Massive backlash has erupted following news Mel Gibson has been cast in "Rothchild," an upcoming dark comedy about a super-rich family of Jewish bankers in New York. Deadine confirmed news of the film on Monday.
Shia LaBeouf will perform alongside Gibson, who plays the "sinister" patriarch of the Rothchild family, The Daily Beast noted. At issue is Gibson's checkered past that includes anti-Semitic comments.
In 2006 the actor lashed out during a DUI arrest, stating that "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," the Daily Beast noted. He has previously referred to the Holocaust as "a numbers game" and in 2010 he used a racial slur in a vile rant at his former partner Oksana Grigorieva. That rant was caught on tape.
The film’s plot appears to be loosely based on the story of a wealthy Jewish family. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg called the casting of Gibson "chilling," The Guardian reported. Critics are also criticizing the Hollywood star being cast in the movie.
"Mel Gibson seems like an unrepentant bigot to me & it’s honestly shocking to me that he would be in this movie." said New Yorker critic Emily Nussbaum on Twitter.
A representative for Gibson issued a statement Monday evening dismissing claims that the film was related to the Rothschild family.
"I feel the need to spare you any embarrassment as I’m told this film is about a fictional family (hence the name 'Rothchild') vs the Rothschild family to which you are referring," Alan Nierob said in an email to the Daily Beast. "Completely unrelated to your premise and angle. Hopefully this is helpful to you."
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