Trump appoints Mel Gibson, the actor and director known for his history of antisemitic remarks, as a 'special ambassador' to Hollywood.

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Gibson's past features a well-known incident in 2006 where he made a drunken, antisemitic outburst.

After his widely reported antisemitic remarks, Mel Gibson struggled to secure roles in Hollywood for several years.

However, he has returned to the heart of the film industry — now serving as Donald Trump’s “special ambassador.”

The president-elect announced Thursday he was appointing the actor-director, along with fellow conservative celebrities Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone, to the newly created role of “Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California.” 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared limited information about the potential role, suggesting that Gibson and others would advocate for his perspectives within the entertainment sector. He also indicated that he would seek their guidance on related matters.

“Days before my inauguration, I announced that they would act as Special Envoys to help revive Hollywood, which has seen a significant decline in business over the past four years due to competition from foreign markets. My goal is to bring it BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER!” Trump stated. “These three exceptionally skilled individuals will serve as my eyes and ears, and I am committed to implementing their recommendations. We will witness a renaissance, reminiscent of The United States of America itself, ushering in a new Golden Age of Hollywood!”

Hollywood’s Golden Age featured prominent Jewish talent and studio executives. Gibson, meanwhile, has become better known in recent years for his antisemitism. 

In 2006, arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, the “Braveheart” star shouted, “F—ing Jews,” adding, “The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world,” and asking his arresting officer if she was Jewish. 

The incident came only two years after the initial release of “The Passion of the Christ,” a controversial biopic of Jesus that Jewish groups said dramatized antisemitic canards about Jews being responsible for Jesus’ death.

Gibson — whose father Hutton was a prominent Holocaust denier — later apologized for his drinking, but not for his remarks, leading many Jewish groups to condemn him and his career to briefly suffer. 

His reputation took another hit a few years later when he made graphic and racist threats of domestic violence to his then-spouse. The actress Winona Ryder, who is Jewish, has also accused him of calling her an “oven dodger,” an allusion to the Holocaust.

But despite the setbacks, Gibson was never out of the game completely, and in recent years has reentered Hollywood with success. In 2016 his World War II drama “Hacksaw Ridge,” starring Jewish actor Andrew Garfield as a Christian conscientious objector, was nominated for six Oscars including best picture and best director for Gibson. He has said he plans to film a follow-up to “The Passion” next year.

Trump has pledged to combat antisemitism during his upcoming second term. As a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, the president-elect has maintained a complicated relationship with Hollywood. His popularity surged in the 2000s with the reality series "The Apprentice," but throughout his first term, he often leveraged his platform to target celebrities who spoke out against him. Additionally, he expressed strong disapproval of the film industry when the 2019 South Korean film "Parasite" made history by winning the Oscar for best picture, becoming the first film not in English to achieve this honor.

“And the winner is a movie from South Korea. What the hell was that all about?” he said at a rally shortly after the ceremony. “Can we get ‘Gone With the Wind’ back, please? ‘Sunset Boulevard’?”

In 2017, Gibson reportedly made donations to a Holocaust survivor organization. Last year he endorsed Trump in the presidential election, and last week his Malibu home burned down in the ongoing Los Angeles fires.