Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He is mostly known for his roles in action movies. Some of his most famous roles are in "Mad Max" (1979), "Gallipoli" (1981), "The Bounty" (1984), "Lethal Weapon" (1987), and "Braveheart" (1995). He directed "The Passion of the Christ" in 2004. He loosely based it on the visions of St. Catherine Emmerich.