MOVIE NEWS – Mel Gibson’s appearance in The Continental caused a lot of controversy, but Albert Hughes, the director of the series, stood by him. According to Hughes, Gibson was an excellent choice and praises the actor’s work on set.

The director of The Continental, Albert Hughes, defended Mel Gibson’s performance and highlighted the actor’s positive presence on the set of the John Wick spin-off series.

In The Continental, Gibson plays Cormac O’Connor, who ran New York’s Continental in the 1970s. The recently released series serves as a prequel to the John Wick films and shows how Winston Scott, played by Ian McShane in the John Wick films, became the owner of the Continental hotel chain in New York. Cormac O’Connor is one of the show’s most important characters, and Hughes wanted a well-known star for the role. In the end, he decided on Gibson, and although many criticized this decision, the director stood by his choice and praised the actor for his positive presence on set.

In an interview with TV Insider, Hughes defended his decision to cast Gibson as Cormac in the John Wick prequel series and explained why he thought casting Gibson as the antagonist was appropriate. He praises the actor’s professionalism and commitment to the role. During the conversation, Hughes acknowledged the star’s controversial past, but praised her performance and positive influence on set. Hughes stated, “There’s a difference between what I know about his career behind the camera, what I know about his career in front of the camera, and what it took for the role. I’ve heard about him for the last 40 years, what he’s like on set, whatever you think or say about him, he’s a professional who’s an equal on set. He treats people with respect. He talks to the PAs, he talks to the extras.” He stressed that Gibson’s personal life should be separated from his professional abilities, highlighting his essential contribution to the show.

The Lethal Weapon star’s controversial behavior has ruined his reputation in the entertainment industry. He has been involved in several incidents, including making anti-Semitic comments during a 2006 drunk driving arrest and using racist and sexist language in recorded conversations. These cases have understandably caused backlash and criticism from the public. Many find it difficult to separate Gibson’s actions from his professional work, as his behavior overshadowed his talent and contribution to films. That’s why there was such an uproar when it was announced in 2021 that the seasoned star would be cast in the John Wick prequel series.

The Continental debuted on September 22nd and has been a moderate success with critics so far, with a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 54% on Metacritic. Hughes took a different approach to the John Wick spin-off series and reduced the length of the action scenes, emphasizing the overarching story of the series.

The Continental is available on the Amazon Prime platform with new episodes every Friday.

Source: GameRant