People are bringing up anti-semitic allegations against the 'Braveheart' star as well as his past abusive relationship with Oksana Grigorieva after learning that he'll play Santa Claus in his upcoming film.
- Oct 9, 2020
AceShowbiz - Mel Gibson's Santa Claus movie is not as jolly as the popular fictional figure is known to be, but things will only look bleaker for "Fatman" from here. The actor's casting in the film has been met with backlash over his past history of anti-semitism and domestic abuse.
The criticism has arisen after a trailer for the dark comedy movie, in which the 64-year-old plays an unorthodox Santa Claus, was released on Wednesday, October 7. Many people have taken to Twitter to express their dismay at his casting and vow that they won't watch the film.
"Reminder that Mel Gibson is an antisemitic, anti-Black bigot who physically assaulted his girlfriend," one person detailed the allegations against Gibson. "He blamed Jews for 'all the wars in the world.' He called Winona Ryder an 'oven dodger.' Santa Claus doesn't exist. Gibson's career renaissance shouldn't either."
"When people say 'cancel culture is real,' remind them of the time that raging misogynist and anti-Semite Mel Gibson got paid millions of dollars to play Santa Claus," another critic wrote. An angry user tweeted, "kinda sucks that mel gibson can trade on his 80s reputation for camp skipping over the fact that he's a deranged anti-semitie."
"They let Mel Gibson make movies despite his homophobic & anti-semitic rants," a fourth person remarked. Another was baffled, "Just why even the f**k was this made and why are we still letting Mel Gibson have a career after his bulls**t." Someone else declared, "I seem to remember Mel Gibson telling his girlfriend he hopes she gets raped by a pack of 'N*ggers.' I won't be watching his new film."
Gibson was accused of domestic abuse by his ex Oksana Grigorieva following their split in April 2010. In July, some audio recordings of a rant, allegedly directed by Gibson toward Grigorieva, were leaked online.
The "Braveheart" star was subsequently under investigation and pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge. He then settled the case with Grigorieva, who was awarded $750,000, joint legal custody, and a house in Sherman Oaks, California until their three-year-old daughter Lucia turns 18.
As for the anti-Semitism accusation, it was brought up by Winona Ryder who recalled in a June interview with Britain's Sunday Times newspaper that Gibson referred to her as an "oven dodger" at a Hollywood party. He later denied the allegation, claiming that her account was "100 percent untrue." Ryder, meanwhile, insisted on her story, urging the actor to "accept responsibility" for his actions.
