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Mel Gibson Slammed by ‘Scandal’ Actor Over Upcoming ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ Flick

Actor Joshua Malina called out Mel Gibson, stating cancel culture doesn’t apply to celebrated stars such as Gibson. The Scandal actor couldn’t help but voice his opinion after hearing that Warner Bros. hired Gibson to direct Lethal Weapon 5.

Mel Gibson will direct Lethal Weapon 5 alongside Lauren Schuler Donner, the original film director’s wife.

It seems Gibson is getting a second chance after making many mistakes in the past, including his anti-Semitic remarks, racism, domestic abuse, and more.

Joshua Malina claims Hollywood is turning the other cheek in order to capitalize on Gibson’s high-ranking box office numbers.

“If Gibson is welcomed back to direct the latest installment of this beloved franchise, it may be time to stop publishing think pieces about the power of ‘cancel culture,’” Malina wrote in an op-ed for The Atlantic. “Because if he can continue to find big bucks and approbation in Hollywood, cancel culture simply does not exist.”

Malina Outlines Mel Gibson’s Many Mistakes

Malina goes one step further, citing examples of Gibson’s unacceptable behavior. This includes Gibson’s run-in with a police officer leading to an anti-Semitic rant towards the Jewish policeman. Another example is the voicemails Gibson left his then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, in which he used racist and misogynistic language. Malina also noted Gibson’s salute to former President Trump at a UFC event this past summer.

“This might feel like a smaller matter if it didn’t come at a moment when members of my tribe feel the walls closing in again. Jews were the victims in more than 50 percent of religious-based hate crimes last year,” wrote Malina. “In recent years, we’ve witnessed the Tree of Life massacre in Pittsburgh, the murder at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in California, Jewish students harassed on college campuses, European anti-Semitism on the rise. These are the headlines that make us feel unsafe. Is this really the time to glorify a man like Mel Gibson?”

He continued stating, “How did this guy become such a hot ticket again? Is it just that memories of his hate speech have faded, while Hollywood’s recollection of his box-office pull remains?”

Malina goes after Warner Bros. for the studio’s lack of judgment in working with the celebrated actor on the fifth installment of Lethal Weapon. He claims they are violating their company policy of inclusion by hiring Mel Gibson.

In conclusion, Malina said, “It would be great if higher-profile executives, producers, and actors would also take a stand. Then I could believe in this cancel culture I keep reading so much about. And I could also believe that Jews do, in fact, count.”

Representatives for Gibson and Warner Bros. have yet to respond to Fox News’ request for comment.