He also landed himself in trouble in 2010 when his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva
claimed the 'What Women Want' actor had punched her and broke her teeth.
She then released secretly recorded audio in which Mel allegedly went on another racially-charged tirade.
His troubled personal life led to the 'Hacksaw Ridge' filmmaker stepping out of the public eye, and he has been "working on" himself and spending quality time with his other children, Hannah, 36, Christian and Edward, both 34, William, 31, Louis, 28, Milo, 26, and Thomas, 17 - who he has from his marriage to Robyn Moore - as well as six-year-old Luna with Oksana.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Well, the last ten years have been interesting. I don't feel like this is some kind of comeback for me, I just feel like it's good. It's the first time for a long time that I've stepped back into the saddle as a director, and it's kind of like riding a bike.
"I worked on myself and I feel great. And I am glad to be back and I am fortunate. I feel pretty cooled out and stuff doesn't matter the way it used to. So I feel good and healthy, I have done the work and I feel pretty fit...
"I dabbled in acting here and there, so it wasn't all bad. And I also got a chance to perfect my fly fishing technique, be a pretty hands-on dad and work on myself. You have got to try to progress."
And because of his career highs and lows, Mel knows not to make too many plans or take things for granted.
He said: "The future is uncertain but I kind of like that.
"There is nothing carved in stone and there are all sorts of possibilities, which is nice. But as we know the best laid plans of mice and men usually go awry, so I am prepared for whatever comes along.
"The only thing I can do is just take care of myself because nothing is going to work out the way I want it. It never does, right?"
- Bang! Showbiz
