Jodie Foster has defended the casting of Mel Gibson in her new film The Beaver.

The actress, who has been friends with Mel since they starred in the 1994 western Maverick, attended a press conference for the film in Cannes and faced a barrage of questions about the actor who has been accused of racism, homophobia and anti-semitism, and appeared in court this year on a battery charge after a complaint from ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva.

But she insisted the troubled star, who is due in Cannes today to appear at tonight's screening of the film, "was the right actor for the role" and had "a deep understanding of the struggles" faced by the character.

Asked if the film would help rehabilitate him in the eyes of the public and in Hollywood, she said: "I don't know, I have no idea."

She went on: "I know that he is incredibly proud of the movie and I think that he is proud of what he's shown and I think he wants people to see that side of him and he's an incredibly private man so what he shows on screen is deep as you could possibly get".

Jodie said she was not worried film fans, offended by Mel's behaviour, would stay away and said she would not measure the film's success by ticket sales.

But she said she could not "excuse" his behaviour, adding: "Only he can explain that and we are all responsible for our own behaviour but I do know the man that I know and he's been a friend for many, many years".

The Beaver is about a depressed businessman who uses a beaver hand puppet to communicate.