Photo of Mel Gibson Mel Gibson

Although he's known as one of Australia's biggest imports, Mel Gibson is actually American. He was born in Peekskill, N.Y., on Jan. 3, 1956, and his parents moved the entire family to the Land Down Under at the outbreak of the Vietnam War.

Gibson's start in acting was accidental: His sister sent an application for him to Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art. He must've been fated for stardom, since he was accepted; soon, he was onstage in a production of "Romeo and Juliet." In 1977, he starred in his first movie, Summer City, and two years later struck gold in Mad Max, a movie that launched a successful franchise and brought him fame.

Gibson proved his comedic chops in the Lethal Weapon movies and won numerous Academy Awards for Braveheart (1995), but he'll forever be known as the man who risked everything by bankrolling the megahit The Passion of the Christ (2004).

Mel Gibson in Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge

2016 R

Based on a true story, this World War II drama focuses on Desmond T. Doss, a conscientious objector who becomes a hero while serving as an unarmed medic during the brutal and bloody fight for Okinawa.

  • Mel Gibson in Blood Father Blood Father
  • Mel Gibson in The Expendables 3 The Expendables 3
  • Mel Gibson in Gallipoli Gallipoli
  • Mel Gibson in We Were Soldiers We Were Soldiers
  • Mel Gibson in Signs Signs
  • Mel Gibson in Pocahontas Pocahontas
  • Mel Gibson in The Patriot The Patriot
  • Mel Gibson in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
  • Mel Gibson in Bird on a Wire Bird on a Wire
  • Mel Gibson in The Passion of the Christ The Passion of the Christ
  • Mel Gibson in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
  • Mel Gibson in Mad Max Mad Max
  • Mel Gibson in Payback Payback
  • Mel Gibson in Braveheart Braveheart
  • Mel Gibson in The Beaver The Beaver
  • Mel Gibson in The Bounty The Bounty
  • Mel Gibson in Hamlet Hamlet
  • Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon 3 Lethal Weapon 3
  • Mel Gibson in Get the Gringo Get the Gringo
  • Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon Lethal Weapon
  • Mel Gibson in Ransom Ransom
  • Mel Gibson in What Women Want What Women Want
  • Mel Gibson in Edge of Darkness Edge of Darkness
  • Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon 2 Lethal Weapon 2
  • Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon 4 Lethal Weapon 4
  • Mel Gibson in Tequila Sunrise Tequila Sunrise
  • Mel Gibson in Payback: Straight Up: The Director's Cut Payback: Straight Up: The Director's Cut
  • Mel Gibson in Machete Kills Machete Kills
  • Mel Gibson in Air America Air America
  • Mel Gibson in Maverick Maverick
  • Mel Gibson in Fairy Tale: A True Story Fairy Tale: A True Story
  • Mel Gibson in Chicken Run Chicken Run
  • Mel Gibson in The Million Dollar Hotel The Million Dollar Hotel
  • Mel Gibson in Casting By Casting By
  • Mel Gibson in Attack Force Z Attack Force Z
  • Mel Gibson in Forever Young Forever Young
  • Mel Gibson in The Singing Detective The Singing Detective
  • Mel Gibson in Oprah Winfrey Show: 20th Anniversary Oprah Winfrey Show: 20th Anniversary
  • Mel Gibson in Who Killed the Electric Car? Who Killed the Electric Car?
  • Mel Gibson in Jacques Cousteau: Pacific Explorations Jacques Cousteau: Pacific Explorations
  • Mel Gibson in Summer City Summer City
  • Mel Gibson in Tim Tim
  • Mel Gibson in The River The River
  • Mel Gibson in The Dame Edna Experience: Christmas The Dame Edna Experience: Christmas
  • Mel Gibson in Celebrating AFI Celebrating AFI
  • Mel Gibson in Sunday Morning Shootout: Best of Season 1 Sunday Morning Shootout: Best of Season 1
  • Mel Gibson in For Love of Liberty For Love of Liberty