In divorce papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday, Robyn Gibson cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split from her actor-director husband, whose credits include "The Passion of the Christ" and "Braveheart".
Responding promptly to the divorce petition filed by his wife Robyn, Mel filed a response saying the two had been separated since Aug. 26, 2006, less than a month after his infamous drink-driving arrest in Malibu. In papers, Mel also cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Representatives for Mel and Robyn did not immediately comment on the news. But, Mel’s publicist, Alan Neirob, issued a joint statement saying the couple wanted to keep the matter private.
“Throughout our marriage and separation we have always strived to maintain the privacy and integrity of our family and will continue to do so,” Neirob quoted the couple in the statement.
The two met in Australia when Mel was an unknown actor working for the South Australian Theatre Company and she was working as a dental assistant.
The 53-year-old "Lethal Weapon" actor and Robyn married on June 7, 1980 in a Catholic Church in Forestville, New South Wales. They have seven children - one daughter and six sons. Their seven children are daughter Hannah (born 1980), twin boys Edward and Christian (born 1982), William (born 1985), Louis (born 1988), Milo (born 1990), and Thomas (born 1999).
Robyn Gibson is seeking joint custody of their only minor son Thomas, who turns 10 on Tuesday.
According to celebrity news website TMZ, which first reported the filing Monday, the couple had no prenuptial agreement. Under California law, joint property, including earnings, is divided in half in divorce cases where there is no pre-nuptial agreement. Mel Gibson's fortune was estimated at around $900 million in 2006.
Robyn, also 53, is seeking jewelry, earnings and assets she accrued after the pair separated, a sizeable share of the money and assets her hubby has earned during his nearly three decades as a Hollywood hit-maker, attorneys’ fees as well as joint physical and legal custody of Tom.
However, Mel doesn’t want to pay Robyn spousal support and is asking that attorneys' fees be paid out of the couple's joint property, according to the court documents.
Mel Gibson made worldwide headlines when he was arrested in Malibu for drunken driving. Since his 2006 arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, when he made anti-Semitic remarks, the actor has adopted a lower public profile, appearing in a handful of cameo roles in TV shows and films. His last film as a director was the 2006 Mayan period epic "Apocalypto".
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