Robert Downey Jr. sticks up for Mel Gibson while accepting award
Robert Downey Jr. turned his acceptance speech for receiving a highly distinguished acting award into a plea to give his friend and fellow costar Mel Gibson another chance in the movie industry.
E! Online reports Downey was honored with an American Cinematheque award in a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday.
Gibson was on the hand to present Downey with the award and when Downey took the stage to accept the honor, he urged Hollywood to welcome Gibson on the big screen again.
"Unless you are without sin—and if you are, you are in the wrong f---king industry—you should forgive him and let him work again," Downey said.
Downey reflected on the fact that Gibson gave him a role on Air America in 1990 when no one wanted to hire him during his battle with substance abuse.
Like Downey, Gibson has battled alcoholism which led to his arrest in 2006 in Malibu for driving under the influence and his much publicized anti-Semitic rant. In 2010, he also used racial slurs during a phone call where he threatened to beat his estranged girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva.
Gibson's behavior has resulted in a cameo appearance in Hangover 2 being cut from the film, as well as eliciting angry comments from Jewish leaders with his plan to direct a film about a Jewish rebellion.
Downey feels these responses are unwarranted.
"There's nothing so much wrong with him. Of course you have to worry about the guy making the judgment here. He's a good dude with a good heart,” he said.