For many years, Mel Gibson was one of Hollywood’s elite. After starring in films like Mad Max, Braveheart, and the Lethal Weapon franchise, he quickly became known as a talented actor with a diverse range. Gibson proved he could do it all when he moved into directing, and produced filmed that grossed hundreds of millions at the box office.
Then Gibson fell from grace and was shunned by the entertainment industry. He was accused of racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and misogyny after a series of leaked audio recordings. Some critics also condemned his work for displaying these attitudes. Eventually, Gibson lost half of his net worth before making his Hollywood comeback.
As one might guess, Gibson’s net worth these days is pretty impressive. But it’s much smaller than what it was at the height of his career. Keep reading to find out what Gibson was worth in the early 2000s.
Mel Gibson Career In Hollywood
It goes without saying that Mel Gibson has had an impressive career in Hollywood, working both as an actor and director. Active since the late 1970s, Gibson got his start in the business in Australia before moving to Hollywood. He made his commercial breakthrough in the film Mad Max, which was released in 1979 and became one of Australia’s highest-grossing films.
Throughout the course of his career, Mel Gibson has starred in several blockbuster films including the Lethal Weapon franchise, Braveheart, Ransom, What Women Want, Signs, and Air Strike. Along with Braveheart, Gibson also directed The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.
What Was Mel Gibson’s Net Worth At The Height Of His Career?
At the height of his successful career, Mel Gibson was estimated to have had a net worth of a whopping $850 million.
This made him one of the highest-paid actors in the world.
How He Amassed Such A Huge Net Worth
While Mel Gibson’s starring roles certainly helped him to earn such a huge net worth, there were also other factors that contributed to his $850 million.
As ABC News reports, one of the most notable avenues he took was directing and investing in films. For example, The Passion of the Christ, which he directed, invested, and starred in, grossed more than $600 million.
Gibson is also known to have invested in real estate. In 2005, he bought an island in Fiji for $15 million.
What Happened To Mel Gibson?
At the height of his career, Gibson was a widely loved and popular actor. But in 2006, he took a hiatus from Hollywood after he was arrested with a DUI in Malibu and made anti-Semitic comments.
Gibson’s career suffered further when he was taped in 2010 screaming racist and misogynist remarks to his then-girlfriend and mother of one of his children, Oksana Grigorieva. Afterward, Grigorieva accused Gibson of being physically abusive with her.
Variety notes that Gibson came under fire as early as the ‘90s for problematic opinions. His 1995 work Braveheart was accused of depicting “a typical homophobic caricature” of a gay character.
The Passion of the Christ was also condemned by some critics as being anti-Semitic. A few more of his movies also caused controversy, including Apocalypto, which was accused of denigrating Mayan culture.
Though Gibson may have lost opportunities by taking a hiatus, it wasn’t this that caused him to lose half of his net worth.
How Did Mel Gibson Lose His Money?
In 2009, Robyn Moore, whom he had been married to since 1980, filed for divorce. As per California law, Moore was entitled to half of Gibson’s net worth as well as half of any film residuals he receives for the rest of his life.
The $425 million divorce is thought to be the largest sum of money paid out in a divorce settlement in the history of Hollywood. While Gibson was by no means poor after the divorce, he did lose half his massive net worth.
Moore is also the mother of seven of Gibson’s nine children. In addition to Lucia, the daughter he shares with Grigorieva, he also has a son called Lars with his current partner Rosalind Ross.
What Is Mel Gibson’s Net Worth Today?
Following his divorce from Moore, which was finalized in 2011, Gibson was left with $425 million. This is where his current net worth stands, according to Wealthy Gorilla.
After working quietly on a few relatively small projects, Gibson made his Hollywood comeback with Hacksaw Ridge in 2016, which he directed. He has since returned to bigger projects, including Blood Father and Daddy’s Home 2. Lethal Weapon 5 is also rumored to be in pre-production, for which Gibson will likely reprise his role as Officer Riggs.