Mel Gibson has responded to claims by Winona Ryder that he made anti-semitic and homophobic comments towards her and a friend at a Hollywood party in the 1990s.
Denying the allegations, the ‘Braveheart’ actor said that it was “100% untrue” that he asked Ryder if she was an “oven dodger” at a party about 25 years ago.
Ryder, in a recenyt interview, said that Gibson called her an “oven dodger” when he learned of her Jewish heritage, and asked a friend of hers who is gay, “Oh, wait, am I gonna get AIDS?”
In response, Gibson’s representative was reported to have said: “This is 100% untrue. She lied about it over a decade ago, when she talked to the press, and she’s lying about it now.”
The statement added: “She lied about him trying to apologize to her back then. He did reach out to her, many years ago, to confront her about her lies, and she refused to address it with him.”
Responding to the Gibson’s denial, Ryder insisted: “I believe in redemption and forgiveness and hope that Mr. Gibson has found a healthy way to deal with his demons, but I am not one of them.
“Around 1996, my friend Kevyn Aucoin and I were on the receiving end of his hateful words. It is a painful and vivid memory for me. Only by accepting responsibility for our behavior in this life, can we make amends and truly respect each other, and I wish him well on this lifelong journey.”
