Mel Gibson is equally astonished as you are.
The polarizing Hollywood figure seemingly discovered his new diplomatic role concurrently with the public when President-elect Donald Trump declared that he would appoint actors Sylvester Stallone, Jon Voight, and Gibson as his “special ambassadors” to Hollywood.
In classic Trump style, he stated that these new appointments were part of his initiative to make the American film industry “bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”
In a statement to Variety, Gibson revealed that he was not aware that he would be involved in revitalizing Hollywood until Trump made the announcement publicly.
“I received the tweet simultaneously with all of you and was equally astonished. However, I will respond to the call. My responsibility as a citizen is to provide any assistance and perspective I can,” the Braveheart actor expressed. “Is there any possibility that the position includes an Ambassador’s residence?”
Trump made the announcement regarding the new positions in a Truth Social post on Thursday, stating: “It is my privilege to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as Special Ambassadors to a remarkable but very troubled area, Hollywood, California.”
“They will act as Special Envoys for me to assist in restoring Hollywood, which has lost a significant amount of business to foreign nations over the last four years, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE! These three exceptionally talented individuals will serve as my eyes and ears, and I will execute whatever they recommend. It will once again be, much like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood,” he concluded.
Stallone, Gibson, and Voight have all shown public support for the president-elect in recent years.
During a gala at Mar-a-Lago in November, Stallone introduced Trump on stage, comparing him to George Washington while describing him as a “mythical character.”
“We are in the presence of a truly mythical figure. I have a deep appreciation for mythology,” Stallone remarked at that time. “No one else could’ve accomplished what he has. So, I am in awe.”
“Let me put it this way — and I truly mean it,” he continued. “When George Washington defended his nation, he had no idea he would change the world. Because without him, you could envision what the world would look like. Guess what? We have our second George Washington. Congratulations!”
Voight has also similarly lauded Trump by drawing a parallel to a legendary past U.S. president. In 2019, the Oscar-winning actor (and Angelina Jolie’s father) claimed Trump was “the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln” in a series of videos shared on then-Twitter. That same year, Trump honored Voight, one of his most steadfast supporters, with a National Medal of Arts.
Meanwhile, Gibson has made his support for Trump in the upcoming 2024 presidential election very clear, stating at one point to TMZ that Vice President Kamala Harris had an “IQ of a fence post.”
