Mel Gibson credits Robert Downey Jr. with saving his career after infamous antisemitic rant

Actor Mel Gibson expressed his gratitude towards Robert Downey Jr. for playing a pivotal role in helping Gibson navigate the tumultuous aftermath of his 2006 DUI arrest, during which Gibson made antisemitic remarks that nearly derailed his career.

In an Esquire interview published on Monday, Gibson reflected on the incident, saying, "I was drunk in the back of a police car, and I said some stupid shit, and all of a sudden: blacklisted. I’m the poster boy for canceled." The controversy left Gibson largely ostracized from Hollywood, a situation that persisted until Downey Jr. publicly stood up for him.

Downey Jr. made a case for Gibson at the 2011 American Cinematheque Awards. "Unless you are completely without sin, in which case you picked the wrong f***ing industry," he said, urging Hollywood to extend to Gibson the same grace that allowed him (Downey Jr.) to reclaim his career.

Gibson recounted the pivotal moment Downey Jr. advocated on his behalf, highlighting the emotional impact of that support: "A couple of years into that, he invited me to some kind of award he was getting...and he stood up and spoke for me. It was a bold, generous, and kind gesture. I loved him for that."

The initial incident nearly 18 years ago

On July 28, 2006, Gibson was arrested for DUI and during the arrest, unleashed an antisemitic tirade against Jews, blaming them for all the wars in the world. This incident and his subsequent apologies and acknowledgment of the remarks in a televised interview with Diane Sawyer significantly tarnished his public image and career. Gibson's comments were widely condemned, and he sought to make amends by apologizing and expressing a desire to meet with Jewish leaders for guidance on healing. This event led to a near-decade-long period of ostracism in Hollywood for Gibson, marking a significant downturn in his career.

Despite this, figures like Downey Jr. and journalist Allison Hope Weiner publicly advocated for forgiveness toward him. Gibson's 2016 film, Hacksaw Ridge, receiving six Academy Award nominations, signaled a gradual shift in the industry's reception of him, hinting at a potential "thaw" in his previously frozen reputation.