Throwback: The Strange Rule That Kept Mel Gibson Away From Richard Gere And Denzel Washington

Being three of Hollywood's biggest stars, Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, and Denzel Washington were kept apart by their shared agent, Ed Limato, who enforced strict rules to manage careers and rivalries.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Nov 05, 2024 | 01:03 PM IST | 4.5K

Mel Gibson and Richard Gere (via Getty Images)

Mel Gibson has long been one of Hollywood’s most controversial figures. Known for his roles in Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, and Braveheart, Gibson has a complicated history, both on and off the screen. While his reputation has taken hits over the years due to various controversies, there are some lesser-known stories from his time in Hollywood that continue to intrigue fans.

One such story involves the peculiar rules set by his longtime agent, Ed Limato, which kept Gibson from ever being in the same room as fellow actors Richard Gere and Denzel Washington.

Mel Gibson’s career in the 1980s and 1990s was marked by significant success. During this time, his talent agent, Ed Limato, played a crucial role in shaping his Hollywood journey. Limato was a renowned agent, known for managing some of the biggest names in the industry.

Among his A-list clients were not only Gibson but also Richard Gere and Denzel Washington. However, Limato had a rather unusual rule: he would not allow these three stars to be in the same room together.

Richard Gere (via Getty Images)

Gibson himself spoke about this rule years after Limato’s passing. In an interview with Access Hollywood, he stated, “[Washington] and Richard Gere and I had the same agent, and the agent would never let us all be in the same room at the same time.” This strict separation had nothing to do with the actors personally but was related to Limato’s business approach.

Limato had his reasons for imposing this rule. As Gibson described, it was part of Limato’s way of managing his top-tier clients. “It had something to do with [Limato’s] business,” Gibson said. Limato wanted each of his clients to feel like they were his top priority.

This meant avoiding any situation where two or more of these major stars could compare notes or feel a sense of rivalry. According to Gibson, when visiting Limato’s house, there were other measures taken to boost each actor’s ego.

Limato would rearrange picture frames to highlight whoever was visiting. “When you’d come over his house, he’d change the picture frames from the back to the front to make it look like you were the most important,” Gibson recalled.

Denzel Washington (via Getty Images)

One reason for the separation was that Gibson, Gere, and Washington often competed for the same roles. The three actors were in high demand during the peak of their fame, and they had overlapping appeal when it came to casting directors.

While Gibson didn’t share details about specific roles they all wanted, it’s clear that this competition influenced Limato’s decision to keep them apart. The aim was to prevent any unnecessary tension or awkward encounters that might have impacted their careers.

Years later, after Limato passed away in 2010 following a battle with emphysema, Gibson, Gere, and Washington finally had the chance to come together. The three actors gathered to honor their late agent. Gibson shared that it was the first time they had all been in the same room.

Reflecting on that rare meeting, he said, “We toasted to [Limato] and had a great time.” This reunion was a chance for the actors to reminisce and share memories, finally setting aside the professional rivalry that had once kept them apart.

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