Robert Downey Jr. was honored at the 25th Cinematheque Award gala in Beverly Hills over the weekend and the star took time out to give a tribute to his friend, actor Mel Gibson.

Downey Jr., who came to the ceremony with his wife Susan, was able to choose who he wanted to present the award and he opted for Mel, the man who insured him back in 2003 when, after his own very public addiction issues and arrests, wasn’t able to work in the industry he loved.

The Iron Man actor made it clear he feels the time has come for Hollywood to forgive Gibson for his anti-Semitic rants and spousal abuse and to let him get on with his career.

““I asked Mel to present this award for me for a reason,” Downey said during his acceptance speech. “When I couldn’t get sober, he told me not to give up hope and encouraged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his or anyone else’s as long as it was rooted in forgiveness. And I couldn’t get hired, so he cast me in the lead of a movie that was actually developed for him. He kept a roof over my head and food on the table and most importantly he said if I accepted responsibility for my wrongdoing and embraced that part of my soul that was ugly – hugging the cactus he calls it — he said that if I hugged the cactus long enough, I’d become a man.”

Downey Jr. went on to say that Hollywood shouldn’t throw stones and offer Gibson a “clean slate.”

Read the rest below. (Read the article)

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Mel Gibson may take a new role in the upcoming film Sleight of Hand.

Mel Gibson is in talks to join the cast of helmer Brad Mirman’s heist comedy “Sleight of Hand,” opposite Kiefer Sutherland, Gerard Depardieu and Thomas Jane.

Gibson has been surrounded with bad press for quite a while now, his new movie The Beaver is being well received abroad but not in the USA. People don’t seem to want to forgive him this time, but maybe if he just keeps working the public will come back around. Taking the role in Sleight of Hand would probably help him in the long run, he’s good at comedy, it’s been a while since he’s gone there. Maybe it’ll help people remember he’s not always acting like a monster.

Source: Variety
[image: WENN.com]

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The new film The Beaver starring Mel Gibson reportedly received a ten minute standing ovation today after it was screened at The Cannes Film Festival.

The Cannes Film Festival premiere of the Jodie Foster-directed The Beaver just ended, and I’m told that there was a 10-minute standing ovation for the film and its star, Mel Gibson.

The movie hasn’t been receiving that kind of praise here in the United States. It probably won’t do well in the box office here either, likely because of Mel Gibson‘s bad press in the last couple of years. Of course, he’s made some poor choices, and to many people he’s perceived as a racist. I wonder if it’s really going to kill his career? My guess is no, I think he’s got enough loyal fans to keep a career for years to come. I’m sure if everyone in the limelight had their dirty secrets exposed, they’d lose a lot of fans too.

Source: Deadline
[image: WENN.com]

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The subject matter of the film is not easy and having an embattled lead actor is tough, but Jodie Foster put up a good fight at The Beaver photo call in Cannes, when the absent star, Mel Gibson, and his recent actions dominated the press.

Foster directed her longtime friend in the film about a depressed business man who finds himself only able to communicate honestly with his family through his hand puppet; a beaver.

The 48 year-old actress said that Gibson was the right actor for this role, regardless of anything else going on in his life.

“He really understood the character in a way that was extraordinary,” Foster told press. “I think that he was willing to go to such a deep place and willing to expose himself in some ways, to really talk about something he knows a lot about which is struggle, wanting to change, wanting to transform yourself, not wanting to be who you are and I’m so grateful for that performance.”

Gibson’s personal life exploded into a tabloid nightmare again when tapes of the actor verbally assaulting his then lover Oksana Grigorieva hit the net and he was charged with battery.

Asked if she thought this movie will be a public rehabilitation of Gibson’s persona, Foster said she had “no idea” but feels his performance is raw and exposed.

“I know that he is incredibly proud of the movie and I think that he is proud of what he’s shown and I think he wants people to see that side of him and he’s an incredibly private man so what he shows on screen is deep as you could possibly get,” Foster replied.

Foster and Gibson will appear at the premiere tonight.

Photos of Jodie at the photo call are below. (Read the article)

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Close to a year after the explosive tapes Oksana Grigorieva made of ex-boyfriend Mel Gibson as he ranted at her were released and found their way on to the internet for all to hear, Gibson is slowly easing his way back in the public eye.

With his movie The Beaver, directed by longtime friend Jodie Foster, heading for theaters May 6th, the actor has given an interview to Deadline addressing many of the public perceptions we now have of the once super popular actor.

He expresses his regret over the explicative-laced meltdown.

“I was angry at me,” he says. ” But, no one expressed any anger at me.  They may have felt it.”

Gibson touches on how it happened that a public figure such as himself, who has been in the business as long as he has, gets blindsided by the tapes.

