Mel Gibson
American actor and filmmaker (born 1956) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson AO (born January 3, 1956)[2] is an American actor and film director.[3][4][5][6] He is mostly known for his roles in action. Among his most famous roles are in Mad Max (1979), Gallipoli (1981), The Bounty (1984), Lethal Weapon (1987), and Braveheart (1995).[2] He directed The Passion of the Christ in 2004. He loosely based it on the visions of St. Catherine Emmerich.
Mel Gibson | |
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Born | Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (1956-01-03) January 3, 1956 (age 68) |
Occupation(s) | Actor, film director |
Years active | 1979 - present |
Spouse(s) | Robyn Moore Gibson (m. 1980–2011)[1] |
Children | 8 |
Parent(s) | Hutton Gibson Anne Patricia (née Reilly) |
Signature | |
Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, United States. His father, Hutton Gibson, was a veteran soldier during World War II, and was also a famous writer. His family moved to Australia in 1968, when he was 12.[7] He studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. He also has Irish citizenship.[8]
During the 1980s, Gibson founded Icon Entertainment, a production company, which Atom Egoyan described as "an alternative to the studio system". When director Peter Weir cast him as a major character in World War I drama Gallipoli, he earned a Best Actor from the Australian Film Institute Awards,[9] which cemented him as an serious, versatile and recognisable actor.
In 1995, Gibson received the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Braveheart. He later directed and produced The Passion of the Christ in 2004, a controversial[10] drama regarding Jesus, which was viewed as antisemitic by many people. Allegations of antisemitism and racism by Gibson led to a downfall in his career,[11] and later revived his career, particularly with the 2016’s Hacksaw Ridge, which won two Academy Awards[12][13] and was nominated for an additional four.