Actor Mel Gibson is facing criticism after a video circulated online showing him mocking a deaf American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter during an appearance at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto on Saturday.
In the clip, Gibson is seen walking onto the stage behind the interpreter, making exaggerated hand gestures. The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with one user on X writing, “Always disappointing to see my language mocked. We work hard to get our language recognized and be taken seriously.”
Gibson, 70, issued an apology statement on Monday, saying, “Sometimes when you get pushed out on a stage in a spotlight your mind is all over the place, and sometimes spontaneous thoughtless idiocy is displayed - there was no intended maliciousness attached, and I certainly apologize to anyone who was upset by it.”
Social media users have contrasted Gibson's behavior with that of actor Alan Ritchson, known for his role in "Reacher," who reportedly acknowledged an interpreter by shaking hands before leaving the stage at a similar event.
Some critics have pointed to Gibson's history of controversies. These include a 2006 arrest in Malibu where he was recorded making anti-Semitic remarks. In his apology at the time to the Anti-Defamation League, Gibson stated, “There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of Anti-Semitic remark.” He also stated he was taking steps to address alcohol abuse.
In 2010, a recorded phone call revealed Gibson using racial slurs and making a comment about a victim of rape. The following year, he pleaded no contest to battering his former girlfriend. In 2015, an Australian photographer alleged Gibson shoved and verbally abused her, though the actor denied the claims and police later dropped the investigation.
Gibson recently completed production on "The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One," the sequel to "The Passion of the Christ," which is slated for a May 2027 release, with a follow-up expected in 2028.