Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American-born Australian-reared actor, director and producer best known for acting in the Mad Max movie series, the Lethal Weapon series, acting in and directing the Academy Award winning Braveheart and directing the 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ.

Overview

Gibson's full name is Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson. He was born in Peekskill, New York, the sixth of ten children born to Ann Reilly (who was born in the U.S. to Irish immigrants) and Hutton Gibson, whose parents were Australians of Irish heritage. The family also adopted one child, bringing the total number of children in the family to 11. His younger brother, Donal, is also an actor.

Related Topics:
Peekskill - New York - U.S. - Irish - Hutton Gibson - Australian

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Although he maintained his United States citizenship, he was raised in Australia from the age of twelve. Following a victory on the TV game show Jeopardy!, Gibson's father, Hutton, moved his family to Australia in 1968 in protest of the Vietnam War for which his elder sons were potentially at risk for being drafted, and also because he believed that changes in American society were immoral.

Related Topics:
United States citizenship - Game show - Jeopardy! - 1968 - Vietnam War - Immoral

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Some people have attacked his father Hutton Gibson for religious views that he says are based on Catholic Traditionalism, and on his political opinions. A Roman Catholic who remains on attendance of the Tridentine Mass, Mel Gibson has donated money to finance the construction of a traditional style Catholic chapel in Malibu, California.

Related Topics:
Catholic Traditionalism - Roman Catholic - Tridentine Mass - Malibu, California

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Gibson married Robyn Moore on June 7 1980, with whom he has the following children: daughter, Hannah (born 1980); twin sons, Edward and Christian (born 1982); son, Willie (born 1985); son, Louis (born 1988); son, Milo (born 1990); son, Tommy (born 1999). Rumors that Hannah was going to become a nun were quashed by the family after initial mention in the media.

Related Topics:
June 7 - 1980 - 1982 - 1985 - 1988 - 1990 - 1999 - Nun

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In early 2005, Mago Island was purchased by Gibson. Natives to the island plan to protest Gibson's plans to turn the island into a private getaway. Gibson purchased the island from Japan's Tokyu corporation for $15 million.

Related Topics:
2005 - Mago Island - Japan

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Gibson was born with a physical anomaly called "Horseshoe kidney". His two kidneys are fused at the base into a U shape. This fusion anomaly occurs in about one of every 400 people.

Related Topics:
Horseshoe kidney - Kidney

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Although at one point Gibson possessed an Australian accent that was so thick that his voice was dubbed in the US release of Mad Max (along with the rest of the cast), in the early 1990s he began to lose the accent after having lived in the United States for over a decade. He now has a fully American accent.

Related Topics:
Australian accent - Dubbed - Mad Max - 1990s - United States - American accent

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