‘It’s always the unaffected dudes from the same demographic’: Andrew Garfield is getting roasted online for his endorsement of Mel Gibson

Andrew Garfield is having a dream press run for his upcoming romantic dramedy We Live in Time, but it looks like it has ended abruptly with a statement supporting actor Mel Gibson.

In an exclusive interview with People magazine, Garfield defended Gibson’s past actions, which include tirades of anti-Semitic, homophobic, and racist commentary without an ounce of remorse. Here are Garfield’s comments on what he learned from Gibson and why the British actor believes Gibson deserves to continue making films:

“I learned a lot, actually. I learned that people can heal. I learned that people can change, that people can get help. I learned that everyone deserves respect,” he said. “And that people deserve second chances, third chances, fourth chances. That none of us are infallible.”

Garfield continued, highlighting the changes Gibson has made to improve himself.

“He’s done a lot of beautiful healing with himself,” Garfield added. “And thank God. Because he’s an amazing filmmaker, and I think he deserves to make films. He deserves to tell stories, because he has a very, very big, compassionate heart.”

Gibson was overheard making anti-Semitic remarks after he was caught for a DUI in 2006, which makes Garfield’s (who is Jewish himself) remarks all the more surprising. Andrew Garfield and Gibson worked together on the 2016 war drama Hacksaw Ridge, which earned Garfield an Oscar nomination for the Actor in a Leading Role category.

Fans are not having any of Andrew Garfield’s attempts to improve Mel Gibson’s image

Meanwhile, fans on the internet have refused to acknowledge Garfield’s repeated attempts to whitewash Gibson’s image. They took to the social media website X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustration, asserting that Garfield has once again destroyed the goodwill he created over the last few days, following his brief but emphatic statement about supporting Palestine on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

There are have been some strong reactions in the wake of Garfield’s continued defense of Gibson:

Mel Gibson has a long history of offenses, which also includes allegedly assaulting his former wife, Oksana Grigorieva. Gibson made problematic remarks against the African-American community in a recorded phone call with Grigorieva and had a restraining order filed against him.

He also has a detailed history of drunk-driving incidents, and his problems with alcohol abuse are well-chronicled. He made derogatory comments about the gay community in an interview with El Pais in 1991, followed by the anti-Semitic remarks/DUI incident in 2006. Actress Winona Ryder has repeatedly mentioned an incident involving Gibson asking her gay friend if he can contract AIDS just by speaking to him, and asking Ryder if she was an “oven-dodger.”