Actor Mel Gibson apologises after mocking sign language interpreter onstage
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Mel Gibson said there had not been “intended maliciousness” behind his behaviour.
PHOTO: AFP
Derrick Bryson Taylor
- Mel Gibson apologised for mocking an American Sign Language interpreter at Fan Expo Canada, calling his behaviour "thoughtless idiocy" with no intended malice.
- The incident sparked criticism online after Gibson made hand gestures behind the interpreter during a Q&A session at the event.
- Gibson has a history of public controversies, including past apologies for offensive remarks and recent political ties as named by US President Donald Trump.
AI generated
NEW YORK – American actor Mel Gibson apologised on Aug 31 after being criticised for mocking an American Sign Language interpreter at Fan Expo Canada over the weekend, in an episode he described as “thoughtless idiocy”.
“Sometimes when you get pushed out onto a stage in a spotlight, your mind is all over the place,” he said in a statement to The New York Times.
Gibson, 70, said there had not been “intended maliciousness” behind his behaviour, adding: “I certainly apologise to anyone who was upset by it.”
A two-time Oscar winner, he was one of dozens of stars who appeared at the fan event held from Aug 26 to 29 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Canada. Organisers billed the event as a “playground” for anyone interested in comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming and cosplay.
Gibson was there on Aug 29 for a question-and-answer segment discussing his career, including his roles in Mad Max (1979 to 1985) and Braveheart (1995). According to Fan Expo’s website, Gibson sold autographed 20cm by 25cm headshots and held photo ops for US$275 (S$350).
As he walked onstage to cheers from the crowd, Gibson made several quick, apparently meaningless hand gestures behind the back of an interpreter who stood facing the audience.
Video footage of the episode circulated widely online, and many people quickly criticised the actor’s behaviour.
Representatives for Fan Expo Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Aug 31, including on whether Gibson had contacted the interpreter.
More than 300 sign languages are in use worldwide. According to the US National Association of the Deaf, people in Canada and the United States who are deaf or hard of hearing most commonly use American Sign Language.
ASL, as the language is known, allows people to communicate through hand movements and shapes, as well as other signals such as facial expressions.
Gibson’s statement was not the first time that he has issued a public apology.
In 2006, after he was stopped by the police for driving 136kmh on the Pacific Coast Highway, a belligerent Gibson made anti-Semitic comments. He pleaded no contest to driving under the influence and apologised at least twice, calling his remarks “despicable”.
In recent years, Gibson’s links to politics have garnered more attention than his acting.
In 2025, US President Donald Trump named Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight as his “eyes and ears” in Hollywood.
According to Trump, the “ambassadorship” was meant to help increase the number of films made in the US, after years in which a lot of movie-making moved to other countries.
A few months later, Gibson again drew attention when the US Justice Department restored his gun rights, despite a criminal conviction after pleading no contest in 2011 to a battery charge involving his former girlfriend. NYTIMES
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
