“I should have called him years before”: Mel Gibson Was Consumed With Bitter Guilt For Not Helping Heath Ledger Who Viewed him As a Mentor

“I should have called him years before”: Mel Gibson Was Consumed With Bitter Guilt For Not Helping Heath Ledger Who Viewed him As a Mentor
Featured Video

From being a charismatic actor to witnessing his fall from grace following his racist outbursts, Mel Gibson has been one of the most spectacular Hollywood veterans. However, one thing that makes the actor stand out in the herd is his messiah-like personality. Thus, apart from being the best-paid talent in the industry, Gibson also serves as the savior of Tinseltown’s most troubled youngsters. 

Advertisement
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson

Appearing on a talk show, Mel Gibson once took all due credit for Britney Spears’ temporary recovery after a meltdown. However, one incident that haunted the Braveheart actor was the demise of Heath Ledger. Consumed by bitter guilt after Ledger’s death, Gibson repeatedly blamed himself for failing to help the actor. 

Also read: Mel Gibson Broke His Friendship With Heath Ledger Because of MCU Star Only to Regret It Later: “I should have called him years before”

Advertisement

Mel Gibson Believes Heath Ledger’s Death Wasn’t An Accident

The Australian actor Mel Gibson faced major fortune slides following his shocking allegations of racism, domestic violence, and abuse, over the years. However, the actor still remained one of the most loved veteran actors in the industry. Being a mentor to the troubled youngsters of Hollywood certainly had its own advantages. 

Mel Gibson
Gibson believed Heath Ledger’s death wasn’t an accident

Although the Mad Max actor’s role as a messiah to the troubled stars indeed saved his reputation, Gibson was still consumed with guilt following one unfortunate event. Evidently, Heath Ledger‘s death was a massive blow to the veteran actor. Following the untimely death of The Dark Knight actor, Mel Gibson believed it wasn’t just an accident. 

Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger and Mel Gibson

Revealing his regret following Ledger’s death, Gibson claimed, “I should have called him years before.” Failing to overcome the Oscar winner’s untimely demise, the veteran star mentioned why he didn’t interfere while Ledger was still alive. “I didn’t really know the ins and outs of what was up with him,” Mel Gibson shared. He later added, “I don’t believe it was just an accident.”  

Advertisement

Also read: “You see this guy who’s a nurturer”: Mel Gibson Believed Women Liked His Oscar Winning Movie Because of Andrew Garfield

Mel Gibson Regretted Not Helping Heath Ledger On Time

Heath Ledger posthumously won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Thus, his death caused even more remorse in the entertainment industry since people believed there was a lot more left for him to achieve and explore. However, no one felt more regretful than Mel Gibson.

Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger’s death was a tragedy for Gibson

Consumed with guilt and regret following the tragedy, the veteran star of Hollywood recalled how he could have saved Ledger. Since the late actor considered Gibson to be his mentor, the Lethal Weapon star faced immense guilt for failing him. Opening up about his regret, Mel Gibson stated, “Maybe, I could have called him”. 

Advertisement

When you see sort of an impending tragedy that might go wrong, it just felt like I should do something about it.” Mel Gibson shared. 

Mel Gibson
Gibson felt guilty for not helping Ledger

Haunted by Heath Ledger’s death for years, Mel Gibson later diverted his attention towards the stars who were still alive and very much in need of support. Thus, appearing on a talk show, Gibson mentioned how he was the reason behind Britney Spears’ fragile recovery. Calling her a “nice kid” who needed help, Gibson confessed to calling Spears to help her overcome her demons. 

Read more: “It’s shaky ground as an actor”: Joaquin Phoenix Was Furious He Couldn’t Nail Joker Like Heath Ledger Did, Had To Make A Major Compromise

Source: The Guardian

Advertisement
Avatar

Written by Krittika Mukherjee

Articles Published: 1476

Krittika is a News Writer at FandomWire with 2 years of prior experience in lifestyle and web content writing. With her previous works available on HubPages and Medium, she has woven over 1000 stories with us, about fan-favorite actors, movies, and shows. Post-graduate in Journalism and Honors-graduate in English Literature, when this art enthusiast isn't crafting your next favorite article, she finds her escapism in coffee, fiction, and the Wizarding World.