Sept 1 — Mel Gibson has apologised after footage of him appearing to mock an American Sign Language (ALS) interpreter during a fan convention sparked criticism online
The 70-year-old actor described his behaviour at Fan Expo Canada as “thoughtless idiocy”, while insisting he had not intended to cause offence.
“Sometimes when you get pushed out on a stage in a spotlight your mind is all over the place,” Gibson said in a statement to The New York Times.
He added that there had been no “intended maliciousness” behind the incident, saying: “I certainly apologise to anyone who was upset by it.”
The controversy erupted after Gibson appeared at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto on August 29 for a question-and-answer session about his career.
As the Braveheart star walked on stage to cheers from the crowd, he was filmed making a series of exaggerated and apparently meaningless hand gestures behind an interpreter who was signing for the audience.
The clip quickly spread across social media, where Gibson faced criticism over what many viewers regarded as disrespectful behaviour towards the interpreter and the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
According to The New York Times, representatives for Fan Expo Canada did not immediately respond when asked whether Gibson had contacted the interpreter directly.
Gibson was among dozens of stars appearing at the convention, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from August 26 to 29 and billed by organisers as a gathering for fans of comics, science fiction, horror, anime, gaming and cosplay.
American Sign Language, commonly known as ASL, is commonly used by deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the United States and Canada and relies on hand shapes and movements as well as facial expressions and other visual cues.
It is not the first time Gibson has been forced to apologise publicly following controversy.
In 2006, he apologised after making anti-Semitic remarks during an arrest for driving under the influence in California, later describing his comments as “despicable”.
More recently, Gibson has attracted attention for his links to Donald Trump.
In 2025, Trump named Gibson alongside Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight as his Hollywood “eyes and ears”, saying the trio would help advise him on efforts to bring more film production back to the United States.
Gibson again made headlines months later when the US Justice Department restored his gun rights despite a 2011 criminal conviction stemming from a battery case involving his former girlfriend.
