Superstar Mel Gibson was greeted by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the opening of National Institute for Dramatic Art in Sydney
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been spotted rubbing shoulders with Hollywood actor Mel Gibson as they braced the red carpet together.
Appearing at the National Institute for Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Kensington, south-east of Sydney, the pair greeted ahead of the opening of the new graduate school on Sunday.
‘You look fabulous,’ Mr Turnbull was heard saying to the American star.
Speaking in front of a packed auditorium, the high-profile actor and director spoke candidly about one of his fondest reminiscence when he was a student at the highly respected drama school. He recalled the moment he was hit by a car when he was on his way to a dance and movement class, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. ‘What happened was kind of miraculous … I went about 40 feet through the air … then centrifugal force took over and I began to spin,’ Mr Gibson said.
Addressing the audience, PM Malcolm Turnbull said: “The opening of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) Graduate School provides a much needed ‘creative and cultural hub’ for mid-career and upskilling artists.”
“The Graduate School will lead Australia into a new era of training in performing arts ensuring we remain productive, creative and competitive in a global market,” he said.
The Australian Government provided $6.8 million in capital works funding to NIDA, which included support for the Graduate School. This funding was complemented by business and philanthropic support leveraged by NIDA, PM informed.
NIDA is one of Australia’s seven national elite performing arts training institutions and is regarded as one of the world’s top 10 actor training schools.
“We expect the best of our artists and arts organisations and to help them succeed and compete internationally we must ensure they have access to the infrastructure they need. The NIDA Graduate School directly ensures Australia invests in our artistic talent and helps develop our next generation of actors, policy makers, festival and artistic directors” PM Turbull maintained.
He also acknowledged that NIDA has produced some of Australia’s most successful and recognised performing artists, whether on our screens and stages, or taking leading roles behind the scenes.
