"The Passion" Dies in One of Hollywood's Longest-Standing Marriages

Confession: I love Mel Gibson. I always have.

I stuck with him through his battle with alcohol, his awkward Scottish accent, the controversy surrounding The Passion, and his embarrassing drunken tirade. And so did his wife, Robyn Moore. For almost 30 years. A hero in Hollywood for standing by a Hollywood bad boy, and raising his seven offspring out of the spotlight, Robyn filed for divorce on Thursday.

Most shocking to those of us who don't know the couple personally (which would include, uh, pretty much everybody) is that, according to a response filed by Mel's lawyer, the couple have been officially separated since August 2006, shortly after his reputation-damaging DUI. A quiet sigh of relief can be heard among fans who refused to believe that his recent antics on a beach with a mysterious bikini-clad woman was indication of a covert affair. Nope. He and Robyn were already over.

The couple, married for 28 years, are determined to end their marriage with class and mutual respect. There will be no mud-slinging. With only one minor child (Thomas just turned 9), they'll probably split custody.

If there's anything slightly amusing to be found in the divorce filing, it lies in Robyn asking that Mel not receive spousal support. Considering that he hugely profited from one of the biggest-grossing films of all time, and that she's spent almost three decades raising his beautiful babies at home, it can only be assumed that Mad Max would not be seeking any of her cash.

But a massive payout may be in his future. We're talkin' Spielberg-divorcing-Amy Irving massive. That's what you get for being rich and complicated.

All eyes will now be on Gibson, waiting to see if this no-longer-quite-as-troubled director can keep his act together under yet another intensely personal spotlight.

And while some will be taking bets on divorce settlements, this writer is preoccupied with a far greater Gibson mystery: Where are his twin 26-year-old sons, Edward and Christian? Are they William Wallace lookalikes? And did they inherit their mother's sanity? Please, say it's so. Please.

By Nadine Bells

Nadine Bells, Pop Goes The Culture
		About the author:
		A seasoned Toronto-based writer, Nadine has scattered her musings on entertainment and lifestyle throughout cyberspace. With a post-grad in TV Writing and Producing (she grew up without cable and had to compensate by embracing a television addiction later in life), she offers pop-culture fixes and celebrity scoops exclusive to WOMAN.ca. Her non-writing life features late nights at the piano, eavesdropping at the gym, reenacting scenes from Top Chef in her tiny kitchen, and other quarter-life adventures.
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