in 1981. ...


Career in Australian cinema

Before Gibson became a Hollywood star, his starring roles in the Mad Max series and the films of Peter Weir during the New Wave of Australian cinema propelled him to international film stardom. While a student at NIDA, Gibson made his film debut in the 1977 film Summer City, for which he was paid $250. After being cast in Mad Max by Australian doctor-turned-director George Miller, Gibson began his first lead role in 1977 at the age of 21 on the day after he graduated from drama school. Gibson also played a mentally-slow youth in Tim, which earned him the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The release of Mad Max in 1979 then made Gibson internationally famous overnight. Gibson joined the cast of the World War II action film Attack Force Z, which was not released until 1982 when Gibson had become a bigger star. Director Peter Weir cast Gibson as one of the leads in the critically-acclaimed World War I drama Gallipoli, which earned Gibson another Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute. The film Gallipoli also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious, versatile actor and gained him the Hollywood agent Ed Limato. The sequel Mad Max 2 was his first hit in America (released as The Road Warrior). In 1982 Gibson again attracted critical acclaim in Peter Weir’s romantic thriller The Year of Living Dangerously. Following a year hiatus from film acting after the birth of his twin sons, Gibson took on the role of Fletcher Christian in The Bounty in 1984. Playing Max Rockatansky for the third time in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985 earned Gibson his first million dollar salary. Hollywood Star, vol 1 no 10, circa 1978 The Hollywood Star was a highly idiosyncratic gossip tabloid published on an erratic schedule in Hollywood, California by William Kern, who wrote much of the magazine under the pseudonym Bill Dakota. ... For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944) is an Australian film director. ... A resergence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema culture that started in the late 1970s and lasted until the late 1980s. ... The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. ... Summer City is a 1970s Australian film, most notable for having Mel Gibson in his inaugural role. ... For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... George (Miliotis) Miller (born March 3, 1945), is an Academy-Award winning Australian film and television screenwriter, director and producer. ... Tim (1979) is an Australian romance movie between an older woman (played by Piper Laurie) and a younger, retarted man (played by Mel Gibson). ... The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. ... For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Attack Force Z is a 1982 Australian World War II film, directed by Tim Burstall. ... Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944) is an Australian film director. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. ... The Australian Film Institute (AFI), established in 1958, is an organisation that promotes Australian film and television through the annual AFI Awards, a membership program and AFI film events throughout the year. ... Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. ... Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (released in the US in 1981 as The Road Warrior) was a sequel to Mad Max. ... Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944) is an Australian film director. ... The Year of Living Dangerously is a novel by Christopher Koch, which was made into a film in 1982, directed by Peter Weir and written by Koch, Weir, and David Williamson. ... Fletcher Christian, an artists impression Fletcher Christian (September 25, 1764 – October 3, 1793) was a Masters Mate on board the Bounty during William Blighs fateful voyage to Tahiti for breadfruit plants (see Mutiny on the Bounty). ... This article is about the 1984 film. ... Mad Max Rockatansky is the main character from director George Millers Mad Max film trilogy, appearing in the films Mad Max, The Road Warrior, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. ... Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 film, the third installment to the action movie Mad Max. ...


