Mel Gibson: What You Probably Don't Know About His Money

Most of us have spent a great deal of time hearing the most shocking details of the relationship between the actor Mel Gibson and his child's mother, Oksana Grigorieva. Gibson, who made quite a name for himself as an actor, has made an even bigger name for himself as the man who said his ex-girlfriend would be at fault if she were "raped by a pack of ni**ers." What most of you probably don't know is that if Gibson had played his cards correctly, he could have been at a point where it didn't matter if we saw his movies or not, since he'd be loaded to the eyeballs in money regardless.

OK, here is what Mel Gibson did right financially that would have put him in a position where he wouldn't have to care if his movie career lasts or not. In 2004, he self-financed a little old film called 'The Passion of the Christ.' This film earned him over $610 million through box offices around the world. This led to his 2005 income of $185 million, making him the third most powerful celebrity in all of Hollywood. Not only did Gibson have money, he also had power. There was no need for him to sit around hoping for an audition to be in another film project, for he could make himself the star whenever he pleased.

Power and control represent lessons that can be learned by many of us in the black community, who are still finding out that wealth and ownership come with the perk of not having to depend on other people to get the things you need. Athletes and entertainers can learn from this as well, and it is clear that ownership and institution-building are the best anti-racism tools in America. Black unemployment would not be so high if we owned many of the businesses that are giving (or not giving) jobs to people in our community.

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Blaxploitation Era Icons: Where Are They Now?

Pam Grier: Now
Following a strong supporting role as Steven Seagal's detective partner in 1988's 'Above the Law,' Grier received critical acclaim in the title role in Quentin Tarantino's 1997 film 'Jackie Brown,' which led to a Screen Actors Guild nomination for outstanding performance by an actress in a leading role. Since 2004, she has starred in the Showtime television series 'The L Word' as Kit Porter.

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Blaxploitation Era Icons: Where Are They Now?

Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs: Now
Hilton-Jacobs would later gain more recognition for his portrayal of Joseph Jackson in ABC's highly rated miniseries 'The Jacksons: An American Dream.' He has also guest starred on TV shows such as 'Moesha,' 'Girlfriends' and 'That's So Raven.'

Blaxploitation Era Icons: Where Are They Now?

Antonio Fargas: Now
Fargas continues to act today and has appeared on TV's 'Everyone Hates Chris' for the last few seasons. His son, Justin, is a running back for the Oakland Raiders. Fargas is slated to appear in the film 'Once Fallen' alongside Taraji P. Henson and Ed Harris.

Blaxploitation Era Icons: Where Are They Now?

Fred Williamson: Now
Williamson is still working as an actor, most notably working alongside George Clooney in 1995's 'From Dusk Til Dawn' and 2004's 'Starsky and Hutch' with Snoop Dogg.

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Ken Norton: Now
Norton appeared in more than 20 films and had roles on 'Knight Rider' and 'The A-Team.' He retired from boxing in 1981 and watched his son, Ken Norton, Jr., play in the NFL and win Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.

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Jayne Kennedy
Long before Halle Berry was crowned Miss Ohio in 1986, Kennedy was the first African American woman to win the title in 1970. After a series of supporting roles in numerous films, she starred with then-husband Leon Isaac Kennedy in the 1981 movie 'Body and Soul,' a shattering story of corruption, violence and temptation.

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Jayne Kennedy: Now
Following her divorce, Kennedy did limited acting before marrying actor Bill Overton in 1985 and becoming a mother of three daughters. She has also worked for the Children's Miracle Network, where she raised millions for several hospitals.

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Paula Kelly: Now
Kelly stopped appearing in films in the late '70s and guest starred in a variety of television movies and sitcoms, including 'Sanford and Son,' 'Golden Girls,' 'Good Times,' 'Any Day Now,' and the Oprah Winfrey-produced 'The Women of Brewster Place.'

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Curtis Mayfield
One of the best soundtracks of the blaxploitation era came from this Chicago native. His music to the 1972 film 'Super Fly,' which starred Ron O'Neal as a drug dealer trying to go legit, had a few singles that landed atop the music charts including 'Freddie's Dead' and the title track to the movie.

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Curtis Mayfield: Now
In 2003, the album was ranked 69th on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. On Aug. 13, 1990, Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him at an outdoor concert in New York City. Mayfield was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 1999, along with Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Dusty Springfield and George Martin. He died later that year on Dec. 26.

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Now, here is what you do not want to learn from Mel Gibson. In spite of the fact that Gibson was, at one time, reportedly worth nearly a billion dollars, he seemed to think that he was made of money. First, his wife of 27-years, Robyn, walked away with a reported $400 million after their divorce. That's what happens when you're a wealthy Hollywood actor without a prenup. Then, there is the five million he claims to have spent on his new girlfriend to help launch her music career. Additionally, he has eight kids to feed, along with all the other people to whom he is financially committed. So, like the late Michael Jackson, Gibson has leveraged himself exhaustively to the point that he needs to earn millions each year just to stay afloat.

In fact, in Gibson's own words spoken in the politely recorded audio his ex-girlfriend has given to the media: "Because of you, I had to sell the mother----ers [,referring to his Lakers box seats]." He then went on to say "I don't have any f---ing money! I have to support you and everybody else! I have to sell paintings. I have to sell my box at the Lakers game... I spent more than $5 million on you! ... Say thank you now!"

Let's be clear, Gibson is a highly disturbed human being. What can be learned from him, however, is that wealth building and ownership are keys to your freedom, no matter how you use it. Had Gibson managed his personal life a bit more carefully, he could have been in a very good position financially, no matter how many fans he has lost. What can also be learned from Gibson is that if you don't manage your personal life and over-leverage yourself economically, you can be in an even worse position than you would be if you were poor. You can learn a lot from the mistakes of other people. Mel unfortunately gives us way too many examples of what not to do.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.