MEL GIBSON - APOCALYPTO ACTOR DEFENDS GIBSON

Actors on the set of MEL GIBSON's new movie APOCALYPTO are rushing to the actor/director's defence as he faces a barrage of criticism following anti-Semitic remarks during a police arrest. The MAD MAX star openly voiced his apparent hatred of Jews as he was being questioned by California police officer JAMES MEE after he was caught speeding through Malibu, California, while drunk. Gibson's comments sent shockwaves through Hollywood, and the Mexican actors who joined the director on the set of his new Mayan film epic are just as stunned. Mexico City-based actor MAURICIO AMUY (corr) became one of Gibson's closest confidantes on the film set - and he insists the image he has of the Hollywood star is nothing like the boozy anti-Semitic character the world's media is currently writing about. Appearing on US news show Extra last night (03AUG06), Amuy said, "I never heard Mel say on the production... 'I hate Jewish (people). "I never saw Mel drunk, maybe he had two or three drinks." The actor admits he bonded with Catholic Gibson because, like him, the movie star is "a fanatic of religion."