It’s easy for us to mock someone like Mel Gibson, who continually and publicly humiliates himself by yelling sexist and/or anti-Semitic and violent comments at women. The situation is pretty ridiculous, but refusing to join in is Gibson’s long-time friend and Maverick co-star Jodie Foster.

Gibson first shouted sexist comments at a female officer during a DUI arrest in 2006, and recently spouted off some mega-racist comments to his now ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. Foster recently spoke to MORE magazine and had a few choice things to say about Mel that might help pull his good name back out of the gutter.

Mel is honest, loyal, kind, but alcoholism has been a lifelong struggle for him and his family. I just wish I had been there, that I had been able to say, 'Don't do it, don't take that drink.’

Foster worked with Gibson on her latest directorial effort The Beaver, in which Mel plays a man who keeps a beaver puppet on his hand at all times and treats it like a real living creature. According to Foster it is one of his most powerful performances yet, so we at least know that despite bad press and his name being dragged through the mud, Mel Gibson is a resilient son of a bitch with a drive to be a part of the industry he helped shape.

As it is, recently released email correspondences between Gibson and Grigorieva show that they are amiable, a good sign for Mad Max. Things are a little less clear for The Beaver, which had been scheduled for a fall release by Summit Entertainment before Gibson's string of offensive phone calls were leaked. With Foster standing behind Gibson he might be able to rehabilitate his public image in time for the movie to be released this year-- but be honest, are you ready to see him play a leading man again?

Head on over to MORE for the rest of the article.