he has this incredible combination of being able to be witty and light and loveable in some ways but has a darker side, obviously. reporter: foster gave gibson a leading role and directed him in her most recent film the beaver. i m sick do you want to get better? who are you? i m the beaver. i m here to save your damn life. reporter: gibson plays a drowning and depressed family man who resorts to communicating through a beaver hand puppet. i knew that he would understood the drama of the film and understand walter s struggle, you know, and understand it from a really deep and authentic place. reporter: the indie film was scheduled for a 2010 release but after gibson s head-line grabbing controversy, it was delayed until this spring. the question now, will gibson
tapes went viral, gibson was dropped from his talent agency william morris endeavor and what was likely to be billed as a comeback cameo proved yet another setback when gibson was cut from the cast of the hangover 2 . the cast got together and said, we don t want to work with him. reporter: paul is a leading movie industry analyst. what will it take for him to make a comeback and be the mel gibson of old that everybody loved and adored? i don t think he can ever be the mel gibson of old, but i think the directing would be a big thing for him. this is a guy obviously, a terrific film maker. behind the scenes i think he could resurrect his career as a great director. reporter: a magnet for controversy, gibson has burned a lot of bridges, but old friends like jodie foster are sticking by his side. he has this incredible combination of being able to be witty and light and loveable in some ways but has a darker side, obviously. reporter: foster gave gibson
reporter: foster gave gibson a leading role and directed him in her most recent film the beaver. i m sick. do you want to get better? who are you? no, i m the beaver. i m here to save your damn life. reporter: gibson plays a drowning and depressed family man who resorts to communicating through a beaver hand puppet. i knew that he would understood the drama of the film and understand walter s struggle, you know, and understand it from a really deep and authentic place. reporter: the indie film was scheduled for a 2010 release, but after gibson s headline-grabbing controversy, it was delayed until this spring. the question now, will gibson help or hurt the film? it was definitely hard to find the right time to bring this movie out. it s been pushed back a few times. i hope people will see his performance and understand understand him a little better. reporter: gibson s personal
most complicated, infuriating, talented star hollywood has ever produced. reporter: from mad max don t get mad at me. reporter: to maverick, lethal weapon to braveheart he was what women want and what men want to be. you re like a genius, you know that. can i tell you, buddy, i m blessed. reporter: but the audience s love affair with mel gibson would take a turn for the worse on this highway. caught driving drunk, he mouthed off to police. now upstaged by his profanity-laced telephone rant. you like a [ bleep ] on heat and if you get raped by a pack of [ bleep ] it will be your fault, all right, because you provoked it. reporter: angry slurs at his baby s momma, oksana, but those became the least of his concerns as the actor faced possible domestic violence charges stemming from an altercation with oksana early last year. a drastic departure from the film star once known best as a family man and a person of passionate faith. people are wonderin
superstar. mel gibson! he got out of the gate fast. i mean, you have a good looking guy who could act. an actor and academy award winning director and producer whose films have taken in billions at the box office. i feel like a hundred bucks. mel gibson is probably the most complicated, infuriating, talented star hollywood has ever produced. reporter: from mad max don t get mad aat me. reporter: to maverick, lethal weapon to braveheart he was what women want and what men want to be. you re like a genius, you know that. can i tell you, bud y i m blessed. reporter: but the audience love affair with mel gibson would take a turn for the worse on this highway. caught driving drunk, he mouthed off to police. now upstaged by his profanity-laced telephone rant. you like a [ bleep ] on heat and if you get raped by a pack of [ bleep ] it will be your fault, all right, because you provoked it. reporter: angry slurs at his baby s momma, oksana, but