Ahead of the curve: Winona Ryder claims nasty anti-Semitic run-in with Mel Gibson in the mid-1990s

By Simon Cable for The Mail on Sunday
Updated: 14:59 EST, 16 December 2010

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Winona Ryder claims she was ahead of the times when it comes to Mel Gibson and his habit of spouting controversial and offensive slurs and jibes.

In fact, the 39-year-old actress says she had a disturbing run in with the veteran Mad Max actor way back in the mid-nineties.

And long before his infamous crazed and drunken 'sugar tits' anti-Semitic rant and the release of voicemails of him allegedly screaming the 'N - word', Winona says she had Gibson's card well and truly marked.

Run-in: Winona Ryder, at the Black Swan New York premiere on November 31, reveals in GQ Magazine she had a nasty encounter with Mel Gibson 15 years ago

'I remember, like, fifteen years ago, I was at one of those big Hollywood parties. And [Gibson] was really drunk,' Ryder, 39, tells the January issue of GQ about the controversial actor, 54.

'I was with my friend, who's gay. [Gibson] made a really horrible gay joke. And somehow it came up that I was Jewish.

'He said something about "oven dodgers," but I didn't get it,' Ryder admits of the slur, an ugly reference to the gas chambers employed to murder millions of Jewish prisoners at the camps during the Holocaust.

Courting controversy: When it comes to scandal Mel Gibson is the gift that just keeps on giving

'I'd never heard that before. It was just this weird, weird moment. I was like, "He's anti-Semitic and he's homophobic." No one believed me!'

Ryder , whose fame was tarnished by a scandal herself, following a shoplifting conviction in 2002 at the height of her career, is back in the spotlight thanks to her role in the critically acclaimed drama Black Swan.

Winona plays a washed-up ageing ballerina in Darren Aronofsky's dark and edgy psycho-thriller.

Ryder admits she could relate to the part of a women struggling to hang on to her prime and her career as she ages in the cut throat, backstabbing world of ballet.

'Being replaced by the young thing --- I know that definitely happens in Hollywood,' the one-time It girl said.

'It's harder to find good roles, and suddenly there's new girls. I'm at that age I've been warned my whole life about.'

Ryder, born Winona Horowitz, is half Jewish and in the past has revealed that many of her relatives died in the Holocaust.

Career reprisal: Winona plays the part of an ageing ballerina in the edgy dark psycho thriller Black Swan

Gibson has a track record of racist and homophobic outbursts and was this year heard hurling abuse at his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva in a vicious assault taped by the Russian singer.

He was heard screaming: ‘You look like a f****** pig in heat, and if you get raped by a pack of n******, it will be your fault.’

The Oscar-winning star was also arrested in California in 2006 after he was caught drink driving.

The devout Roman Catholic was alleged to have told the police officer that stopped him: ‘F****** Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.’

He is then said to have challenged officer James Mee: ‘Are you a Jew?’

In addition, The Passion of the Christ, the 2004 film he directed about the last hours of Jesus’ life, was widely criticised for being anti-Semitic.

Ryder’s comments will be a further blow to Gibson, who is again battling to save his career.

Earlier this year he was axed from the upcoming film The Hangover 2 in favour of Liam Neeson.

It is thought Gibson’s casting triggered a backlash among the cast and crew following the damaging revelations about his private life.

A spokesman for the star refused to comment on the allegations last night.