Hollywood acting career

Early Hollywood career

Mel Gibson’s first American film was Mark Rydell’s 1984 drama The River in which he and Sissy Spacek played struggling Tennessee farmers. Gibson then starred in the gothic romance Mrs. Soffel for Australian director Gillian Armstrong. He and Matthew Modine played condemned convict brothers opposite Diane Keaton as the warden's wife who visits them to read the Bible. In 1985, after working on four films in a row, Gibson took almost two years off at his Australian cattle ranch. He returned to play the role of Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon, a film which helped to cement his status as a Hollywood star. Gibson’s next film was Robert Towne’s Tequila Sunrise, followed by Lethal Weapon 2 in 1989. After starring in three films back-to-back, Bird on a Wire, Air America, and Hamlet, Gibson took another hiatus from Hollywood. Mark Rydell (born March 23, 1934 in New York City) is an American actor, film director and producer. ... The River is a 1984 film which tells the story of an American farm family which tries to keep its farm going in the face of bank foreclosures, floods, and other hard times. ... Mary Elizabeth Sissy Spacek (born December 25, 1949) is an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Mrs. ... Gillian Armstrong (born December 18, 1950 in Melbourne, Australia) is a film director. ... Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959) is an American actor, perhaps most famous for playing Private Joker in Stanley Kubricks 1987 film, Full Metal Jacket. ... Diane Keaton (née Hall; January 5, 1946) is an Academy Award-winning American film actress, director and producer. ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... Martin Riggs (born 1950) is a fictional police officer from the Lethal Weapon franchise. ... Lethal Weapon is a 1987 action film, the first in a series of American movies that were released in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1998, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives. ... Towne in the 1960 movie Last Woman on Earth Robert Towne (born November 23, 1934) is an American actor, screenwriter and director. ... Tequila Sunrise is a 1988 movie written and directed by Oscar-winner Robert Towne. ... Lethal Weapon 2 is the second movie in the Lethal Weapon series, released in 1989. ... Bird on a Wire redirects here. ... Air America is a 1990 film starring Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr as Air America pilots in Vietnam War era Laos. ... Hamlet is a 1990 film based on the Shakespearean play of the same name. ...


1990s Acting career

During the 1990s, Gibson used his boxoffice power to alternate between commercial and personal projects. His films in the first half of the decade were Forever Young, Lethal Weapon 3, Maverick, and Braveheart. He then starred in Ransom, Conspiracy Theory, Lethal Weapon 4, and Payback. Gibson also served as the speaking and singing voice of John Smith in Disney’s Pocahontas. Forever Young is a 1992 film. ... Lethal Weapon 3 is a 1992 film starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo and Stuart Wilson. ... Maverick is a 1994 comedy Western movie, based on the 1950s television series Maverick, and created by Roy Huggins. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... Ransom is a thriller film released in 1996, starring Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, and Gary Sinise and directed by Ron Howard. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Lethal Weapon 4 is a 1998 buddy cop action-comedy film directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock and Jet Li. ... Payback is a 1999 action film starring Mel Gibson and directed by Brian Helgeland. ... // John Smith is a name often regarded as the archetype of a common personal name in most English-speaking countries, a generic name sometimes representing everyman or the average person. ... Pocahontas is the thirty-third animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. ...


2000s Acting career

In 2000, Gibson acted in three films that each grossed over $100 million: The Patriot, Chicken Run, and What Women Want, the all-time top-grossing romantic comedy. In 2002, Gibson acting in the Vietnam War drama We Were Soldiers and M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs, which became the highest-grossing film of Gibson’s acting career. While promoting Signs, Gibson said that he no longer wanted to be a movie star and would only act in film again if the script were truly extraordinary. The Patriot is a 2000 film starring Mel Gibson and directed by Roland Emmerich. ... This article is about the movie. ... What Women Want is a [[2000 in film|2000](with fantasy elements), directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... We Were Soldiers is a 2002 war film that dramatized the Battle of Ia Drang in November 1965, the first major engagement of American troops in the Vietnam War. ... Manoj Nelliattu Shyamalan (born August 6, 1970), known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, //, is an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and director, who also performs smaller roles in his own movies. ... Signs is a 2002 science fiction thriller film directed by M. Night Shyamalan starring Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin. ... Signs is a 2002 science fiction thriller film directed by M. Night Shyamalan starring Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin. ...


