Mel Gibson’s Kids Are the Reason He Works So Hard: Meet His Huge Family!

Even though Mel Gibson has acted in tons of great movies like The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart, his No. 1 role will always be a dad to his nine wonderful kids.

In 1980, he welcomed his first child, daughter Hannah Gibson, with his ex-wife, Robyn Moore Gibson. After Hannah was born, the pair welcomed six more kids together before they separated in 2011 after 31 years of marriage. Once their divorce was finalized, Mel started dating Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva, who quickly became the mother of his eighth child. However, in 2010, the two lovebirds called it quits and Mel went on to meet his current partner, screenwriter Rosalind Ross.

Although fans thought he was done having kids, the duo welcomed son, Lars Gibson, in 2017. “As a parent, everybody screws up,” the Ransom actor previously told The Sunday Times magazine about what it’s like raising children. “There’s no such thing as a perfect parent and it’s so easy to mess up. But hopefully, I’ve screwed up less than most.”

Mel’s son Milo Gibson doesn’t think his dad was that awful of a parent. In fact, he said his father was very supportive of his decision to pursue acting as a career when he found out that was his passion. “My dad was always a big advocate of doing what you like to do, and keep doing new things and trying new things, but do what you love,” Milo previously told The Hollywood Reporter. “And I did that. I had a lot of different jobs but they weren’t things that I wanted to do for the rest of my life. And I have a really big passion for acting and I really love doing it.”

Since Milo started acting in 2016, he’s been in a bunch of great films like Hacksaw Ridge, Breaking & Exiting and Brother’s Keeper. Although he hasn’t won an Oscar yet, he’s sure to win one soon because he follows this great piece of advice his father gave him.

“Something that stuck with me [that my dad told me] was, when you’re working, to be truthful to your character and emulate them as much as possible, and of course, have fun,” Milo said. “Forget the camera is there. They say the camera is your best friend but I find it most helpful forgetting that it’s there, because if you’re aware of it you’re not being truthful to what you’re doing. So, [his advice was] to be honest.”

Mel wants his kids to reach their full potential.

Scroll through the gallery below to meet all of Mel Gibson’s kids.