Star, dogged by claims of racist and misogynistic behaviour, says he welcomes ‘light being thrown where there were shadows’

Mel Gibson has spoken out about the sexual harassment scandal in Hollywood, saying the wave of accusations against Harvey Weinstein have been “painful” but will lead to change in the industry.

The actor and Oscar-winning director, who has faced repeated damaging allegations of racist and misogynistic behaviour, said: “Things got shaken up a little bit and there is a lot of light being thrown into places where there were shadows and that is kind of healthy. It’s painful, but I think pain is a precursor to change.”

Gibson was speaking while promoting his latest film, Daddy’s Home 2, his first family comedy in more than a decade after he was convicted of driving under the influence.

He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour battery charge in 2011 against his former girlfriend and mother of his child, Oksana Grigorieva. In 2010, it was reported that tapes had been submitted to the courts of Gibson allegedly using racist language and threatening to kill Grigorieva. He is also alleged to have said she deserved a beating.

In one of the most notorious incidents involving the actor and director, Gibson unleashed an antisemitic rant in 2006 against a police officer in Malibu, California, who had pulled him over for drunk driving. He accused Jews of being responsible for “all the wars in the world”. He was convicted of driving under the influence.

His latest comments come after dozens of women alleged they had been sexually harassed or assaulted by Weinstein. Weinstein’s spokesperson said: “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied.”

They also come just days after the Old Vic theatre revealed that 20 men had come forward to claim they were harassed by House of Cards star Kevin Spacey when he was its artistic director. Spacey was also accused of making unwelcome sexual advances towards actor Anthony Rapp when he was only 14 years old. Spacey, who was 26 at the time, said he did not remember the incident but if it did happen it was likely “deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour” and said he was sincerely apologetic.

Last year, Gibson spoke about his notorious 2006 comments about Jewish people, claiming he has “never discriminated against anyone”.

He said: “It was an unfortunate incident. I was loaded and angry and arrested. I was recorded illegally by an unscrupulous police officer who was never prosecuted for that crime. And then it was made public by him for profit, and by members of – we’ll call it the press. So, not fair. I guess as who I am, I’m not allowed to have a nervous breakdown, ever.”

