Its only been two months since Mel Gibson's drunk-driving arrest, and Mel is already slowly stepping back into the spotlight. Mel visited two towns in Oklahoma and a film festival in Texas last week to screen a rough cut of his film Apocalypto.
According to the Associated Press although Gibson didn't make public appearances in Oklahoma, he did stop by screenings at Cameron University in Lawton on Thursday and the Riverwind Casino in Goldsby on Friday. Mel arrived at Cameron on Thursday morning wearing a mask and wig so he wouldn't be recognized, university rep Amber McNeil told the AP.
On Friday he made a surprise appearance at the Fantastic Fest, an event devoted to science-fiction and horror movies in Austin, Tex., where he took questions from the audience after the screening of Apocalypto, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Gibson drew parallels between the collapse of the Mayan society, dramatized in his film, and present-day America. "The precursors to a civilization that's going under are the same, time and time again," he told the audience. "What's human sacrifice if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?"
Gibson said he plans more edits for the film, now more than two hours long. The rough cut, which did not include sound effects, score and some visual effects, earned a standing ovation from about one-third of the full house at Fantastic Fest.
Speaking of Gibson, Hollyscoop has learned exclusively that Mel has quit the booze for good. At his daughters wedding last week, there was not a single drop of alcohol served. Mel was in the best of spirits, and was having a great time dancing and talking to the party goers. We also heard he made an emotional speech to his daughter which made the crowd emotional.
