These days, it’s certainly not breaking news to hear claims of Mel Gibson’s explosive tirades. But, take yourself back to the mid-1990s when he was everyone’s favorite faux-Scotsman saving the day in Braveheart… That’s the period in which former child star Gaby Hoffmann claims Mel’s outbursts would reduce her to tears.
“He screamed at me. Oh, God, he really screamed at me,” the 31-year-old said of her childhood experience with Mel during a recent interview with HuffPo Live. “He just started cursing and screaming at me.”
Gaby, who worked with Mel during his directorial debut in Man Without a Face, added that he often made her cry.
“I think I was acting like a kid instead of a professional actor,” said of what seemed to set Mel off. “It happens once in a while when you’re a kid actor.”
Gaby, who is also known for roles in Uncle Buck, Field of Dreams and Now and Then, said she hasn’t seen the infamous actor in 20 years. But, if she ever does, she already knows what she will say: “I hope you’re feeling better, Mel.”
To be fair, Gaby said Mel wasn’t the only difficult director she encountered as a child star.
“I think I happened to work with sort of a bunch of slightly difficult male directors when I was a kid,” she said. “I’ve since worked with lots of male directors that I love, so I no longer see the distinction gender-wise.”
Her most recent notable roles include appearances in Homeland and The Good Wife. She also co-starred with Michael Cera in the indie film Crystal Fairy & The Magical Cactus and 2012, which made news when the leading actors admitted they actually drank the psychedelic tea featured in the movie.
