Mel Gibson Net Worth is $425 million
Mel Gibson’s life is full of talent, drama, and some epic personal wins. Over an amazing 40-year stint in the business, Mel’s done pretty much all of it. He’s a real shape-shifter, winning us over on screen while also calling the shots behind the scenes.
Such a long career means Mel’s got the dough, and then some. How much? As of 2023, this Braveheart hero and director’s sitting pretty on an estimated net worth of a massive $425 million. That’s giant-sized cash, and it shows just how durable Mel is. Hollywood’s known for being flaky, but he’s played the game and stayed in the big leagues. So, his wealth is a testament to his staying power.
We’ve got lots to cover in this long career, from his start to his shining moments. Expect to get the lowdown on his career, a nosey into where his cash comes from, a peek at the stuff he owns, a look into his private life and a rewind of the big deals that made him… well, Mel.
The Ascent of Mel Gibson: From Australian heartthrob to Hollywood mega-star
It all kicked off on January 3, 1956, in Peekskill, New York. Mel was the sixth out of 11 kids born to Hutton Gibson and Anne Patricia – a mix of Irish and American lineage. In the late 1960s, they picked up their family and made a move Down Under to New South Wales. Little did they know, this move would thrust young Mel into the spotlight.
After wrapping up high school, Gibson attended the University of New South Wales in Sydney. He got his first taste of acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, brushing shoulders with future movie powerhouses like Judy Davis and Geoffrey Rush.
Gibson kicked off his acting journey in ’77 while he was still in school. He appeared in his first movie, “Summer City,” as a surfer (yes, we couldn’t believe it when we heard it, either). The same year he graduated, Gibson flexed his acting muscles on stage with the State Theatre Company of South Australia. His big break arrived in ’79, when he landed the lead in George Miller’s futuristic cop flick “Mad Max”; his stint as a mentally disabled handyman in “Tim” the same year snagged him a coveted Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor. He scooped up the same award again two years later for his role in the war drama “Gallipoli”.
Lethal and Brave: Mel’s earnings from his primary career
After making waves in “Mad Max,” Gibson has played it smooth as an action hero in the “Lethal Weapon” series, which launched in ’87 and took the box office like a storm. The gig earned Gibson a lot of exposure stateside and undoubtedly fattened up his bank account.
Our man did not just stop with acting, though. Gibson turned to directing—a move that paid off big time. In 1995, he starred in and had a hand in directing Braveheart. The movie grabbed five Oscars, for Best Picture and Best Director included. The money made off the film, given he collected paychecks as an actor and as a director, must have been considerable.
In 2004, Gibson got some side-eye for his self-financed film, The Passion of the Christ, showing the final moments of Jesus Christ’s life. Even with all the cries of foul and split opinions, the movie took in a mind-blowing $611 million worldwide. Being the copyright owner, Gibson took home an astronomical amount.
An Icon Starts An Icon: Mel’s other revenue streams
You might think Mel Gibson’s bank account is fueled solely by his fame-filled Hollywood days. But in actuality, Mel has got an eye for a good investment and he’s not afraid of a bit of business.
In 1989, Mel—with his long-time production partner Bruce Davey—set up Icon Productions. Unlike a ton of indie movie-making outfits, Icon funds its own stuff, which means Mel and his crew call the shots.
Lavish Lifestyles and Noble Causes: Mel’s possessions and philanthropy
Alright, folks, let’s talk about Mel Gibson living it up Hollywood style, complete with all the bells and whistles of being a baller. But, pay attention! Because in between all that bling, Mel isn’t just about showing off his wealth; he’s also into sprinkling some serious love on charitable causes, showing us that his heart is as plush as his pockets.
First things first, let’s go crib-hopping. Mel has got quite the collection of swanky addresses up his sleeve, including a cool $11.5M pad on Carbon Mesa Road in Malibu that he’s been calling home since 2010. That same year, Gibson offloaded his charming Old Mill Farm in Greenwich, Conn., and banked a sweet 27 million. And, let’s not ignore his digs in the Santa Monica mountains. But Mel isn’t just content with the mainland, he has gone all out and owns his very own island: Mago Island in Fiji! A little piece of tropical heaven that cost him a cool $15 million back in 2005.
How does he get to that island? Well, we presume he takes his own jet. Gibson’s ride in the sky is a super-sleek Gulfstream V, which, rumor has it, comes with a whopping $40 million price tag.
But don’t let all that flash fool you. Gibson isn’t shy about sharing his wealth. Back in 2004, he teamed up with his ex-wife to inject some serious cash into Healing the Children, providing a lifeline for needy kids across the globe. More recently, in 2017, Gibson came to the rescue for the Survivor Mitzvah Project, helping Holocaust survivors in Eastern Europe.
Love & Liquor: Mel’s personal journey
Mel’s life is an interesting mix of family hustle, passionate romances, and rocky relationships.
In the ’80s, Mel found love with Robyn Moore. The couple said “I do” in a low-key ceremony. Back then, Mel was just dipping his toes in acting, and Robyn was a dental nurse. They ended up having a big, beautiful family with seven kids: Hannah, twins Edward and Christian, William, Louis, Milo, and Thomas. But, after years of being together, they called it quits in 2006.
Next chapter? Oksana Grigorieva who gifted Mel with a daughter, Lucia, in 2009. Even though they went their separate ways after a year, they’ve been protective of Lucia. Since 2014, Mel has been with screenwriter Rosalind Ross in 2014. The pair even welcomed a son, Lars Gerard, in 2017.
Despite seemingly living the good life, Mel has struggled with alcohol. It nearly ended his career in the 1980s, and it wasn’t until he joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 1991 that he was able to kick the habit and take back control of his life.
Passions: Controversies in Mel’s life
July 28, 2006 is a day that will live in infamy—for Mel Gibson, at least. That was the day the LA County Sheriff’s Department cuffed him for DUI. He then unleashed a torrent of antisemitic rhetoric that, quite rightly, infuriated many. Mel apologized, blaming his actions on his alcohol addiction, then promptly checked himself into a rehab program.
Then there was his messy breakup with Oksana Grigorieva in 2010. It was a nasty affair involving leaked audio tapes, charges of domestic abuse, and a bitter custody battle. Mel was ready to fork over $15 million to keep those damaging tapes under wraps. But they saw the light of day regardless, leaving Mel red-faced and humiliated. After a guilty plea for a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge, Mel got a three-year probation. Robbed of a huge chunk of his dough after his ex voiced the allegations, the damage from this scandal was monumental.
Even Mel’s professional career wasn’t immune to controversy. His blockbuster The Passion of the Christ stirred up a hornet’s nest for hinting at antisemitism through its depiction of Jews. The backlash hurt Mel’s standing in Hollywood and future prospects. What it didn’t hurt was his bank account. The movie would take in over $600 million worldwide.
