Mel Gibson on Crazed Calls: The Tapes Were Edited

Mel Gibson is finally speaking out after those crazy audio recordings of conversations he had with ex Oksana Grigorieva leaked—perhaps because his new movie, The Beaver, opens May 6. Highlights from Deadline:

• On his reaction to the tapes: “Who anticipates being recorded? Who anticipates that? Who could anticipate such a personal betrayal? … I’ve never treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion, or sexuality—period. I don’t blame some people for thinking that though, from the garbage they heard on those leaked tapes, which have been edited.”

• On the consequences: “I could easily not act again. It’s not a problem,” he says, although he does have a new project lined up already that re-teams him with Braveheart screenwriter Randy Wallace for a movie involving “total bodice-ripping swashbuckling stuff.”
• On many of his friends not publicly defending him: "Why would anyone want to speak publicly and drag themselves through this crap? It seems to add fuel to the fire."
• On being booted from Hangover sequel: Director Todd Phillips is “smart and he’s gifted and so are the other people in the film. It’s okay. You just have to let that go.”

Click for much more from the interview. (More Mel Gibson stories.)