Producing career

After his success in Hollywood with the Lethal Weapon series, Gibson began to move into the areas of producing and directing. With partner Bruce Davey, Gibson formed Icon Productions in 1989 in order to make Hamlet. In addition to producing or co-producing many of Gibson's own star vehicles, Icon has turned out many other small films ranging from Immortal Beloved to An Ideal Husband. Gibson has taken supporting roles in some of these films, such as The Million Dollar Hotel and The Singing Detective to improve their commercial prospects. Gibson has also produced a number of projects for television, including a biopic on The Three Stooges and the 2008 PBS documentary Carrier. Icon has grown beyond just a production company to an international distribution company and a film exhibitor in Australia and New Zealand. Lethal Weapon is a 1987 action film, the first in a series of American movies that were released in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1998, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives. ... Bruce Davey is an Austrailian film producer in the United States. ... Icon Productions LLC is an American independent production company founded in August 1989 by American-Australian actor/director Mel Gibson and Australian producing partner Bruce Davey. ... Hamlet is a 1990 film based on the Shakespearean play of the same name. ... Immortal Beloved is a 1994 film about the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven. ... An Ideal Husband is a 1999 feature film based on the play by Oscar Wilde. ... The Million Dollar Hotel is an English language 2000 movie based on a concept story by Bono of Irish rock band U2 and Nicholas Klein and directed by Wim Wenders. ... The Singing Detective was a 2003 film based on the BBC mini-series of the same name, a work by Dennis Potter. ... The Three Stooges was an American comedy act in the 20th century. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... Icon Productions LLC is an American independent production company founded in August 1989 by American-Australian actor/director Mel Gibson and Australian producing partner Bruce Davey. ...


Directing career

Mel Gibson has credited his directors, particularly George Miller, Peter Weir, and Richard Donner, with teaching him the craft of filmmaking and influencing him as a director. According to Robert Downey, Jr., studio executives encouraged Gibson in 1989 to try directing, an idea he rebuffed at the time.[12] Gibson made his directorial debut in 1993 with The Man Without a Face, followed two years later by Braveheart, which earned Gibson the Oscar for Best Director. Gibson had long planned to direct a remake of Fahrenheit 451, but in 1999 the project was indefinitely postponed because of scheduling conflicts.[13] Gibson was scheduled to direct Robert Downey, Jr. in a Los Angeles stage production of Hamlet in January 2001, but Downey’s drug relapse ended the project.[14] While promoting We Were Soldiers to the press, Gibson mentioned that he was planning pare back on acting and return to directing. Later in 2002, Gibson announced his film The Passion of the Christ. After The Passion, Gibson directed a few episodes of Complete Savages, and then directed the 2006 action-adventure film Apocalypto. George (Miliotis) Miller (born March 3, 1945), is an Academy-Award winning Australian film and television screenwriter, director and producer. ... Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944) is an Australian film director. ... Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg on April 24, 1930) is an American film director and also producer through the production company, The Donners Company, he and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler-Donner, own. ... Robert John Downey, Jr. ... The Man Without a Face is a 1993 drama starring and directed by Mel Gibson. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit 451 (disambiguation). ... Robert John Downey, Jr. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... We Were Soldiers is a 2002 war film that dramatized the Battle of Ia Drang in November 1965, the first major engagement of American troops in the Vietnam War. ... This article is about the film. ... Complete Savages was a comedy sitcom television program that began airing on ABC in September 2004. ... Apocalypto is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 epic film directed by Mel Gibson, starring Rudy Youngblood. ...


Film career

Gibson gained very favorable notices from film critics when he first entered the cinematic scene as well as comparisons to several classic movie stars. In 1982, Vincent Canby wrote that “Mr. Gibson recalls the young Steve McQueen… I can't define "star quality," but whatever it is, Mr. Gibson has it.”[15] Gibson has also been likened to “a combination Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart.”[16] Gibson's physical appearance made him a natural for leading male roles in action projects such as the "Mad Max" series of films, Peter Weir's Gallipoli, and the "Lethal Weapon" series of films. Later, Gibson expanded into a variety of acting projects including human dramas such as Hamlet, and comedic roles such as those in Maverick and What Women Want. His most artistic and financial success came with films where he expanded beyond acting into directing and producing, such as 1993's The Man Without a Face, 1995's Braveheart, 2000's The Patriot, 2004's Passion of the Christ and 2006's Apocalypto. Gibson was considered for roles in Batman, GoldenEye, Amadeus, Gladiator, The Golden Child, X-Men, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Runaway Bride and Primary Colors.[17] Actor Sean Connery once suggested Gibson should play the next James Bond to Connery's M. Gibson turned down the role, reportedly because he feared being typecast.[18] Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – September 15, 2000) was an American film critic. ... For other uses, see Steve McQueen (disambiguation). ... William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... Bogart redirects here. ... Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944) is an Australian film director. ... Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... Maverick is a 1994 comedy Western movie, based on the 1950s television series Maverick, and created by Roy Huggins. ... What Women Want is a [[2000 in film|2000](with fantasy elements), directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. ... The Man Without a Face is a 1993 drama starring and directed by Mel Gibson. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... The Patriot is a 2000 film starring Mel Gibson and directed by Roland Emmerich. ... The Passion of the Christ promotional poster The Passion of the Christ (2004) is an independent film about the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ. ... Apocalypto is an Academy Award-nominated 2006 epic film directed by Mel Gibson, starring Rudy Youngblood. ... For the album based on the film, see Batman (album). ... For other uses, see Goldeneye (disambiguation). ... Amadeus is a 1984 film directed by MiloÅ¡ Forman. ... Gladiator is a 2000 movie directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. ... The Golden Child (1986) is an American mystical comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. ... X-Men is a 2000 superhero film based upon the fictional characters the X-Men. ... Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was a 1991 film directed by Kevin Reynolds. ... Runaway Bride is a 1999 romantic comedy starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts and directed by Garry Marshall. ... Primary Colors is a 1998 film starring John Travolta based on the popular book (a success in part fueled by speculation over the identity of the author). ... Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born August 25, 1930) is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-, and BAFTA Award-winning Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ... This article is about the spy series. ... M is a fictional character in Ian Flemings James Bond series, as well as the films in the Bond franchise. ... Typecasting is the process by which an actor is strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters with the same traits or ethnic grouping. ...


