Mel Gibson has apologized for his "thoughtless idiocy" after appearing to mock a deaf American Sign Language interpreter.

The 70-year-old actor has been heavily criticized on social media after a video went viral showing him making exaggerated hand gestures as he walked on stage at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto over the weekend.

Addressing the backlash, he said in a statement: "Sometimes when you get pushed out on a stage in a spotlight your mind is all over the place, and sometimes spontaneous thoughtless idiocy is displayed.

"There was no intended maliciousness attached, and I certainly apologize to anyone who was upset by it."

In the video shared online, the Braveheart star was introduced on stage by moderator Liam Crowley.

As he stepped out in front of the audience, Gibson briefly made his own hand gestures behind the woman's back.

Fans were quick to voice their disapproval online.

One X user wrote: "Always disappointing to see my language mocked. We work hard to get our language recognized and be taken seriously."

Others branded his behavior "despicable", referencing a string of scandals he has faced over the years.

Another user wrote on X: "On point for him. Such a disappointment he turned out to be."

Back in 2006, Gibson was recorded making antisemitic comments while being arrested in Malibu.

According to the police report at the time, he said to the officers: "F****** Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?"

The arresting Sheriff's Deputy, James Mee, was Jewish.

At the time, Gibson wrote to the Anti-Defamation League and said: "There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of Anti-Semitic remark.

"I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge."

Gibson has been working on his upcoming two-part blockbuster The Resurrection of the Christ, which is a sequel to his 2004 film The Passion of the Christ.

In a statement earlier this year, he said: "I'm deeply grateful to my incredibly talented cast and crew for pouring their hearts into this production.

"Together, we created something powerful. This film represents a major part of my life's work, and it has demanded everything of me as a filmmaker and as an artist.

"This is far more than a film to me. It's a mission I've carried for over twenty years to tell what I believe is the most important story in human history.

"Reuniting with many of my original collaborators from The Passion of the Christ - true masters of their craft - allowed us to bring this story to the screen exactly as I envisioned it."