Gary Oldman is one of the most dynamic actors in Hollywood. The actor has built an impressive filmography record and has captivated the audience with his charismatic personality. Oldman once found himself in hot waters, as he allegedly defended fellow actors Mel Gibson and Alec Baldwin for their previous controversial remarks against the Jewish community.
The Academy Award-winning actor made bombshell remarks in his candid interview with Playboy magazine and claimed that Gibson was punished unfairly for allegedly making anti-Semitic comments in 2006.
His remarks in the interview caught widespread attention, and he received criticism. The London native star later released a lengthy apology stating that he had just finished reading Neal Gabler’s book about the Jews and Hollywood, An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood.
Gary Oldman Defended Mel Gibson’s Controversial Remarks
In 2014, the legendary actor Gary Oldman made headlines for his controversial interview with Playboy magazine. The actor allegedly defended his fellow film fraternity stars Mel Gibson and Alec Baldwin for their previous contentious remarks on Jewish community.
The Anti-Defamation League slammed Oldman for fending Gibson’s past anti-semitic comments during his suspected Malibu DUI arrest in 2006. Reflecting on The Patriot’s movie stars incident, the actor told the outlet,
“I don’t know about Mel. He got drunk and said a few things, but we’ve all said those things. We’re all f–king hypocrites. Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run by Jews and he said the wrong thing because he’s actually bitten the hand that I guess has fed him, and doesn’t need to feed him anymore because he’s got enough dough.”
These remarks didn’t sit well, after which the talented actor faced brutal criticism on social media, with many trashing him for defending Mel Gibson’s comments.
Gary Oldman Apologized After Defending Fellow-stars’ Remarks
Gary Oldman’s rich and notable contributions to art and cinema are inspiring, and millions of fans and his co-stars look up to him for motivation. The 65-year-old star has built an undisputed reputation. However, in 2014, his candid interview sparked controversy in which he defended Mel Gibson’s anti-semitic remarks, after which the Anti-Defamation League criticized the star for his reprehensible comments. At the time, he released an open letter of apology saying,
“I am deeply remorseful that comments I recently made in the Playboy interview were offensive to many Jewish people. Upon reading my comments in print—I see how insensitive they may be and how they may indeed contribute to the furtherance of a false stereotype.”
He continued,
“If, during the interview, I had been asked to elaborate on this point I would have pointed out that I had just finished reading Neal Gabler’s superb book about the Jews and Hollywood, An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews invented Hollywood. The fact is that our business, and my own career specifically, owes an enormous debt to that contribution.”
Gary Oldman has starred in dozens of million dollars projects and long-running franchises in Hollywood. The actor has won many accolades and touched milestones in his storied career. He is one of the most highly-paid stars in showbiz whose films have achieved iconic status in the industry.
Source: Variety
