Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956, in Peekskill, New York) is an American actor, film director, producer, and filmmaker of Irish American descent. The sixth of eleven children born to Hutton Gibson and Anne Patricia Reilly, his family relocated to Sydney, Australia, when he was 12 years old. He attended St. Leo's Catholic College and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney in 1977. Gibson's career began with his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the Australian film Mad Max (1979), which launched him internationally. He transitioned to Hollywood and became a global action star with the Lethal Weapon series (1987–1998). As a director, he earned critical acclaim for Braveheart (1995), winning Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, and later for the controversial religious epic The Passion of the Christ (2004), which became one of the highest-grossing R-rated films. His work often explores themes of heroism, faith, and historical drama. Gibson's personal life and public image have been marred by controversies, including antisemitic remarks made during a 2006 DUI arrest and leaked audio from 2010 revealing racist and abusive language toward his then-partner Oksana Grigorieva, along with allegations of domestic violence. Despite this, he staged a comeback with roles in films like Edge of Darkness (2010) and Hacksaw Ridge (2016), which he directed and which won two Oscars. Gibson holds dual citizenship in the United States and Ireland and remains a prominent figure in the film industry.