EXCLUSIVE: Real Reason Revealed For 69-Year-Old Mel Gibson's Shock Split From Rosalind Ross, 35 — And Why It's ALL About Religion
Mel Gibson's focus on his upcoming film may have been too much for Rosalind Ross.
Dec. 31 2025, Published 7:55 p.m. ET
Mel Gibson has split from his longtime partner Rosalind Ross after nine years together – and sources now told RadarOnline.com the actor's "all-consuming" focus on his new Christ epic became a breaking point that ultimately pushed their relationship beyond repair.
Gibson, 69, and Rosalind Ross, 35, quietly separated about a year ago but have continued to co-parent their eight-year-old son, Lars. In a joint statement released this week, the former couple said: "Although it's sad to end this chapter in our lives, we are blessed with a beautiful son and will continue to be the best parents possible."
'Nothing Else Mattered'
Gibson has ended his relationship with Ross after nine years.
Friends of the pair tell us the strain intensified as Gibson devoted himself almost entirely to The Resurrection of the Christ, his long-gestating sequel to The Passion of the Christ.
A source close to the situation claimed, "Mel became completely consumed by this project. It isn't just work – it is now an obsession. He has been away constantly, mentally elsewhere even when he was home, and it created a distance that Rosalind couldn't bridge."
The insider added Ross, who met Gibson in 2014 when she was recruited by his production company as a co-writer, initially supported his creative ambitions.
"At first she admired the scale of what he was trying to do," the insider claimed. "But over time, it felt relentless. The film dominated everything – their conversations, schedules, and his priorities. There was a sense that nothing else mattered, and that became unsustainable."
Rosalind Ross Was 'Emotionally Drained'
Sources claimed Gibson's obsession with his upcoming 'Passion' sequel created distance at home.
Ross, a former equestrian champion who won gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, has built her own career as a screenwriter and director.
She wrote and directed Father Stu, starring Gibson and Mark Wahlberg, and has projects in development, including Black Sam and Barbarian, described as a female-led Braveheart.
Insiders said she increasingly felt sidelined by her filmmaking partner despite their shared love of movies.
"She had her own career and goals, but Mel's focus narrowed almost entirely to this single project," the source claimed. "Living with that level of intensity became emotionally draining."
Gibson's Spiritual Journey
Gibson admitted the project challenged him in an interview with Joe Rogan.
The separation comes as controversy swirls around The Resurrection of the Christ, which is split into two parts and due for release in 2027.
The casting of Polish actress Kasia Smutniak, 46, as the Virgin Mary has sparked backlash in Poland over her pro-abortion views, while Gibson himself has described the project as hugely ambitious and potentially impossible.
Appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast earlier this year, Gibson said: "I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels… you need to go to h---."
He admitted the film was "not going to be easy" and said he was unsure if he could "pull it off." Another source said Gibson's intensity around the film affected his family life.
"This is far from a typical film schedule," they added. "There has been endless planning, revising, and spiritual focus. Rosalind felt he was driving himself to extremes, and that kind of obsession is very difficult to share a life with."
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Sources claim Gibson’s devotion to the film ultimately damaged the relationship.
The breakup also revives scrutiny of Gibson's turbulent personal history.
He was married to Robyn Moore Gibson from 1980 to 2011 and shares seven children with her. His later relationship with singer Oksana Grigorieva ended amid a highly publicized domestic violence case, to which he pleaded no contest in 2011.
Despite past scandals, Gibson has spoken publicly about self-reflection, once joking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he would tell his younger self to "shut the f--- up."
Those close to him say the new film has reawakened an uncompromising side. "Mel sees this film as the defining work of his life," a source said. "But that all-consuming focus is precisely what ended up damaging his relationship."
