He's had his share of controversies and has raised public dislike over the years, so it wasn't the least bit surprising that Mel Gibson sympathized with fellow actor Shia Labeouf's fall from grace.

In a new interview with Indiewire, the Braveheart star said his "heart goes out" to Shia, the 28-year-old Transformers star who was recently arrested for disturbing a June 26 Broadway performance of Cabaret. He was then charged with criminal trespassing and two counts of disruptive behavior.

"When I see someone like Shia LaBeaouf with the bag on his head and stuff, my heart goes out to the poor guy," Gibson lamented to Indiewire, who interviewed him after he accepted a lifetime achievement award at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czech Republic this weekend.

"I think he's suffering in some way," he continues. "Or why would he do that?"

Gibson was probably referring to LaBeaouf appearing at the premiere of his movie Nymphomaniac with a paper bag over his head last February. Scrawled across the bag were the words, 'I Am Not Famous Anymore.'

LaBeaouf has had a number of bizarre appearances following the premiere, and following the Broadway incident, it has been reported that the actor was seeking treatment for addiction.

"It's easy to judge. But I'm sure he's going through some kind of personal, very painful, cathartic thing that he has to exorcise and get out there. He'll probably play it out and come back... whatever it happens to be," Gibson said in the interview. "He'll be all right. I like the kid. I think he's good."

The actor also seemed to relate with the high public interest LaBeaouf has been getting because of the way he was behaving.

"You're a target, and you have to be really adept at tap dancing and dodging the bullets. And sometimes you get hit."

Much like LaBeaouf, Gibson's reputation has been hit with a slew of negativity starting 2006, when he was arrested for drunk driving and making foul-mouthed anti-Semitic remarks to the arresting police officer. Gibson had yelled at the officer: "F*****g Jews... the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?"

He was sentenced to three years probation after pleading no contest to the drunk-driving charge.

He has repeatedly apologized for his actions and misbehavior, and has even sought treatment for alcoholism. Still, Gibson's career continued to suffer hits throughout the years, especially when he was served a restraining order for domestic violence, after he allegedly threatened his former partner, Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva, with whom he shares a daughter, Lucia.

Despite the negative press, Gibson also has his share of actors looking after his back. The Dark Knight Rises actor, Gary Oldman defended Gibson's actions in an interview with Playboy last month.

"He's a good guy," Gibson says of Oldman. "He's fantastic. I know him. He's a good dude."