“Who anticipates being recorded?  Who anticipates that?   Who could anticipate such a personal betrayal?” Gibson said.

Of the tapes themselves and what he said to Grigorieva, the 55 year-old offers this explanation:

“You have to put it all in the proper context of being in an irrationally, heated discussion at the height of a breakdown, trying to get out of a really unhealthy relationship,” Gibson told Deadline. “It’s one terribly, awful moment in time, said to one person, in the span of one day and doesn’t represent what I truly believe or how I’ve treated people my entire life.”

The actor and filmmaker says he’s continued to write through all the public outrage and media storm and while he may have a project or two in the pipeline, if he doesn’t work in front of the cameras again, he doesn’t mind.

“I could easily not act again,” Gibson replied. “It’s not a problem. I’m going to do something now because I want to do it and because it’s fun. I’ve already pulled another job and it’s going to be fun.”

There is so much more from Mel – check out what he says about not being in The Hangover II and his friendships with Whoopi Goldberg and Jodie Foster over at Deadline.

[image: WENN.com]

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Jodie Foster has had an uphill battle on her hands in promoting her latest effort, The Beaver.

With a premise that’s challenging to market – a depressed man who uses a beaver hand puppet to communicate with everyone around him – and it’s star, Mel Gibson, who’s off screen life has overshadowed the film and pushed the release date as he has battled the court of public opinion, Foster has persevered with the project.

She stands by the embattled actor, steadfastly refusing to let her opinion sway.

“He’s so incredibly loving and sensitive, he really is,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “He is the most loved actor I have ever worked with on a movie. And he’s not saintly, and he’s got a big mouth, and he’ll do gross things your nephew would do. But I knew the minute I met him that I would love him the rest of my life.”

Regardless of the taped screaming matches between Gibson and his former lover Oksana Grigorieva, the actress and director maintains her support for him and praises his performance.

“God, I love that man,” Foster says. “The performance he gave in this movie, I will always be grateful for. He brought a lifetime of pain to the character that we’ve been talking about for years, that I knew was part of his psyche and who he is. It’s part of him that is beautiful and that I want people to know, too. I can’t ever regret that.”

Loyalty isn’t found in Hollywood often so it’s pretty stunning that someone like Gibson has inspired this in Foster.

The Beaver premiered at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas yesterday and is already garnering positive reviews. The film finally gets a limited released on May 6th.

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Backseat Birthday wishes go out to everyone born on January 3rd!

(Mel, try to stay out of trouble.)

1930 – Robert Loggia, actor
1945 – Stephen Stills, songwriter/musician
1950 – Victoria Principal, actress
1956 – Mel Gibson, actor
1975 – Danica McKellar, actress/author
1978 – Kimberely Locke, singer

[image: FayesVision/WENN.com]

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Here’s the trailer for the upcoming Jodi Foster directed film The Beaver starring Mel Gibson.

The trailer doesn’t really make me excited to see this film. I love Jodi Foster but I gotta admit, Gibson isn’t exactly somebody I want to watch. I feel like he shouldn’t be supported, what do you think? Is his recent foulness forgivable?

Source: Trailer Addict

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Mel Gibson’s baby mama, Oksana Grigorieva has gotten the offer.  What offer?  The Playboy offer that any decent looking female that’s ever been in the spotlight gets.

Playboy has offered Oksana $75,000 to pose full frontal, nude for the magazine.  She would of course get the cover as well.

Mel Gibson Proves Just How Disgustingly Racist He Is

I actually thought the payout was pretty small.  But I guess they don’t think her nude body is worth more.  She is Mel Gibson’s leftovers.

Would you want to see the struggling wannabe singer in the buff? Can you imagine what the tapes will sound like when Mel gets wind of this?

[images by WENN.com]

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Mel Gibson was supposed to be doing a cameo for Hangover 2 but at the literal last minute, they had a change of heart and dumped him.

Director Todd Phillips attempted to explain,

“I thought Mel would have been great in the movie and I had the full backing of Jeff Robinov and his team. But I realize filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew.”

Word around the set suggests that Zach Galifianakis was the main reason Mel Gibson got axed.  There were other complaints, but Zach was the main voice.  Also it should be noted that Bradley Coopper was not among the protesters.  I think it would actually make good business sense to put Mel Gibson in the role.

New ‘Due Date’ Posters With Downey Jr. and Galifianakis

One source pointed out,

“It’s such hypocrisy. They cast a convicted rapist [Mike Tyson] but 86′d Mel.”

Good point.  What do you think?  Did they screw up?  Or are you glad that you don’t have to see Mel Gibson in one of the funniest movies ever?

BREAKING NEWS – Lindsay Lohan Gets Sent Back To Betty Ford Rehab NO MORE JAIL TIME

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