"We all says those things: Gary Oldman
"We all says those things: Gary OldmanReuters

Prominent British actor Gary Oldman has caused a storm of controversy by defending Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic tirade in 2006.

In an expletive-filled interview to Playboy - which also saw him defend Hollywood star Alec Baldwin's use of the word "fag" as an insult - Oldman dismissed Gibson's infamous comments about Jews by claiming "we've all said those things".

"He got drunk and said a few things, but we’ve all said those things," he claimed. "We’re all f-----g hypocrites. That’s what I think about it."

"The policeman who arrested him has never used the word n----- or that f-----g Jew?" he continued. "I’m being brutally honest here. It’s the hypocrisy of it that drives me crazy.

"Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run by Jews and he said the wrong thing because he’s actually bitten the hand that I guess has fed him. But some Jewish guy in his office somewhere hasn’t turned and said, 'That f-----g kraut' or 'F--- those Germans,' whatever it is?"

The incident in question occurred after Gibson was stopped by a police officer for drunk-driving, at which point he asked if the arresting officer was Jewish. Upon hearing that he was responded "F***ing Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."

Despite apologizing, Gibson's career has since gone into free-fall, particularly since anti-Semitism allegations had already been raised over his 2004 movie "The Passion of Christ", which was seen as reinforcing anti-Semitic stereotypes of Jews.

Realizing too late that his comments may have been somewhat over the top, Oldman remarked: "So this interview has gone very badly... You have to edit and cut half of what I've said, because it's going to make me sound like a bigot."

But despite it all, Oldman apparently sees himself as a moral compass, railing against what he said was the moral decay of society.

"Culturally, politically, everywhere you look. I look at the world, I look at our leadership and I look at every aspect of our culture and wonder what will make it better. I have no idea. Any night of the week you only need to turn on one of these news channels and watch for half an hour. Read the newspaper. Go online. Our world has gone to hell."