This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Mel Gibson ‘Doing Great’ After Being Hospitalised With COVID-19

The Braveheart star is the latest high profile figure to test positive for coronavirus.

Mel Gibson spent a week in hospital fighting COVID-19, it has been revealed.

A rep for the Australian actor confirmed the 64-year-old spent a week in a Los Angeles hospital in April after testing positive for the virus.

The ‘Lethal Weapon’ star has completely recovered and is doing “great” according to his representative, who also confirmed the actor has tested negative “numerous times” since then.

Mel Gibson
Michael Tran via Getty Images
Mel Gibson

Gibson is the latest in a long string of high profile figures to go public with coronavirus diagnoses and recoveries including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Idris Elba and the singer Pink.

Earlier this month, Tom Hanks said he felt like a “canary in the coalmine” after he became one of the first famous people to test positive for coronavirus.

The Forrest Gump star and his wife Rita Wilson spent three days in an Australian hospital after being diagnosed with the virus in March.

Speaking to the Australian publication Stellar, Tom said that “no-one is safe” from the illness.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
MediaPunch Inc./MediaPunch/IPx
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

When asked about being one of the early celebrities to test positive for the virus, he said: “I was the canary in the coalmine for some of this, for sure.

“But now we are once again at the place where there is no guarantee of immunity, from the information I’ve read.

“We are not done with this. In fact we are right smack-dab in the middle.”

He continued: “When we were told we were found positive, we thought, ‘What? What did we win?’ Then you’re given the facts.”

Tom and Rita contracted COVID-19 while in Australia as Tom was working on an Elvis Presley biopic.

The pair subsequently recovered and were able to return to the US.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.