Mel Gibson wanted to star in ‘Schindler’s List’ years before antisemitic rant
nypost.comMel Gibson was angling to star in “Schindler’s List.” According to the Hollywood Reporter, the “Mad Max” actor “was interested” in playing Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party who saved more than 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust. “Mel Gibson’s name came up,” Creative Artists Agency founder Michael Ovitz told the trade. “He was interested.
His agent put him forward. But it wasn’t going to happen. Steven [Spielberg, the film’s director,] wanted a non-movie star for the part.”The role instead went to Liam Neeson, and the film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Neeson told THR that other big-name actors floated for Schindler included Harrison Ford and Kevin Costner.In 2006, 13 years after the film came out, Gibson was pulled over in Malibu, Calif., on suspicion of driving under the influence and made bigoted remarks to the police officer.“F–king Jews.
The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?” he said to LA County Sheriff Deputy James Mee, according to a report of the arrest.
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