Mel Gibson expects behavior in Hollywood to change after the “painful” revelations about sexual harassment in Tinseltown.
Gibson, 61, who was shunned by movie producers after he was recorded making anti-Semitic remarks during a 2006 drink-driving arrest, said the outing of predators would cause “pain” but was necessary.
“Things got shaken up a little bit and there is a lot of light being thrown into places where there were shadows and that is kind of healthy. It’s painful, but I think pain is a precursor to change,” he told British newspaper The Guardian.
Since The New York Times published allegations of sexual assault from multiple women involving movie mogul Harvey Weinstein last month (Oct17), a number of leading showbusiness figures have been accused of sexual misconduct.
Kevin Spacey, and the directors Brett Ratner and James Toback have all been accused of sexual assault, and Disney/Pixar boss John Lasseter is the latest to face claims of inappropriate behavior.
The Braveheart star’s reputation was destroyed again when in 2010, his ex-partner Oksana Grigorieva accused him of domestic violence as part of a custody battle over their daughter Lucia.
Tapes on which he appeared to use racist language and admit striking Grigorieva, an allegation Gibson denies despite pleading no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge.
He has claimed the recordings were edited and that his comments were made during a “heated discussion at the height of a breakdown”.
Despite spending years in the Hollywood wilderness due to the scandals, Gibson returned to directing with the 2016 film Hacksaw Ridge, which earned six Oscar nominations – including one for Best Director.
He has also returned to acting, with his latest role a part in a family-friendly comedy, Daddy’s Home 2.
