Mel's redemption through responsibility.

WORKLIFE

December 2018

HOW TO SURVIVE

CHRISTMAS

With your health intact!

Focus on Accountability

Overcoming Workplace

Grudges

THE FIGHT BEFORE

CHRISTMAS

Creating Peace and Harmony

Mel Gibson

Recreating the Reputation

Author: Emi Golding

Mel Gibson

The Road To Redemption

4 WORKLIFE | DECEMBER 2018

Not many people on the planet have not heard of actor and director Mel Gibson or seen one of his movies. Love him or hate him, he is a household name, an iconic figure. Through his art and storytelling, Mel Gibson continues to have an impact on the world we live in.

Born in New York, Mel moved to Australia when he was 12. He studied at NIDA, and shot to fame starring in Peter Weir’s film, Gallipoli. Since then, he’s acted in blockbuster films like Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, The Patriot, What Women Want, and many others. As a Director and Producer, he is most well known for his movie Braveheart, which won a Golden Globe Award and two Academy Awards.

But, despite all the success, Mel has had some very public demons. He has received some well earned criticism over the years. There was controversy over The Passion of the Christ, and Apocalypto, films which he directed and produced. At the same time, he was separating from his wife of 26 years, with whom he has seven children. In an attempt to cope with stress, Mel did what so many people do, and turned to alcohol. That was his undoing.

So when I had the chance to meet with Mel recently in Orange County, California, I wasn’t sure what to expect. On the one hand I don’t condone his behaviour, on the other hand, for how long do we punish a person for their mistakes? I believe in recovery, compassion and in forgiveness. Life is rarely black and white. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Plus, you can’t trust everything you read in the media, so I was keen to find out for myself.

ON DEALING WITH ADVERSITY

A lot of people seem to bring up your past. How do you handle the mistakes you’ve made?

You own them, to begin with. You own your mistakes. And you pay for them. And you realise that they have repercussions. You can hurt people, hurt their feelings. I’ve paid for them, I’ve done the work. For me, it all stems from alcohol, which is like career death. Some people drink, I can’t. So I figured that out. I was a victim of the old demon alcohol for a long time. I’m an alcoholic. I don’t drink anymore…

Once you learn to live without that crutch, life is quite a beautiful thing

and the beautiful thing about not doing it is, it’s better on the other side. Once you learn to live without that crutch, life is quite a beautiful thing.

What is your best advice for people facing adversity to successfully overcome them?

It is tricky. You really have to uncover your stuff. Learn from it, and try to make yourself better. But the other thing is just to move on and not beat yourself up too much, because other people will do it for you anyway.

There was a while back I couldn’t get out of bed, depression, and who knows. All kinds of things come to affect you. But it passes. Everything passes. I mean I had a rough decade, but I always just kept going. Just keep waking up. And keep breathing. That’s a good policy - wake up every morning even if you don’t want to.

ON FEAR and COURAGE

You’ve taken some big risks at different stages in your career, and faced fear. What advice do you have for people who may be afraid to chase their potential?

I tell my kids that ‘the worst thing you can do is fall on your face and fail, so what? Try again.’ Step up to the plate no matter how terrifying.

One of my greatest fears is public speaking. At school I stayed at the back of the room and was pretty quiet, but going to acting school allowed me a place to express myself and face the great possibility of failing. Everyone failed. So I was asked to speak and I was terrified but I would do it. And gradually when you’re still breathing and you survive afterwards.

WORKLIFE | DECEMBER 2018

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You may make a fool of yourself. I was taught that early on in my acting career - that I would fail, and I did fail a lot. So I became calloused to constructive criticism and hardened up a bit. And when you just keep facing them, you find out they’re mostly just paper tigers.

ON SUCCESS

Wake up every morning even if you don’t want to

Mel, what are the secrets to success?

Try to pursue excellence. I didn’t start out thinking ‘Gee I’m gonna be [successful]…but of course you want to be successful at whatever you walk up to. You walk up to the plate and swing. But I understood from an early time, that I just needed to be really good at what I did. But I don’t consider myself a great actor. I’m ok, I get by. I prefer directing. The whole storytelling craft is my expertise.

Were you driven by money?

No. I just wasn’t. I was raised with 10 brothers and sisters, and my family wasn’t wealthy.

There were financial difficulties but they never complained. I asked my Dad and he said it doesn’t matter what you make, because whatever it is you’ll live to just beyond your means. So I always took that into consideration when I was making one thing as a student, on $100 a month, to pay rent, food and carfare, tuition, everything. It was difficult. But I thought it was a king’s ransom.

So what do you think got you to where you are today?

Get really good help. People who have strengths that you do not. Like I have a business partner who I’ve known since I was 24 years old, this guy in Australia and I. And he just knows stuff and I’ve learned from him cause it’s kinda rubbed off.

I’ve had some incredible mentors, and some of the best people are really brutal in terms of constructive criticism. They are able to get to the heart of things pretty quick. I had a teacher when I was young and she was really tough, but it made you want to please her, so she was great.

ON WORK/LIFE

How do you manage your time with your work and family?

It’s not easily done. It’s a real juggling match and you have look at your life and actually sit down and think about it. Slice it up like a pie. Apportion time. Make an effort to keep all these things in motion and mean something. Because it’s your life. I remember one time my wife was saying ‘but you’re gonna be away!’ and I thought ‘she’s right, we don’t have a life if I’m off in north Africa working’, so I had to actually let things go that I wanted to do badly. And I said “OK. I don’t want to be The Gladiator”. You let jobs go that you really want for your family. I’m happy I made those decisions, really happy! So in a way you’re robbing from both sides.

Then we took a picture together, which was a nice experience. As time has gone by, the more I think about it, Mel Gibson has done things wrong. Especially under the influence of alcohol. But he seems to have done what he needed to do to correct his life. What do you think? Do we use compassion here? I think so.

6 WORKLIFE | DECEMBER 2018