BRAVEHEART actor Mel Gibson is on holiday with his family in the northern region of Asturias, and tells reporters he is fascinated by the history of the area and is planning to take a tour across the neighbouring regions.
Gibson, 63, was photographed arriving at a well-known – but undisclosed – hotel in the regional capital, Oviedo, late last week and spoke to journalists on the Asturias daily newspaper, La Nueva España.
“I've always been intrigued about the figure of Don Pelayo,” the What Women Want actor revealed.
Don Pelayo, known in the Anglophone world by his Latin name, Pelagius of Asturias, was reported to be the first monarch of the Kingdom of Asturias, was born in 685 and died in 737.
He is widely thought to have been the person who started the Reconquista, or the Christian reconquest of Spain from the Moors, as a result of his victory in the Battle of Covadonga.
“[Pelayo] brought his people together,” Gibson said.
“We tend to tell many stories about legends and things that are not true, and what he did was an historic feat.”
The New York-born star says he 'would not rule out' making a film about Pelagius of Asturias, because 'the story is a very attractive one'.
He says he and his family plan to visit 'various enclaves' of the north of Spain during their holidays.
Photograph by Asturias regional television channel, TPA
