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Jodie Foster is standing by friend and co-star Mel Gibson.
The 47-year-old actress - who directed and co-stars with Mel in upcoming dramedy The Beaver - defended the troubled 54-year-old, who is currently embroiled in a legal battle with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva
Jodie told US More magazine: "When you love a friend, you don't abandon them when they are struggling."
She added: "Of course, Mel is an undeniably gifted actor and director, and The Beaver is one of his most powerful and moving performances. But more importantly, he is and has been a true and loyal friend. I hope I can help him get through this dark moment."
The pair previously worked together in 1994, on Western comedy Maverick.
Jodie said Mel was the "easiest, nicest person I've ever worked with" adding"the second I met him, I said, 'I will love this man for the rest of my life.' "
The Beaver sees Mel play a suburban husband and toy-company chief executive who rescues himself from catatonic depression by using a beaver puppet to speak through.
His family, including Jodie as his wife, have to learn to tolerate his strange behaviour as he recovers from his breakdown.
Jodie admitted the risky project had been an: "enormous, enormous, enormous emotional challenge for me."