Honors

On July 25, 1997, Gibson was named an honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), in recognition of his "service to the Australian film industry". The award was honorary because substantive awards are made only to Australian citizens.[19][20] In 1985, Gibson was named "The Sexiest Man Alive" by People, the first person to be named so.[21] Gibson quietly declined the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government in 1995 as a protest against France's resumption of nuclear testing in the Southwest Pacific.[22] Time magazine chose Mel Gibson and Michael Moore as Men of the Year in 2004, but Gibson turned down the photo session and interview, and the cover went instead to George W. Bush.[23] is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. The Order was established on February 14, 1975, when Queen Elizabeth II signed Letters Patent instituting the Order. ... 1985-02-04 - Mel Gibson, 29; first winner 1986-01-27 - Mark Harmon, 34 1987-03-30 - Harry Hamlin, 35 1988-09-12 - John F. Kennedy Jr. ... -1... The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature) is an Order of France, established on May 2, 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of lOrdre National du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... Person of the Year is an annual issue of United States (U.S.) newsmagazine Time that features a profile on the man, woman, couple, group, idea, place, or machine that [1] // The tradition of selecting a Man of the Year began in 1927, when Time editors contemplated what they could... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...


Landmark films

Mad Max series

Main article: Mad Max

Gibson got his breakthrough role as the leather-clad post-apocalyptic survivor in George Miller's Mad Max. The film was independently financed and had a reported budget of $300,000 AUD — of which $15,000 was paid to Mel Gibson for his performance. The film achieved incredible success, earning $100 million world wide. It held a record in Guinness Book of Records as the highest profit-to-cost ratio of a motion picture, and only lost the record in 2000 to The Blair Witch Project. The film was awarded four Australian Film Institute Awards in 1979. For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... George (Miliotis) Miller (born March 3, 1945), is an Academy-Award winning Australian film and television screenwriter, director and producer. ... For other uses, see Mad Max (disambiguation). ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ... The Blair Witch Project is a low-budget American horror film released in 1999. ... The Australian Film Institute (AFI), established in 1958, is an organisation that promotes Australian film and television through the annual AFI Awards, a membership program and AFI film events throughout the year. ...

"Mad" Max is "a burnt out, desolate" loner who roams the wasteland of the post-apocalypse Australian outback, scavenging wrecked vehicles for petrol and ammunition. ((Mad Max 2)).
"Mad" Max is "a burnt out, desolate" loner who roams the wasteland of the post-apocalypse Australian outback, scavenging wrecked vehicles for petrol and ammunition. ((Mad Max 2)).

