Mel Gibson has been left ‘gutted’ by the shock loss of his ‘secret love’ actress who perished on April 17 – days after a tragic swimming pool accident.
The Oscar-winning actor and father-of-nine, 70, who confirmed his split from partner Rosalind Ross in December 2025, has been rocked by the loss of his co-star Nadia Fares, four years after they starred together in 2022 thriller, On The Line.
On April 11, Fares, 57, was found unconscious in the swimming pool of a luxury gym in Paris and rushed to the hospital, where she was placed in a medically induced coma.
Six days later, she went into cardiac arrest and lost her life at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital, the same medical center where Princess Diana died.
Now an insider has exclusively opened up to the Daily Mail about Gibson’s ‘tremendous bond’ with Fares – and hinted the pair’s relationship had spilled into love for Gibson before Fares’ death.
The source said: ‘Mel has been enamored with many women in his lifetime, and Nadia Fares is no question one of the women in his life that he has so much love and respect for their work together and their unbreakable friendship.
Mel Gibson has been left ‘gutted’ by the shock loss of his ‘secret love’ actress who perished in a tragic swimming pool accident on April 17 – pictured with Nadia Fares at the French Open in 2021
The Oscar-winning actor and father-of-nine, 70, has been rocked by the loss of his co-star Fares, four years after they starred together in 2022 thriller, On The Line – pictured 2021 filming in Paris with Fares
‘He may have cared for her more than she cared for him, but they had a tremendous bond that makes her passing such an incredible loss.
‘He is gutted that she is gone so young. He didn’t have this happening on his timeline at all. It is even more devastating than one would expect. He cared for her deeply.’
Gibson led the cast of On The Line as a radio shock jock while Fares held a supporting role as his producer.
The pair forged a notably close bond on set with gleeful photos showing the actors embracing as they filmed in Paris in 2021.
Gibson and Fares had also recently reunited on a project, with the actress seen visiting the director on the set of The Resurrection of the Christ, the sequel to 2004 hit, The Passion of the Christ.
The Daily Mail has contacted Gibson’s representatives for comment and has yet to hear back.
The Braveheart star had previously shared warm sentiments about Fares, branding her a ‘force of nature.’
He said: ‘She is an actress gifted with a rare sensitivity and an elegance that illuminates every scene. Working with her on On the Line was a privilege, very professional and with a genuine kindness even off-set.’
Gibson has lately been in Rome working on The Resurrection of the Christ, the two-part follow-up to his 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ.
Gibson led the cast of On The Line as a radio shock jock while Fares held a supporting role as his producer – pictured in the film
On April 11, Fares was found unconscious in the swimming pool of a luxury gym in Paris and rushed to the hospital, where she was placed in a medically induced coma; pictured 2023
Now an insider has exclusively opened up to the Daily Mail about Gibson’s ‘tremendous bond’ with Fares – and hinted the pair’s relationship had spilled into love for Gibson before Fares’ death – pictured with Fares left, Nathalie Pechalat and Jean Dujardin in 2021
Gibson and Fares were seen happily posing together in a recent snap taken in Rome where Gibson is filming The Passion of the Christ sequel, The Resurrection of the Christ
Fares was at an upscale sports club near Montmartre on Saturday, April 11 when the horrifying swimming pool incident unfolded.
She had reportedly been taking laps before losing consciousness, with the prosecutor’s office stating she was found in a yoga position at the bottom of the pool.
While waiting for the emergency services to arrive, another swimmer attempted to resuscitate the Franco-Moroccan actress by performing CPR.
Fares had undergone an operation to treat a brain aneurysm in 2007, and once revealed that she had three heart surgeries in the space of four years.
Her death was announced by her daughters Cylia and Shana Chasman, whom she shared with her estranged husband, American producer Steve Chasman.
‘It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Nadia Fares this Friday,’ the said in a statement released the day she died. ‘France has lost a great artist, but for us, it is above all a mother we have just lost.’
Fares and her former husband tied the knot in 2002 and lived together in Los Angeles before splitting in 2022, after which she moved back to France.
Gibson confirmed his split from partner of nine years Rosalind Ross, 35, in December 2025 – the pair share son Lars, nine, pictured 2019
Prior to his romance with Ross, he was married to Robyn Moore for 31 years from 1980-2011, with the pair welcoming seven children together – pictured 1990
After separating from Moore in 2009, Gibson began dating Russian songwriter and pianist Oksana Grigorieva, and they welcomed their daughter Lucia in 2009 – pictured 2010
‘By following my husband to Los Angeles, I really needed to build a family of my own, to devote all my time to it,’ she once remarked.
Gibson and his longtime love Ross announced in December 2025 that they had quietly split a year prior. They share son, Lars, nine.
Prior to his romance with Ross, he was married to Robyn Moore for 31 years from 1980-2011, with the pair welcoming seven children together.
After separating from Moore in 2009, Gibson began dating Russian songwriter and pianist Oksana Grigorieva, and they welcomed their daughter Lucia in 2009.
Gibson and Grigorieva split the following year after the actor admitted to a battery charge filed by his ex.
Lucia was caught in a bitter custody battle, which at one point became so severe her parents once held restraining orders against each other.
Gibson began dating equestrian and screenwriter Ross in 2014.
Fares shot to fame in the 2000 cop thriller The Crimson Rivers, starring Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno and directed by La Haine filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz.
Her films included Everyone’s Life, a 2017 comedy from A Man and a Woman director Claude Lelouch led by Jean Dujarin of The Artist fame, as well as The Nest, a 2002 thriller starring The Piano Teacher actor Benoit Magimel.
Netflix viewers could see her as the ruthless power player Vanessa d’Abrantes on the political drama Marseille, starring Magimel opposite Gerard Depardieu.
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