Breaking: Belle Gibson will appear in court again — this time for failing to pay her $410k fine after being found guilty of conning cancer patients.
This casts a shadow over the upcoming biopic produced, directed by and starring Mel Gibson. But in an exclusive one on one with SHT Mel seems unperturbed:
I sit with Mel Gibson at the Hollywood Hotel as he promotes his new film: “Belle: This is Me.” He sips on an 18 year old whiskey. “As soon as I saw Belle’s story I had to be a part of it”. He drops his head. Spent. A clump of beard caresses the whiskey.
Mel still wears Belle Gibson’s trademark enormous pink skivvy. He hasn’t taken it off since filming, 4 months ago. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand” he growls. A sigh. “It’s a story of downfall, I’ve been there.”
Was Belle Gibson unfairly harassed by 60 Minutes or has Mel Gibson finally lost his mind?
“She’s a woman who needs her story to be told. Correctly, fairly, truthfully. The media attention and scrutiny this poor girl has suffered would have finished a lesser person.”
And now a judge has confirmed Belle Gibson faces jail time if she can’t pay a $410,000 fine.
“Did she have cancer? Who knows? Everyone has their own version of the truth. Now it’s time to hear Belle’s.”
The man who made ‘Passion of the Christ’ sees this as another great story of redemption of a misunderstood soul. When asked exactly how Belle Gibson has redeemed herself he remains evasive. The role has taken its toll on the great man. He looks spent. Withdrawn.
It was a harrowing production schedule. Mel was in makeup for 8 hours each morning, getting up at 3am, then undergoing a 12 hour shoot day with up to 53 takes for each scene. “It had to be perfect. Her story deserves that.”
Mel finishes the interview with an intriguing flourish. He turns and whispers “I have cancer”.
*Scotch