Gibson almost did not get the role that made him a star. His agent got him an audition for Mad Max, but the night before, he got into a drunken brawl with three men at a party, resulting in a swollen nose, a broken jawline, and various other bruises. Mel showed up at the audition the next day looking like a "black and blue pumpkin" (his own words). Mel did not expect to get the role and only went to accompany his friend. However, the casting agent told Mel to come back in two weeks, telling him "we need freaks." When Mel did come back, he was not recognized because his wounds had healed almost completely, and received the part. This incident is listed in Ripley's Believe It or Not![24] Image File history File links MadmaxII21. ... Image File history File links MadmaxII21. ... Road Warrior redirects here. ... Believe It or Not redirects here. ...


When the film was first released in America, all the voices, including that of Mel Gibson's character, were dubbed with U.S. accents at the behest of the distributor, American International Pictures, for fear that audiences would not take warmly to actors speaking entirely with Australian accents. The early AIP logo. ...


The original film spawned two sequels: Mad Max 2 (known in North America as The Road Warrior), and Mad Max 3 (known in North America as Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome). A fourth movie, Mad Max 4: Fury Road, has been considered but has not been produced. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (released in the US in 1981 as The Road Warrior) was a sequel to Mad Max. ... Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 film, the third installment to the action movie Mad Max. ... The fourth of the Mad Max movies. ...


The Year of Living Dangerously

Main article: The Year of Living Dangerously

Gibson played a naïve but ambitious journalist opposite Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hunt in Peter Weir’s atmospheric 1982 film The Year of Living Dangerously. The movie was both a critical and commercial success, and the upcoming Australian actor was heavily marketed by MGM studio. In his review of the film, Vincent Canby of the New York Times wrote, "If this film doesn't make an international star of Mr. Gibson, then nothing will. He possesses both the necessary talent and the screen presence."[25] Gibson was initially reluctant to accept the role of Guy Hamilton. "I didn't necessarily see my role as a great challenge. My character was, like the film suggests, a puppet. And I went with that. It wasn't some star thing, even though they advertised it that way."[26] Gibson saw some similarities between himself and the character of Guy. "He's not a silver-tongued devil. He's kind of immature and he has some rough edges and I guess you could say the same for me."[27] Gibson has cited this screen performance as his personal favorite. The Year of Living Dangerously is a novel by Christopher Koch, which was made into a film in 1982, directed by Peter Weir and written by Koch, Weir, and David Williamson. ... Sigourney Weaver (born Susan Alexandra Weaver on October 8, 1949 in New York City) is an Oscar-nominated American actress. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944) is an Australian film director. ... The Year of Living Dangerously is a novel by Christopher Koch, which was made into a film in 1982, directed by Peter Weir and written by Koch, Weir, and David Williamson. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...


The film production in the Philippines was disrupted by radical Muslims, forcing the filmmakers to return to Australia to complete the film. Gibson downplayed the death threats, saying, "It wasn't really that bad. We got a lot of death threats to be sure, but I just assumed that when there are so many, it must mean nothing is really going to happen. I mean, if they meant to kill us, why send a note?"[28][29]


The Bounty

Main article: The Bounty

Gibson followed the footsteps of Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, and Marlon Brando by starring as Fletcher Christian in a cinematic retelling of the mutiny on the Bounty. The resulting 1984 film The Bounty is considered to be the most historically accurate version. However, Gibson does not believe that the film went far enough in correcting the historical record. This article is about the 1984 film. ... Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an Australian film actor, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and his flamboyant lifestyle. ... William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... Marlon Brando, Jr. ... Fletcher Christian, an artists impression Fletcher Christian (September 25, 1764 – October 3, 1793) was a Masters Mate on board the Bounty during William Blighs fateful voyage to Tahiti for breadfruit plants (see Mutiny on the Bounty). ... For other uses, see Mutiny on the Bounty (disambiguation). ... This article is about the 1984 film. ...

