Actor Gary Oldman: “Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run by Jews”

[Alex P Notkeaton]

Monday, Jun 23, 2014 04:26 PM EDT

Gary Oldman has broken his silence on political correctness — and the actor has a great deal of sympathy with Mel Gibson.

In an interview with Playboy (picked up by the Daily Mail), Oldman, promoting “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” spoke out about Gibson’s seeming exile from Hollywood following a series of rants caught on tape, including one in which he claimed “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.” Oldman sees both sides of the issue:

“Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run by Jews, and he said the wrong thing because he’s actually bitten the hand that I guess has fed him – and doesn’t need to feed him anymore because he’s got enough dough.

“He’s like an outcast, a leper, you know? But some Jewish guy in his office somewhere hasn’t turned and said, “That f—ing kraut” or “F— those Germans,” whatever it is? We all hide and try to be so politically correct. That’s what gets me.”

Oldman also defended Alec Baldwin’s use of homophobic language, an issue that hasn’t quite cost Baldwin his career but has been hotly contested since last fall: “Alec calling someone an F-A-G in the street while he’s pissed off coming out of his building because they won’t leave him alone. I don’t blame him. So they persecute.”

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/23/gary_oldmans_shocking_p_c_rant_on_12_years_a_slave_and_anti_semitism_mel_gibson_is_in_a_town_thats_run_by_jews/



And here I thought he was acting when he played all those scumball characters.

[MFM008]

1. I had heard Oldman tended

conservative. I hate it but hes still an amazing actor.

[xxqqqzme]

5. Is he a

US citizen?

Sirius Black is a scumball role?

[Alex P Notkeaton]

43. I haven't seen "Sirius Black"

But in The Professional, Romeo Is Bleeding, The Contender, etc., his characters have exuded sleaziness.

[Coventina]

45. Clearly, you aren't a Harry Potter fan. That's OK. I used to be, but no longer.

Sirius Black is a character from the HP universe, played in the movies by Gary Oldman.

He's played other non-sleazy characters as well.

[Alex P Notkeaton]

14. Really?

He did okay in Dracula. Otherwise, no.

[shenmue]

2. Oh snap

Well, that sucks. Boo!

[KamaAina]

3. Who is this Gary Oldman?

[Revanchist]

7. He's had quite a few good roles

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000198/

Edit:

Until I looked at the list I had forgotten that he played Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy

[Archae]

12. He even voiced a dragon.

"Legend Of Spyro" series of videogames, "Ignitus."

[CBGLuthier]

10. An incredibly talented actor who, unfortunately is also a conservative tool.

He was Dracula in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation a few years back and Lt. Gordon in the recent Batman films.

He also payed Sid Vicious in Sid & Nancy. I liked him more as Sid than as Gary.

[Glorfindel]

16. He was amazingly good in "Hannibal" and totally awful in "The Fifth Element"

n/t

[bettyellen]

21. Amazing in Prick Up your Ears too.

[Orrex]

44. I've always thought that he was deliberately totally awful in that. (nt)

[Alex P Notkeaton]

46. It was an awful movie, all around

A major disappointment after SOTL. Fortunately, Red Dragon was a pretty decent cap on the series.

[Orrex]

47. I meant deliberately awful in The Fifth Element.

As for Hannibal, I agree that it was a disappointment.

I saw it again recently and found that it was better than I'd remembered, but still not great. I simply don't accept the conventional wisdom that Ridley Scott is all that great a director. Loved Red Dragon, though.

[Alex P Notkeaton]

49. Not a big fan of Julianne Moore, either

That may have been a factor for me. But Mason Verger was yet another sleazy character played by Oldman.

[Orrex]

50. Yes. Super-sleazy.

I like Julianne Moore, but not as Clarice.

I thought that Oldman was excellent as Lieutenant/Commissioner Gordon, by the way. It was a remarkably subtle performance in a bombastic setting, quite a contrast from other roles.

[G_j]

26. IMO his best was "Immortal beloved"

in which he played Beethoven.

[Ilsa]

36. He was awesome as Beethoven. nt

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Defending anti-Semitism and homophobia. clASSy!

Many don't have a problem with the anti-Semitic canard about Jews running Hollywood, I have even seen it defended here. Some people don't seem to realize it is a stereotype with nasty implications. I recently saw a poster defend someone using the word "faggot" when used by another Hollywood type (who then profusely apologized in a way that was quite acceptable). This isn't about "political correctness."

[Cha]

34. Really.. he may be a "good actor".. but he doesn't sound too bright.

[leftynyc]

38. Hey Aegis

I got a post hidden yesterday for calling someone who went on a rant about the USS LIberty and AIPAC an imbecile. His/her post was left alone and mine was hidden. Antisemitism on the left is a very real problem.

[tkmorris]

40. I can't speak to the post you responded to, but

If you called someone an imbecile you SHOULD have had your post hidden. It's a clear violation of the rules. Surely you aren't surprised by this?

