‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ Director Mel Gibson Faces Backlash for Mocking ASL Interpreter

Comic-con and fan expo culture has become one of the more unpredictable corners of celebrity appearances, where a single unscripted moment on stage can spiral into a viral controversy within hours. That’s exactly what occurred this past weekend at Fan Expo Canada, where one of Hollywood’s most polarizing figures found himself at the center of a fresh wave of criticism.

The convention, held in Toronto and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, has long attracted major names for panels, autograph signings, and paid photo ops. Mel Gibson was among the celebrities scheduled to appear, taking the stage for a moderated conversation that quickly shifted focus from the actor’s career to his behavior in the moments leading up to it.

Video circulating from the event shows Gibson being introduced by moderator Liam Crowley while an American Sign Language interpreter signed the introduction for deaf attendees in the audience. As Gibson walked out from backstage, he appeared to mimic the interpreter’s hand movements directly behind her before turning to the audience, offering a few gestures of his own, and then crossing the stage to shake Crowley’s hand.

The clip spread rapidly across social media, with members of the Deaf community and other viewers criticizing what many perceived as mockery of the interpreter’s signing. One ASL community member expressed online that it’s “always disappointing to see my language mocked,” noting that the community works hard for their language to be taken seriously. Others were harsher in their reactions, with one person online labeling the moment “despicable.”

The backlash intensified further with comparisons to how other celebrities have handled similar moments at conventions. Alan Ritchson, star of ‘Reacher’, was highlighted online for previously taking a moment to directly acknowledge an interpreter and thank the Deaf fans in attendance, a gesture many pointed out as the kind of respectful engagement Gibson’s moment lacked.

However, not everyone online interpreted the clip the same way. Some defenders argued that Gibson was making a lighthearted joke rather than mocking the interpreter specifically, with one commenter suggesting that viewers were too quick to assume bad intent without understanding the context of what Gibson was actually signing.

This isn’t the first time Gibson’s public conduct has drawn scrutiny. The actor has faced periodic backlash over the years tied to past comments, including a 1991 interview with a Spanish outlet that led to accusations of homophobia from GLAAD, along with renewed criticism following the release of ‘Braveheart’ in 1995 over its depiction of a gay character. He met with a GLAAD panel in the years that followed but has largely avoided directly apologizing for the earlier remarks.

As of now, Gibson has not publicly addressed the ASL interpreter footage or responded to the criticism circulating online. Whether this moment fades quickly or becomes another chapter in his long history of public controversy will likely depend on how the story continues to unfold in the coming days.

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