"I think the main problem with that film was that it tried to be a fresh look at the dynamic of the mutiny situation, but didn't go far enough. In the old version, Captain Bligh was the bad guy and Fletcher Christian was the good guy. But really Fletcher Christian was a social climber and an opportunist. They should have made him the bad guy, which indeed he was. He ended up setting all these people adrift to die, without any real justification. Maybe he'd gone island crazy. They should have painted it that way. But they wanted to exonerate Captain Bligh while still having the dynamic where the guy was mutinying for the good of the crew. It didn't quite work."[30] 1814 portrait of William Bligh Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator. ... Fletcher Christian, an artists impression Fletcher Christian (September 25, 1764 – October 3, 1793) was a Masters Mate on board the Bounty during William Blighs fateful voyage to Tahiti for breadfruit plants (see Mutiny on the Bounty). ... Fletcher Christian, an artists impression Fletcher Christian (September 25, 1764 – October 3, 1793) was a Masters Mate on board the Bounty during William Blighs fateful voyage to Tahiti for breadfruit plants (see Mutiny on the Bounty). ... 1814 portrait of William Bligh Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator. ...

Gibson considers the performance of Anthony Hopkins as William Bligh to be the saving grace of the film: For the composer, see Antony Hopkins. ... 1814 portrait of William Bligh Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator. ...

"It was a kind of fresh look at Captain Bligh, and I think of all the renditions of who Bligh was, his was probably the closest. His Bligh was stubborn and didn't suffer fools, but he was brilliant and just had a lot of bad luck."[31] 1814 portrait of William Bligh Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator. ...

Gibson described the making of the film as difficult because of the long production and bad weather. "I went mad. They would hold their breath at night when I went off. One night I had a fight in a bar and the next day they had to shoot only one side of my face because the other was so fucked up. If you see the film, you can see the swelling in certain scenes." Anthony Hopkins was worried about Gibson’s heavy drinking, saying, "Mel is a wonderful, wonderful fellow with a marvelous future. He's already something of a superstar, but he's in danger of blowing it unless he takes hold of himself." Gibson agreed with this concern, and added his admiration for Welsh actor, "He was terrific. He was good to work with because he was open and he was willing to give. He’s a moral man, and you could see this. I think we had the same attitudes."[32] For the composer, see Antony Hopkins. ...


Lethal Weapon series

Main article: Lethal Weapon

Gibson moved into more mainstream commercial filmmaking with the popular buddy cop Lethal Weapon series, which began with the 1987 original. In the films he played LAPD Detective Martin Riggs, a recently widowed Vietnam veteran with a death wish and a penchant for violence and gunplay. In the films, he is partnered with a reserved family man named Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover). This series would come to exemplify the action genre's so-called buddy film. Lethal Weapon is a 1987 action film, the first in a series of American movies that were released in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1998, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives. ... The Buddy Cop subgenre of buddy films are actions films with plots involving two men of very different and conflicting personalities who are forced to work together to solve a crime and/or defeat criminals, sometimes learning from each other in the process. ... LAPD and L.A.P.D. redirect here. ... Martin Riggs (born 1950) is a fictional police officer from the Lethal Weapon franchise. ... Roger Murtaugh (born December 15th, 1937) is a fictional character in the Lethal Weapon films, played in all four by Danny Glover. ... Danny Lebern Glover( Glover pronounced with a long O)[1] (born July 22, 1946) is an American actor, film director, and political activist. ... The Buddy Cop genre of films are action films with plots involving two men of very different and conflicting personalities who are forced to work together to solve a crime and/or defeat criminals, sometimes learning from each other in the process. ...


The two actors were trained in two different schools of acting. Gibson is classically trained and Glover is a method actor. Four films were produced in 1987, 1989, 1992 and 1998. Method acting is the endeavour to apply natural rules and laws to the theatre and film acting which can aid an actor with the process of playing a role. ...


Hamlet

Main article: Hamlet (1990 film)

Gibson made the unusual transition from the action to classical genres, playing the melancholic Danish prince in Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet. Gibson was cast alongside such experienced Shakespearean actors as Ian Holm, Alan Bates, and Paul Scofield. He described working with his fellow cast members as similar to being "thrown into the ring with Mike Tyson". Hamlet is a 1990 film based on the Shakespearean play of the same name. ... Franco Zeffirelli (born Gianfranco Corsi on February 12, 1923), is an Italian film director. ... Hamlet is a 1990 film based on the Shakespearean play of the same name. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Sir Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm CBE (born 12 September 1931), born as Ian Holm Cuthbert, is an English actor. ... Alan Bates as butler in Gosford Park (2001) Sir Alan Arthur Bates CBE, (February 17, 1934 – December 27, 2003) was a British actor. ... David Paul Scofield, CH, CBE (born 21 January 1922) is a British actor who was born in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, England. ... For the former baseball player, see Mike Tyson (baseball). ...