[leftynyc]

42. Actually I was surprised

When I serve on a jury here I always look at the post the poster was responding to. There are some things that call for outrage and I think conspiracy theories are in that category. That his post was not alerted on tells a lot.

[lostincalifornia]

51. He actually is saying he doesn't believe in "political correctness". Which he believe is free

speech which includes anti-Semitism, racist, and homophobic garbage. However, what he fails to understand is that there is a reason why these things are not politically correct, which doesn't say much for his historical perspective or his hidden racist and anti-Semitic views.

[theHandpuppet]

56. +100

[joeybee12]

6. Gary Oldman has always been a reactionary right-wing nutjob...

He just proved it again.

[Jefferson23]

22. That is how I remember him too. n/t

[NightWatcher]

8. aaaand thanks for playing There Went My Career

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

9. +1

[villager]

11. Will be rooting for the apes to kick his ass this summer!

[WilliamPitt]

13. Fuck.

One of my most favorite actors. I always knew he was a wingnut; he completely disavowed his role in "The Contender," in which he played a right-wing House Rep bent on destroying a presidential nominee, because he said the film's editing distorted his character.

This, though...shit.

[bettyellen]

18. whoa, really? I loved him in that. And in Prick up Your Ears, he was incredible. But then again he

was playing a charming sociopath. He's kind of good at that, I guess. But wow, disappointing to hear that.

[Blanks]

24. The thing about his role in 'the Contender'...

Is that he played an older character. He's such a good actor that he plays characters of any age. The first movie I saw him in was as Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK.

He was utterly despicable in 'Murder In the First.'

[Siwsan]

15. A friend of mine was in a film with Gary Oldman and said he is a lovely man

Admittedly, she's not overly political, but she said that between scenes he was very down to earth and a lot of fun to be around.

[Alex P Notkeaton]

23. The same can be said for many psychopaths

When he wanted to, Ted Bundy could play the perfect gentleman.

[Siwsan]

53. Completely agree.

It's just compared to some other as big and bigger names she's worked with, of all political stripes, he was one of the few who was really down to earth and approachable.

[Gravitycollapse]

57. Of course, being racist doesn't make you a psychopath.

[cali]

30. surprisingly- or maybe not- bigots can be lovely people. they're still bigots.

[TeamPooka]

59. When he's not drinking.

[dilby]

17. Guess he did not get the Memo but we don't just run Hollywood but

we also run Washington and the entire World. Well at least that is what the Internet told me.

[Coventina]

19. Very disgusting. *sigh* and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is one of my favorite movies.

Including my much beloved Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Strong.

Geez, what a disappointment....

[Paladin]

25. My feelings exactly.

I didn't think it was possible to out-do Alec Guiness' version of George Smiley, but Oldman proved me wrong. I really hate this.

[Coventina]

37. I know, right? When I heard about the remake I was like, "Why?"

But I had to go and see it, because of the stellar cast.

And then I had to see it again, just to fully appreciate it.

And then I bought it on DVD.

I have the t-shirt from the Phoenix premiere, even.

Now I don't even know if I want to wear it anymore....

[Paladin]

39. Every time that flick comes on cable TV, I find myself watching it again.

I've been a LeCarre' fan for decades (watch for LeCarre's appearance in the movie, he's the white-haired, distinguished-looking guest at that drunken office party). Great movie with a great cast. What a shame that Oldman has cast a pall on all of it......

[Archae]

20. Would you watch a movie with a white supremacist in it?

In 1971 John Wayne said in a Playboy interview where he said he believed in white supremacy.

[niyad]

27. never did like john wayne

[Ecumenist]

54. I NEVER did like that SOB. NEVER and NEVER thought he could act. He was an idiot when

alive and type casting his way through DREADFUL westerns and he's an idiot today....PERIOD.

[nomorenomore08]

28. Mr. Oldman, you have the right to state your opinion.

And I have the right to state my opinion that your opinion is dumb.

[abelenkpe]

29. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

Loved him in that movie. He's a conservative?


Defending bigoted tirades of other celebrities?

So disappointed.

[cali]

31. Oldman whines that he can't call Nancy Pelosi "a fucking useless c---" without catching hell.

poor wittle gary.

go fuck yourself Oldman.

[deathrind]

32. Bummer.

But he is entitled to his opinion agree with it or not, the 1st amendment works both ways.

He was great in Leon The Professional.

[Ecumenist]

58. ABSOLUTELY true, Deathrind BUT he is NOT exempt from the CONSEQUENCES of his

FUCKED UP comments.

[janlyn]

33. One can be brilliantly talented

and still be a complete and total asshole.

[Inkfreak]

35. Yet another reason to ignore celebrity opinions. (nt)

[LeftinOH]

41. Hi opinions are only that.. he isn't a US citizen. n/t

[JaneyVee]

48. No Country For Old Man.

[WatermelonRat]

52. That will put a serious black mark on his reputation.

[BainsBane]

55. I thought people had decided that disapproval of that sort of language

amounted to censorship? Or is that only for slurs against women and LGBT folks?