Mel Gibson to Shia LaBeouf: ‘My heart goes out to the poor guy’

The Braveheart actor sympathises with LaBeouf over his recent erratic behaviour

Mel Gibson is 'a very dangerous man,' according to his own mother (Reuters)

Mel Gibson added his perspective to Shia LaBeouf’s recent troubles.

While Gibson may not be the natural name that springs to mind when it comes to enduring wisdom, he has been through his own fair share of controversies – including making an anti-Semitic slur back in 2006 (which he wishes we'd all just forget about).

In 2010, his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva considered seeking a restraining order barring him from going near her and her daughter over an alleged domestic violence incident, but she later decided to drop it.

LaBeouf has been involved in a string of questionable incidents over the past few months, culminating in voluntary treatment for alcohol addiction.

But, if it’s any consolation to him, he has the sympathies of Braveheart actor Gibson.

“When I see someone like Shia LaBeouf with the bag on his head and stuff, my heart goes out to the poor guy,” said Gibson. “I think he's suffering in some way. Or why would he do that?”

LaBeouf was arrested in June after disrupting a Broadway production of Cabaret, starring Michelle Williams. He was charged with harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing after he began yelling at security guards and even slapping Alan Cumming’s bottom. He was handcuffed by officers and led away tearfully.

He was released on 27 June and will appear in court over the incident on 24 July.

“People are inclined to sort of point the finger at him and say like, well, he's this, that, or the other,” Gibson continued. “It's easy to judge. But I'm sure he's going through some kind of personal, very painful, cathartic thing that he has to exorcise and get out there. He'll probably play it out and come back… Whatever it happens to be.”

Over the past few years, LaBeouf has been arrested three times – once for criminal trespassing, another for assault with a deadly weapon and also for drink-driving.

His erratic behaviour reached a crescendo in February when he wore a brown paper bag, over his head to the premiere of Lars von Trier film Nyphomaniac, featuring the words: ‘I am not famous anymore.’

In January, he announced that he was retiring from public life after being accused of plagiarising graphic novelist Daniel Clowes' work in a short film called Howard Cantour.com that he made for Cannes Film Festival last year.

“He'll be all right,” Gibson told Indie Wire. “I actually like the kid. I think he's good.”