Donal Gibson “I am a victim of that power-crazed guy,…” Brother of Mel Gibson Harshly Criticizes Reasons for Gibson Brothers’ Rift Ahead of Mel Gibson’s New Movie Release in August 2025

As the summer of 2025 approaches, the entertainment world is abuzz with anticipation for Mel Gibson’s latest cinematic venture, slated for release in August. Known for his polarizing career marked by both brilliance and controversy, Mel Gibson continues to command attention. However, amidst the excitement, a deeply personal family drama has resurfaced, casting a shadow over the celebrated actor and filmmaker. Donal Gibson, Mel’s younger brother, has broken his silence once again, delivering a scathing critique of the man he once called his best friend. In a recent interview, Donal declared, “I am a victim of that power-crazed guy,” pointing to a rift between the siblings that has festered for years, exacerbated by fame, fortune, and a series of public scandals.

The Gibson brothers’ story begins in a simpler time. Born in Peekskill, New York, just two years apart, Mel and Donal were two of eleven children in a tight-knit, working-class family. Donal fondly recalls their childhood, a time when they shared a bedroom and faced life’s challenges together. “We were dirt poor, but we had each other,” he said, reminiscing about their adventures—jumping from haylofts, skating on thin ice, and dodging lightning storms. When Mel’s star began to rise in Hollywood with iconic roles in *Mad Max* and *Lethal Weapon*, Donal followed him to Los Angeles, not out of envy but pride. “He was my big brother, my best friend,” Donal explained. “I was happy for him, proud that he’d made it.”

Their bond extended into their professional lives. Donal, an actor in his own right, collaborated with Mel on projects like the 1995 Oscar-winning epic *Braveheart*. With a voice strikingly similar to his brother’s, Donal even stepped in to voice John Smith in Disney’s *Pocahontas II* when Mel was unavailable. For a time, it seemed the Gibson brothers were an unbreakable team. But the tides turned with the release of Mel’s 2004 film *The Passion of the Christ*, a project that would catapult him to new heights of wealth and infamy while leaving Donal in its wreckage.

*The Passion of the Christ*, a graphic depiction of Jesus’s final hours, became the highest-grossing independent film of all time, earning over $612 million worldwide. Mel, who largely self-financed the project, reaped immense financial rewards, amassing a fortune that now supports a lavish lifestyle including homes in Malibu, Costa Rica, and a private island in Fiji. Yet, the film’s success came at a steep cost. Critics and audiences alike condemned it as anti-Semitic and excessively violent, accusations that clung to Mel like a shadow. For Donal, the fallout was catastrophic. “I was getting regular work before *The Passion*,” he said. “But people thought Mel was an anti-Semite, so they thought I was too. The Gibson name became toxic.”

Donal claims he was blacklisted by Hollywood, his budding career derailed by association with his brother’s controversies. Studios like Warner Brothers and Disney, where he had once found steady gigs, stopped calling. His agent dropped him, and the phone fell silent. “I believe Mel’s actions meant I couldn’t get work,” Donal asserted. “Overnight, it all stopped.” The financial strain took a toll on Donal and his wife, Shanas, plunging them into what he describes as “nearly 20 years of hell.” When he turned to Mel for help, he was met with a cold rebuke. “He shouted at me, ‘Your problems are your own!’” Donal recalled. “He told me to change my name if I didn’t like it.”

The rift deepened with Mel’s personal struggles. His 2006 DUI arrest, during which he unleashed an anti-Semitic tirade against a police officer, and his 2010 recorded outburst against his ex-partner Oksana Grigorieva, laden with racist and misogynistic slurs, only widened the chasm. Donal watched as the brother he once idolized transformed. “Fame changed him,” he said. “He started believing his own publicity. The Mel I knew disappeared. Hollywood ate him up and spat him out. To me, the fame, the money—it all went to his head and created a monster.”

Now, as Mel prepares to release his new film in August 2025, Donal’s resentment has reached a boiling point. He sees Mel’s continued success—bolstered by recent projects like *Hacksaw Ridge* and his upcoming role as a “special envoy” to Hollywood under President Donald Trump—as a stark contrast to his own struggles. “I hate what he has become,” Donal said, his voice heavy with sorrow and anger. “We were once so close, and now it’s unbelievable that we’re not even talking.”

The Gibson brothers’ saga is a cautionary tale of how fame can fracture even the strongest bonds. While Mel strides toward another chapter of his storied career, Donal remains a casualty of its collateral damage, a brother left behind in the shadow of a “power-crazed” titan. As August nears, the spotlight will shine on Mel’s latest work, but for Donal, it’s a bitter reminder of a relationship lost to the unforgiving grind of Hollywood.