Jason Isaacs has condemned his former co-star Mel Gibson over a historic antisemitic outburst which changed his perception of the actor, claiming: “He’s not my friend.”
Isaacs recently spoke with Vulture, in which he discussed a range of issues, from his recent role in The White Lotus to the friendship he once had with Gibson, whom he starred opposite in the 2000 movie The Patriot.
However, following Gibson’s arrest six years later for making derogatory comments towards Jewish people, Isaacs made clear that he distanced himself from the actor. While pulled over by a Los Angeles County Sheriff for speeding while intoxicated, Gibson claimed, among other things, “The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.”
After these events were published in an arrest report, Gibson apologised for his actions.
Reflecting on Gibson’s behaviour, Isaacs shared, “He’s said and done some things that are unconscionable and unforgivable”. He then recalled how the pair later bumped into each other years later at a charity event, where he mocked Gibson over the incident.
Explaining how he called him “Rabbi Gibson” at the event, Isaacs went on to explain that the Braveheart star tried to defend his actions. “He’s not my friend, but — maybe to my eternal shame — I forgave him instantly because he was there making himself vulnerable,” the actor conceded.
Asked whether the public should take the same approach to Gibson, Isaacs responded: “No, you can’t forgive everything from everyone. I’m not saying I forgive Mel. I’ve seen him once a decade for five minutes.”
Gibson has attracted a range of controversies in recent months, from being appointed by Donald Trump as a special envoy to Hollywood, to reportedly allowing the president to fire a government worker on his behalf when she refused to re-grant his gun license in light of his previous conviction for domestic abuse.
Elsewhere in the interview, Isaacs also revealed how every member of the cast of The White Lotus gets paid $40,000 per episode, which he described as “a very low price.”
However, he later clarified these comments on social media by branding them “a crappy clickbait alert.“
