Andrew Garfield believes Mel Gibson deserves to make movies
Hollywood has always been a beacon for controversy, with countless troubled individuals coming and going over the years. In recent years, especially, one of the most controversial figures has been Mel Gibson, whose various alleged racist, anti-semitic and homophobic comments led him to be blacklisted by the industry for nearly a decade. However, English actor Andrew Garfield has now claimed that Gibson should be forgiven for his behaviour and welcomed back with open arms by the film industry.
After securing a breakout role in the apocalyptic series Mad Max in the late 1970s, Gibson quickly rose to become a household name. Starring in hugely successful films and franchises like Lethal Weapon, and Braveheart, Gibson became a go-to guy for action films in Hollywood.
Nevertheless, his reputation took a nose dive following repeated instances of alleged homophobia, and then for his anti-semitic tirade during a DUI arrest in 2006.
While pulled over by a Los Angeles County Sheriff for speeding while intoxicated, Gibson had a bizarre outburst in which he claimed, among other things, “The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.”
After these events were published in an arrest report, Gibson apologised for his actions. However, it did lead to a sharp downturn in his career path. In fact, it was not until Gibson directed Hacksaw Ridge, starring Andrew Garfield, in 2016, that his reputation began to recover somewhat.
During a recent interview with People Magazine, Garfield reflected on the process of making Hacksaw Ridge and the idea that Gibson deserves another chance in the industry. “I learned a lot, actually. I learned that people can heal. I learned that people can change, that people can get help. I learned that everyone deserves respect,” the actor said. “And that people deserve second chances, third chances, fourth chances. That none of us are infallible.”
Garfield also added, “He’s done a lot of beautiful healing with himself, and thank God. Because he’s an amazing filmmaker, and I think he deserves to make films. He deserves to tell stories, because he has a very, very big, compassionate heart […] He’s a real empathetic guy.”
Gibson has starred in 24 films since his DUI arrest in 2006, which would certainly suggest that he had been given another chance, although these works pale in comparison to the huge blockbusters that the New York actor initially became known for. His latest project is the action thriller film Flight Risk, starring Mark Wahlberg, which is due to be released early next year by Lionsgate.
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