The film met with critical and marketing success and remains steady in DVD sales. It also marked the transformation of Mel Gibson from action hero to serious actor and filmmaker.


Braveheart

Main article: Braveheart

Gibson stated that when the Braveheart script arrived and was recommended by his agents, he rejected it outright because he thought he was too old to play the part. After careful thought, he decided that he wanted to direct the picture, and direct only. He finally agreed to act due to pressure from the film's producers. For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ...


Gibson received five Academy Awards, Best Director and Best Picture, for his 1995 direction of Braveheart. In the movie, Gibson starred as Sir William Wallace, a 13th century martyr of Scottish nationalism. Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to directors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... ©A.M.P.A.S.® The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to artists working in the motion picture industry. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... For other persons named William Wallace, see William Wallace (disambiguation). ... Walter Thomas Monningtons 1925 painting called Parliamentary Union of England and Scotland 1707 hangs in the Palace of Westminster depicting the official presentation of the law that ended Scottish independence. ...


In one of his interviews, he attempted to make a film similar to the big screen epics he had loved as a child, such as Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus and William Wyler's The Big Country. The filming began in the Scottish Highlands. After learning that the intended filming locations were among the rainiest spots in Europe, the shooting was moved to the Republic of Ireland, where members of the Irish Army Reserve worked as extras in the film's many battles. The Battle of Stirling sequence in Braveheart is considered one of the best directed battle scenes in all of film history.[33] Kubrick redirects here. ... Spartacus is a 1960 film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast about the historical life of Spartacus and the Third Servile War. ... William Wyler (July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a prolific, Oscar-winning motion picture director. ... The Big Country was a 1958 American movie starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford, and Chuck Connors. ... Lowland-Highland divide Highland Sign with welcome in English and Gaelic The Scottish Highlands (A Ghàidhealtachd in Gaelic) include the rugged and mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. ... The Irish Army (Irish: Arm na hÉireann) is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces[1] (Óglaigh na hÉireann). ... Belligerents Kingdom of Scotland Kingdom of England Commanders Andrew de Moray† William Wallace John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey Hugh de Cressingham† Strength 300 cavalry 10,000 infantry 1000 - 3000 cavalry 15,000 - 50,000 infantry Casualties and losses Comparatively light 6,000 killed, or around 30-40% dead. ... For the moshing term Braveheart, see Wall of death (moshing). ... This article is about motion pictures. ...


The Passion of the Christ

Main article: The Passion of the Christ

In 2004 Gibson directed The Passion of the Christ which was based on the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ. It was rendered in Aramaic, Latin, Hebrew. Gibson originally intended to release the film without subtitles; however, subtitles were used in the theatrical exhibitions while they were optional in DVD releases. This article is about the film. ... This article is about the film. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Aramaic is a group of Semitic languages with a 3,000-year history. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Hebrew redirects here. ...


Gibson co-wrote the screenplay with writer Benedict Fitzgerald and financed the film himself. The filming took place on location in Matera, Italy and Cinecittà Studios in Rome. Sample from a screenplay, showing dialogue and action descriptions. ... Benedict Fitzgerald is a screenwriter who co-wrote the screenplay The Passion of the Christ with Mel Gibson. ... Matera is a town and a province in the region of Basilicata, sometimes referred to as Lucania, in the south of Italy. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ...


Reviews were mixed, with critics ranging from praising the film for its realistic depiction of Jesus' final hours from a Catholic point of view and criticism of violence, manipulation and charges of anti-Semitism.[34][35]


The movie grossed US$611,899,420 worldwide and $370,782,930 in the US alone, a figure, at that time, surpassed any motion picture starring Gibson. It became the eighth highest-grossing film in history and the highest-grossing rated R film of all time. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Original Music Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Makeup at the 77th Academy Awards and won the People's Choice Award for Best Drama. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... The uses of Rated R include: The R-rating is a rating of the MPAA film rating system. ... The Academy Award for Original Music Score is presented to the best