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Leo DiCaprio Flees Mel Gibson's Crazy Island

Mel Gibson is a crazy person. Leonardo DiCaprio excels at playing crazy people. Leo doesn't want to be upstaged.

By Eric Pope  |  July 30, 2010


 What I'm suggesting, is Mel Gibson should be your 67th patient, doctor.
 What I'm suggesting, is Mel Gibson should be your 67th patient, doctor.
While this should surprise no one, it's news nonetheless. Leonardo DiCaprio, on one of the hottest streaks of any actor I can think of in recent memory, has dropped out from Mel Gibson's next film project. Unless you've been living under some sort of rock that is impervious to spousal abuse and N-bombs, the reasoning should be readily apparent. Although Leo's niche has become playing roles that run from deeply troubled to all the way crazy, it turns out he's a normal person who doesn't want to make a movie with a genuinely crazy person who also happens to be violently racist. 
 
What we know about the film is that it was going to be about Vikings, and was written by Departed and Kingdom of Heaven scribe William Monahan. And the Viking dialogue would be in Old Norse.
 
It looks like DiCaprio will star in Clint Eastwood's Hoover biopic next. Good choices, Leo, good choices.
Filed under: William Monahan, Mel Gibson, Leonardo DiCaprio
17 Comments
mstrkrfton July 30, 2010 at 10:10 a.m.
Leo, classy as always.
ThePickleon July 30, 2010 at 10:42 a.m.
Good move
Killjoi moderator on July 30, 2010 at 10:56 a.m.
I was just thinking about this yesterday. Leo's current run is similar to Jack Nicholson in the late 60s to 70s. Or Hanks in the 90s. I'm not suggesting he is that great (yet) but he has done some amazing work in the last decade. Just look at all the directors he has worked with in that period: Ridley Scott, Scorsese, Spielberg and Nolan. He is probably the most wanted actor right now.
Arjunaon July 30, 2010 at 11:17 a.m.
I think Mel Gibson has anger-management issues, and isn't a racist.  He has worked with countless black people.  ummm, Lethal Weapon.  His wife seemed to have entrapped him into a fit of rage, recorded him going off, and then edited herself out of the conversation.  People will say anything when they're angry.
 
People are taking Gibson too literally.  Divorce is a nasty business.  Mel Gibson wasn't writing a book on the inner-workings of his mind, as much as people would like to paint it like this; he was screaming in a rage and resorting to the worst language he could come up with to piss her off.
 
You've never said something in a fit?  Just to piss someone off?  How's this for fucked up:  was someone recording you when you did?
DigTheDougon July 30, 2010 at 11:41 a.m.
@Arjuna said:
" I think Mel Gibson has anger-management issues, and isn't a racist.  He has worked with countless black people.  ummm, Lethal Weapon.  His wife seemed to have entrapped him into a fit of rage, recorded him going off, and then edited herself out of the conversation.  People will say anything when they're angry.  People are taking Gibson too literally.  Divorce is a nasty business.  Mel Gibson wasn't writing a book on the inner-workings of his mind, as much as people would like to paint it like this; he was screaming in a rage and resorting to the worst language he could come up with to piss her off.  You've never said something in a fit?  Just to piss someone off?  How's this for fucked up:  was someone recording you when you did? "
I might have agreed with you at one point, but that was long ago. But have you heard these tapes? They are beyond 'saying things in a fit of rage.' What happened to Michael Richards was overblown. The lashings Gibson is taking right now is deserved.  And the fact that they occurred multiple times, and that he's been saying racist and homophobic things for years now (he was outed as a homophobe in the nineties even). He's way beyond his three strikes even if you wanted to give him three in the first place. For those keeping track, its now on multiple occasions over the course of multiple years he's made severe comments about gays, blacks, jews, mexicans and women. And that's just what's on tape.
Pope staff on July 30, 2010 at 11:42 a.m.
@Arjuna:  Yikes dude.
sopranosfanon July 30, 2010 at 12:17 p.m.
@Arjuna: I agree about people saying things in a fit of rage.  But I don't agree about the racist part because it keeps coming up time and time again under different circumstances.  Just because you work with somebody doesn't mean you don't have racism in your heart.  I know people that work with other ethnicities that I would consider quite racist.
zoozillaon July 30, 2010 at 12:26 p.m.
Leo's a smart guy.  Who knew?
Joeon July 30, 2010 at 12:43 p.m.
@zoozilla said:
" Leo's a smart guy.  Who knew? "
He comes across as very intelligent in interviews he does. That and his environmental work makes me think Leo is both a smart and good guy.
Martin_Blankon July 30, 2010 at 12:50 p.m.
 "Thank God we're back in Hollywood where people treat each other right."
 
Except Mel Gibson, huh! He's the only one!
 
Carlitaon July 30, 2010 at 2:07 p.m.
He's made the right decision. Mel Gibson is a twisted nasty piece of work that fully deserves the treatment he's getting right now. 
TheKidNixonon July 30, 2010 at 3:06 p.m.
Wait, DiCaprio is playing Hoover? Isn't he lacking a certain...girth for that role?
Pinescentzillaon July 30, 2010 at 6:26 p.m.
The movie sounds good but thats still a classy move on Leo's part 
Good for him
Moeezon July 30, 2010 at 6:58 p.m.
We already had  VALHALLA RISING, and that's set the bar for Viking movies. 
TheFaithfullyDepartedon July 30, 2010 at 8:08 p.m.
Leo is my man every since i started watching recent Scorsese films
MichaelBachon July 30, 2010 at 8:15 p.m.
I think it's a good call from Leo's part. Leo has been the man ever since The Beach.
Lydian_Selon July 31, 2010 at 4:31 a.m.
Can't fault the guy, or any other Actor, for wanting to distance themselves from Gibson. I know I wouldn't want that guy coming to my BBQ.

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