Gibson, Mel(vin) (1956– )

US-born Australian film actor and director. He became an international star through lead roles in the Mad Max films (1979, 1981, 1985, and 2004) and the Lethal Weapon series (1987, 1989, 1992, 1998). He directed, produced, and starred in the historical drama Braveheart (1995), which received Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director.

He went on to make other box-office hits such as The Patriot (2000), Ransom (1996), and Payback (1999). He produced and directed The Passion of the Christ (2004), which graphically depicted the last hours of Jesus Christ, and Apocalypto (2006), set during the decline of the ancient Mayan civilization. The Passion of the Christ was instantly controversial because of its alleged anti-Semitism.

Although best known for comic roles in action films, he was acclaimed for his performance in Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet (1990). He directed and starred in The Man Without a Face (1993). His other acting credits include The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Mutiny on the Bounty (1984), Ransom (1996), What Women Want (2000), The Million Dollar Hotel (2000), We Were Soldiers (2002), and The Singing Detective (2003).