Mel Gibson has apologised after a video appeared to show him mimicking an American Sign Language interpreter as he walked on stage at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto.
The actor, 70, was introduced by moderator Liam Crowley during a question-and-answer session on Saturday, 29 August, when he passed behind the interpreter and made a series of exaggerated hand movements.
Footage of the moment circulated online, prompting criticism from members of the deaf community and other social media users who said the gesture treated their language as a joke.
One user wrote that it was “always disappointing to see my language mocked”, adding that people who use ASL worked hard to have it recognised and taken seriously.
Gibson addressed the backlash in a statement on Monday, saying he had acted thoughtlessly while being brought on stage in front of a large audience.
“Sometimes when you get pushed out on a stage in a spotlight your mind is all over the place, and sometimes spontaneous thoughtless idiocy is displayed,” he said.
He added: “There was no intended maliciousness attached, and I certainly apologise to anyone who was upset by it.”
Backlash after Fan Expo Canada appearance
Critics on X described the incident as disappointing and cruel, with some questioning why Gibson had been invited to appear at the Toronto convention.
Others compared the moment with the conduct of fellow guest Alan Ritchson, who was said to have acknowledged the interpreter and shaken her hand before leaving the stage.
Fan Expo Canada’s official schedule listed Gibson as appearing at a “From Braveheart to Mad Max” Q&A on the main stage on Saturday. The convention was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from 27 to 30 August.
The controversy comes as Gibson prepares to release The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One, his sequel to The Passion of the Christ. The Lionsgate film is scheduled for release in May 2027, with a further instalment expected the following year.
