Mel Gibson’s “Egalitarian” Presence Working on The Continental Praised by Director

Summary

• Mel Gibson’s controversial reputation hasn’t affected his professionalism on set, according to director Albert Hughes of The Continental.
• Gibson’s character in The Continental, Cormac, brings a touch of humor through his improvised zingers and tackles sensitive issues.
• Despite his controversial past, Gibson continues to land prominent roles, such as playing the owner and antagonist in The Continental.

It is pretty fair and accurate to say that in recent years, the hiring of Mel Gibson for any movie or TV project has raised eyebrows among those who have followed the various controversies that have surrounded the actor. His latest appearance comes in the John Wick prequel series, The Continental, which charts the rise of the franchise’s Winston in the infamous hotel. Gibson was cast early on in the production, taking on the role of hotel manager Cormac, and it is not a fleeting role by any means.

The first episode of The Continental has now arrived, and director Albert Hughes, who helmed two installments of the three part series, was quick to heap praise on Gibson’s professionalism and engaging presence while on set. Speaking with TV Insider, Hughes explained:

“There’s a separation of what I know about his career behind the camera, what I know about his career in front of the camera, and what we needed for the role. What I’ve heard for the last 40 years about how he is on set, whatever you may think or say about him, he is a pro who is very egalitarian on the set. He treats people with respect. He talks to PAs, he talks to extras.

What we all are familiar with from Lethal Weapon and all those other movies is those zingers that he has. Those aren’t in the script. That’s Mel. He starts playing with words. In Episode 3, he plays one word in particular that’s real touchy. If you read into it and you see what he’s playing with, they’re very sensitive issues. I expressed to him, you have to go there, because we’re poking fun at this type of character who is very ignorant [about] where people are from, the crazy uncle we all know.”

Related: Mel Gibson Talks Joining the World of John Wick in The Continental

Mel Gibson Plays a Prominent Role in The Continental.

While Mel Gibson has become better known for his many controversial moments in the last few decades, from racial and homophobic commentary to the verbal abuse of his former girl-friend and the odd anti-Semitic view thrown in for good measure, before all of that he was one of the biggest action hero’s in Hollywood. Even following a decade filled with tabloid-grabbing headlines and being blacklisted by many studios, Gibson has continued to gain regular roles on screen.

In The Continental, Gibson once again finds himself in the position of having a central role in a high profile project, playing The Continental’s owner and show antagonist. He is the one who brings Winson into the hotel’s employment when Winston’s brother steals a coin press, and he is the one who threatens to use all his power to crush the brothers if the said item is not returned swiftly. With all of this in mind, it is clear that Gibson’s character is going to be a fixture throughout all three episodes, even if it is likely that Cormac will not make it out of the series alive, considering we know he does not appear in any of the John Wick films that follow.

The Continental has started streaming now on Peacock.

You can view the original article HERE.