The resurrection of Mel Gibson: Calls for actor to be accepted back in Hollywood fold fall on deaf ears as film bosses stay away



Journalist and friend of star says he's been punished enough

She points to stars who have been seemingly forgiven for worse crimes

Major film companies have failed to throw their support behind Mel Gibson after a controversial article petitioned Hollywood bosses to forgive the embattled star for his past indiscretions.



Eight years on from the Braveheart actor's infamous anti-Semitic rant and drink-driving arrest, Alison Hope Weiner, a journalist and friend of the 58-year-old actor called for an end to what she dubbed a 'quiet blacklisting' by the who's who of filmmakers.



In an op-ed piece published in Deadline Hollywood, and reproduced in scores of magazines and newspapers, she said: 'He has been in the doghouse for long enough. It's time to give the guy another chance.'

Redemption? A journalist and friend of Mel Gibson has petitioned Hollywood to move past the actor's fall from grace. So far it has not swayed mainstream opinion about the actor

But while the article has drawn comments from film fans, both in favour and against the actor's return to grace, filmmakers have remained quiet on the subject - an unusual silence in an industry that normally has a vocal opinion on every subject.

Weiner, a freelance journalist who describes herself as a practicing Jew, argued that the film industry had shunned the actor for long enough, and that his indiscretions should not continue to have such a grave effect on his professional career.

She said: 'Gibson has been shunned not for doing anything criminal; his greatest offences amount to use of harsh language.'

Apparently ignoring the fact that drink-driving is indeed a felony, Weiner goes on to accuse the major studios of hypocritically working with stars who had, in her opinion, committed worse crimes.



She said: 'While talent including director Roman Polanski (drugged and sodomised a minor, and fled), Mike Tyson (rape conviction), Chris Brown (beat up ex-girlfriend Rihanna), T.I. (weapons charge), and many others are repped by major agencies, no agency has touched Gibson'



'Forgive my friend his trespasses': Robert Downey Jr has been among stars publicly urging filmmakers to forgive the actor of his wrongdoings

Embattled co-stars: The actors appeared together in the 1990 film Air America

Deadline Hollywood film editor Michael Fleming weighed in on the discussion, saying that film studios '... are either wary of him or prefer not to work with him', despite the fact his blockbuster films had grossed hundreds of millions of dollars in the past.



He added: 'I'm surprised this has lasted this long. The guy has made a lot of people a lot of money.'

A publicist for Roger and Cowan, which represents Gibson said: 'He is an artistic genius and the industry should benefit once again from his enormous talent.



'People should know that he is now healthy once again, both physically and mentally after suffering a breakdown.'

Gibson made anti-Jewish slurs when he was arrested for suspected drink-driving in Malibu in 2006, two years after his film The Passion Of The Christ was criticised for depicting Jews negatively.

Hollywood support: Jodie Foster worked alongside the father-of-eight in 2011 in The Beaver

According to the police report, Gibson made anti-Semitic remarks to the arresting officer, saying: 'F****** Jews... the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.'

He has since apologised for his 'despicable' behavior, explaining that the comments were 'blurted out in a moment of insanity'.



The actor returned to the headlines in 2010 accused of battery of his then-partner Oksana Grigorieva, following the release of an audio recording where the actor apparently threatened to wrap a bat around his ex-girlfriend's head and appears to admit to having punched her twice.

Weiner insisted that the troubled actor was a reformed man and had tried to make amends to the Jewish community by befriending rabbis, attending services and donating to Jewish causes.



Past offences: The 58-year-old actor was accused of battery of his then partner Oksana Grigorieva, four years after his 2006 racial slur and Malibu DUI

Robert Downey Jr, a good friend of the father-of-eight, urged Hollywood to forgive the actor his wrongdoing.



Downey Jr is no stranger to being left out in the cold by Hollywood heavyweights - his own battles with drugs and alcohol sidelined his career before he triumphantly returned.

