The Year of Living Dangerously

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: At one point there's blood spraying from a man's head. Some people might find it funny because of the old Monty Python bit: It's just a flesh wound!
MEL GIBSON: [Laughs] You're right. Did you ever see Annie Hall? Woody Allen is standing in a movie line, arguing. And Marshall McLuhan comes in and is like, ''Hi, I'm Marshall McLuhan,'' and wins the debate for him. Then Woody turns to the camera and says, ''Boy, if life were only like this.'' That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. So I'm at a screening in New Mexico and I showed Apocalypto, and this lady puts up her hand and says, ''That blood spurting — come on, that is just so fake. It's absolute rubbish.'' And I'm thinking, ''Oh, s---, maybe she's right.'' And all of a sudden this guy from the back of the room says, ''Excuse me. I'm a doctor.'' And he comes down and says: ''It's the such-and-such artery, and it runs along the base of the temple, and that is exactly what would happen.'' I looked at the lady and said to myself, ''You bet your ass, lady.''

You're identified primarily as a director now. Have you decided to give up acting altogether?
I haven't resigned or anything. [But I did it] for 30 years…. Martin Scorsese sent me the script from the last film he did, The Departed. I thought it was fantastic. I was like, ''S---, how come you always give me the good script when I'm about to go into production?'' But I enjoy making movies more than acting. There's something kind of squirrelly about acting. Just the assured knowledge that in 10 years' time, you will look at [your performance] and go, ''Oh, what was I thinking?'' Road Warrior wasn't so squirrelly because it was so minimal. Whatever happened he was like [makes stony Mad Max face]. I think what you have to do is not work too often. You don't want to inflict yourself on the public too much. ''Not him again.'' You've got to walk away.

Well, it's not like you've disappeared from public view as a director. You've never been under more scrutiny.
You're a caged animal all the time. Wherever you go, there are photographers. Everyone's got a phone. It's a nightmare. You're getting the valet ticket and — bang — it's flash, flash, flash. And it registers immediately in the animal part of your brain — it's an instant fight-or-flight thing. You feel in danger and threatened. You could end up striking or injuring someone. They'll also use very offensive language when you're walking down the line at premieres: ''Who's that stupid slut on your arm? Couldn't you find a slag better than that?'' And it's your wife. They're not nice people.

What do you do to release tension now? This is not a laid-back career.
Fishing. [Laughs] Nah. Stress relief. Meditation. I just sit there and be quiet and think. It's good. It's about getting most things out of your head.

You meditate? You can actually stay on one thought? Come on.
I can try.