Mel Gibson - Livewire real lives Author:Julia Holt Mel Gibson was the 6th child in a family of 10. He was called Mad Mel in school, because he was always in trouble. Then he went to acting school and later made his first film, Mad Max. Mel continues to be successful not only as an actor but also as a director, truning out films such as Braveheart, The Man Without a Face, and Conspiracy Theory