Mel Gibson almost blew his directorial debut with 1995's "Braveheart" — by flipping out and throwing an ashtray
through a wall while screaming at executives! It's the latest Hollywood scandal unearthed in the leaked manuscript of "Leading Lady," according to reports about the insider tell-all that also exposed
Angelina Jolie and
her big-screen drug tests. The book looks back at the career of Paramount head Sherry Lansing, whose executives were lucky to keep their own heads while dealing with the volatile actor!
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Mel now confirms the shocking story — as a production head looks back at the early negotiations for "Braveheart," when the director/star decided that studio brass weren't putting up enough money. "He grabbed a large glass ashtray,” recalled agent Jeff Berg, "and threw it through the wall. He threw the ashtray through the wall!" Said the chastened star: "I was kind of upset, probably a little over the top. It was all posturing bullsh*t."
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And in a true Hollyweird twist, Mel's outburst actually helped him get what he wanted for his directorial debut! Just a week later, Paramount agreed to shell out more money for the historical epic, while also cutting back the studio's distribution fee. The tale about the Scottish revolt against King Edward I of England paid off, too — winning the Oscar for Best Picture, plus the Academy Award for Mel Gibson as Best Director!
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