Unmasking the Mad Man: The Ugly Face of Alcoholism as Seen through Mel Gibson
Whether one likes Mel Gibson or not, there is no denying that his filmography is the stuff of legend: from singing to acting to screenwriting, to directing, up to producing, it seems like the A-list actor has no plans on stopping to dominate all the aspects of the Hollywood scene.
As one of the biggest and brightest stars of the 80’s, Gibson has gone on to become the household name for anything historical and action flicks, enjoying an incredibly prosperous career in the film industry as he has frontlined tons of the most iconic, award-winning movies of the last 40 years.
For a name as big as Mel Gibson’s in a world as big as Hollywood, it should be no surprise that the star has been exposed to the substances of the industry’s backstage, booze included.
Fame and alcohol proved to be a devastating pair for the A-list actor as it put him in the center of the spotlight as usual, but this time, for all the wrong reasons — controversies and legal issues.
Jack of all trades, master of all
In the film industry, you can be four things: actor, screenwriter, director, or producer.
….and Gibson is all four of them.
Gracing our screens since the 70’s, it is no question that Gibson is one of the most talented stars to ever walk the red carpet. His outstanding performances raked him numerous accolades and critical reviews, bagging award after award including Best Actor in a Lead Role, Best Picture, Best Director and People’s Choice on his film works for Tim (1979), Mad Max (1979), Gallipoli (1981), Braveheart (1995), and Hacksaw Ridge (2016), among others.
The Hollywood star may have starred in a couple of successful films before but it is the Mad Max trilogy, Gallipoli, and Lethal Weapon saga that brought him into stardom, earning him the title Action Hero which eventually turned to be his Hollywood brand.
Gibson has also proved his acting prowess even further as he also tried his hand in a genre different from his brand, starring in romance and comedy films such as Maverick (1994) alongside Jodie Foster and James Garner, as well as What Women Want (2000) with Helen Hunt. The singing voice of the male lead in Disney’s Pocahontas, John Smith, was lent by Gibson, showing off his musical background.
His striking looks and physique, often likened to Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart, also hailed him as People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1985, headstarting the most sought after title as he became the first-ever face to grace the said cover.
He eventually graduated into directing and producing after the commercial success of his lead-role films, bringing us The Man Without a Face (1993), Braveheart (1995), The Passion of the Christ (2004), and Apocalypto (2006) which are all equally award-winning.
However, despite being one of the Hollywood giants, it was not always applause and standing ovations for Gibson’s showbiz career.
The Real-Life Years of Living Dangerously
With the outrageous fame of Hollywood comes the clutches of alcohol, and Gibson is no stranger to that.
At the height of his career, the actor admitted publicly his lifelong struggles with alcohol, having been drinking booze as early as 13 years old. But while the health repercussions of alcoholism are understandable, Gibson’s history of drunk driving, verbal and physical abuse, and racist remarks are not.
In 2006, two years after The Passion of Christ made mega-millions in the box office, a scandal involving him throwing racial slurs against Jewish people blew up. The ranting included anti-Semitic remarks made by the Lethal Weapon star upsetting not just people of Jewish faith but also his fans around the globe. It was also during the same year when he was court-ordered to check into alcohol rehab after being caught Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
But rehab doesn’t seem to be helpful to the actor as in 2010, he was caught red-handed again when yet another alcohol-infused phone rant went public. It was a conversation between him and his then-partner Oksana Grigorieva, hurling racist remarks and even threatening insults towards her which uncovered Gibson’s verbal and physical abuse.
All these did not come without a price as the leaked phone calls and offensive statements eventually led to the deterioration of his public image and career, both in acting and directing making him fall off the grid and away from the spotlight.
Gibson was crossed off the roster of talents of William Morris Endeavor agency.
Quitting, insanity, and death: The 3 harsh paths of alcoholism
The thing with alcoholism is that it only has three destinations: jails, institutions, or death. Or so The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) said.
Gibson’s fall from Hollywood’s grace led him to the 12-step program of the said organization, as told in a report by the Sydney Morning Herald. “They call it the spiritual path for the psychopath,” the Mad Max actor described. “They say there’s only three options: you go insane, you die or you quit. That’s the harsh reality. I’m an old hand at that.”
By the end of the interview, Gibson left a few inspiring words to ponder upon:
“The answer’s not in a bottle. It’s not in a prescription med or any of that sort of stuff. Some people need to use that stuff. I don’t. But it’s a higher thing. You have to get some kind of philosophical, spiritual level to deal with the knocks.”
Decades of battle with alcohol and dependence to it cannot be magically solved overnight. But with commitment and determination to achieve sobriety and avoid relapse, recovery can be possible.
Mel Gibson has now been alcohol-free, after fully committing himself to AA meetings, for more than 10 years, and hopefully, be completely sober for another 10 years more.
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