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Octo-Mel's Split Personality

Is Mel Gibson a devout man of God or an anti-Semite? Devoted father of seven or a middle-aged guy about to have an eighth child with his Russian girlfriend? Kim Masters on what his year of living dangerously could cost his career. Plus: VIEW OUR GALLERY of Octo-Mel’s family album.

Published May 26 2009 6:59PM EDT

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson_28616_bb4ytd — Kevin Winter / Getty Images

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson_28616_txx44a — Mel Gibson and his girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, make their first red carpet appearance at the screening of 20th Century Fox's X-Men Origins: Wolverine on April 28 in Los Angeles. Mel assured Leno that Grigorieva is 39 years old and not 20, as Jay implied.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson---leno_kexwhi — Gibson during his candid interview on The Tonight Show with host Jay Leno on May 25. The Aussie actor sheepishly revealed his girlfriend is pregnant--making it baby number eight for Mel.
AP Photo

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson_28618_ycs37a — Gibson and his son with soon-to-be ex-wife Robyn attend a Los Angeles Lakers game on November 18, 2007, in Los Angeles.
Noel Vasquez / Getty Images

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson---children_unzgff — Mel and his wife Robyn have seven children: Hannah, Edward, Christian, Willie, Milo, Louis, and Thomas.
Zuma Press

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson---children-shopping_f55wfv — Mel Gibson and two of his children, Hannah and Thomas, spent a weekend before Christmas shopping in Malibu.
Harris Bebey, LEP / Splash

galleries/2009/05/26/octo-mel-s-split-personality/masters-mel-gibson---wife-robyn_p1lxlt — Gibson and his wife Robyn at the 69th annual Academy Awards. She recently filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage.
Steve Granitz, WireImages / Getty Images