Mel Gibson Appears on "The Storytellers" Podcast

January 21, 2025 - The star of the movie, "Braveheart" and the director of "The Passion of the Christ" and "Hacksaw Ridge", Mel Gibson is known for not appearing on podcasts. However, when tenaciously approached by the Erwin Brothers, the faith based film producers who are originally from Alabama, Mel Gibson relented and agreed to appear for the finale of Season 2 of "The Storytellers" podcast with Andrew Erwin.

A project of the Kingdom Story Company, "The Storytellers" is an ad driven podcast with Andrew Erwin that focuses on interviews with people involved in the entertainment industry and the inspirations for their works. In the finale for Season 2, Andrew Erwin, unabashedly expresses his admiration for Mel Gibson as a storytelling hero of his. And while born in the USA, Mel Gibson was raised in Australia. With Gibson's pride in his Australian upbringing showing through as he attributes part of his success as both a filmmaker and an actor to the wave of Australian filmmakers that began in the early 1900s. As Mel Gibson lets it be known in the podcast that the "The Story of the Kelly Gang" which was released in 1906 was the world's first feature film. And "The Story of the Kelly Gang", while a silent film, was groundbreaking for its time period and was made in Australia.

Oddly enough, as Mel Gibson explains in "The Storytellers" podcast, Mel Gibson did not go into acting out of some deeply burning inner desire. It was merely by happenstance. As he was wavering about auditioning for acceptance into the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia and not really considering it very seriously. But his sister encouraged him to go ahead and apply for the acting school with the comment that "You're funny". Apparently, the institute agreed with Gibson's sister, for Mel soon found himself accepted and in the company of students who took acting very seriously.

Andrew Erwin considers "Braveheart" a perfect film. And in the podcast he asks Mel Gibson what drew him to make the historically based motion picture about the life of William Wallace, a medieval Scottish patriot who leads a rebellion against the British. With Mel Gibson frankly responding that he was drawn into both directing and starring in "Braveheart" because "I'd rather be dead than not free" and he senses that message in the story of William Wallace. Mel Gibson further explaina in the podcast that he likes to make movies about heroes such as William Wallace because those types of films "gives us hope of what we are capable of".

Mel Gibson also explains in "The Storytellers" podcast that they started filming "Braveheart" in Scotland, but they then moved the filming to Ireland because they are very horse friendly in Ireland and they received a lot of help from the Irish government for the filming. Gibson also talks about how at one time they had 3,000 extras on set for "Braveheart" all dressed up in Scottish traditional attire and he had to figure out the logistics of food and filming schedules for the whole cast.

In spite of his livelihood being spent in the entertainment industry, Mel Gibson actually did not grow up watching many movies. For his family did not allow such and Mel Gibson could not even see "Superman". But, once he did see "Superman", Mel Gibson was entranced and he remains a fan of "The Three Stooges" and some of the early black and white motion pictures.

Andrew Erwin also asks Mel Gibson in the podcast why faith is important to him. As faith has been a feature of Gibson's films such as "The Passion of The Christ". And Erwin talks about seeing "The Passion of the Christ" for the first time at The Summit movie theater in Birmingham, Alabama. Mel Gibson explains that faith is important to him because he was raised that way. His parents maintained a belief in faith and his father often repeated the verse from Matthew 6:33 to his children. The verse states "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God . . . "

The Season 2 finale of "The Storytellers" podcast concludes with some easy rapport on the part of Andrew Erwin and Mel Gibson as they discuss his upcoming projects including the sequel to "The Passion of the Christ" which will be released as "The Passion of the Christ: The Resurrection" and will focus on the three days between the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His resurrection.

The Season 2 finale of "The Storytellers" podcast featuring Mel Gibson lasts about an hour and twenty minutes. And those who wish to listen to it may do so here: The Storytellers Podcast With Andy Erwin

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.