Hollywood actor Winona Ryder has claimed that Mel Gibson made anti-Semitic comments to her, including calling her an 'oven dodger' - a reference to the Holocaust.
Ryder, who has Jewish heritage, said that the Braveheart actor and director made the comments to her at a party years ago after learning of her Jewish faith.
Gibson's representatives have strongly denied the claims.
Advert
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the 48-year-old Heathers star - who is actually called Winona Laura Horowitz - said: "We were at a crowded party with one of my good friends, and Mel Gibson was smoking a cigar."
Ryder said that when her Jewish heritage was discussed, Gibson said to her: "You're not an oven dodger, are you?"
She further claims Gibson said to her gay friend: "Oh, wait, am I gonna get AIDS?"
Advert
A spokesperson for Gibson told TooFab: "This is 100 percent untrue. She lied about it over a decade ago, when she talked to the press, and she's lying about it now.
"Also, she lied about him trying to apologise to her back then. He did reach out to her, many years ago, to confront her about her lies and she refused to address it with him."
Ryder first revealed her claims against the 64-year-old Gibson in an interview with GQ in 2010. She said: "I was at one of those big Hollywood parties. And [Gibson] was really drunk.
"I was with my friend, who's gay. [Gibson] made a really horrible gay joke. And somehow it came up that I was Jewish. He said something about 'oven dodgers,' but I didn't get it.
Advert
"It was just this weird, weird moment. I was like, 'He's anti-Semitic and he's homophobic.' No one believed me!"
A statement received from Ryder's representatives read: "I believe in redemption and forgiveness and hope that Mr. Gibson has found a healthy way to deal with his demons, but I am not one of them.
"Around 1996, my friend Kevyn Aucoin and I were on the receiving end of his hateful words.
"It is a painful and vivid memory for me. Only by accepting responsibility for our behavior in this life, can we make amends and truly respect each other, and I wish him well on this lifelong journey."
Advert
Gibson has been in trouble in the past for making racist and homophobic outbursts.
He was arrested in 2006 in California for drink-driving, and allegedly told the arresting officer: "F***ing Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."
Gibson is then alleged to have asked the officer: "Are you a Jew?"
Advert
Way back in 1991, he also made comments to Spanish newspaper El Pais that attracted criticism for being homophobic.
He asked: "With this look, who's going to think I'm gay?
"Do I look like a homosexual? Do I talk like them? Do I move like them?"
Gibson also pleaded no contest to charges of misdemeanour battery against his then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, and was heard abusing her with racist language in 2010.
In a recording made by Grigorieva, Gibson could be heard screaming: You look like a f***ing pig in heat, and if you get raped by a pack of n******, it will be your fault."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: TV and Film, Celebrity, US Entertainment