Mel Gibson Apologizes For Making Hand Gestures Behind ASL Interpreter
Gibson called his actions “thoughtless idiocy” and said there was no malicious intent after the clip drew criticism for mocking accessibility services.
- On Saturday, August 29, 2026, Actor Mel Gibson was filmed making exaggerated hand gestures behind an American Sign Language interpreter during a FAN EXPO Canada appearance at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
- Critics argued that imitating the interpreter's movements could trivialize ASL, which is a recognized language with its own structure rather than a performance.
- Gibson apologized this week, describing his actions as "spontaneous thoughtless idiocy" and saying the brightly lit stage left his mind "all over the place," while insisting there was "no intended maliciousness."
- The viral clip overshadowed Gibson's panel, promoted as a retrospective of his decades-long career including Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, and Braveheart.
- Professional interpreters provide essential communication access for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences; The National Association of the Deaf works to protect ASL and the linguistic rights of those communities.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Mel Gibson apologized after a wave of criticism of his appearance in Van Expo Canada, copying the movements of the sign language translator, stating that his conduct was spontaneous and not intended to offend him.
Actor-director Mel Gibson has apologized for his behavior at a fan event, where he imitated the gestures of a sign language interpreter.
Mel Gibson Apologises After Video Appears to Show Him Mocking ASL Interpreter at FAN EXPO
Mel Gibson apologised after a video showed him making exaggerated gestures behind an American Sign Language interpreter at FAN EXPO Canada, sparking criticism for perceived disrespect towards the Deaf community
Mel Gibson issues apology after appearing to mock sign language intepreter
Hollywood actor-director Mel Gibson has issued an apology for what he says was a display of ‘spontaneous thoughtless idiocy.’ The Braveheart star faced backlash over the weekend after he appeared to mock a sign language interpreter during a fan event in Canada. The 70-year-old was walking onto the stage for a Q&A [question and answer] […]
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
