Moore: 'Gibson quit after White House warnings'
Controversial director Michael Moore claims Mel Gibson backed out of financing his hit documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 after Republican sources told the actor he would never be invited to the White House again.
The explosive Palme D'Or-winning documentary, which examines American President George W Bush's decisions following the 11 September attacks and the run-up to the war in Iraq, was rejected by their original financier Icon, owned by Gibson.
Moore says: "We were just starting the film when I got a call from my agent who said he'd spoken to someone at Icon who was wondering if there was a way to get out of the deal.
"They said they'd received calls from several top Republicans - people connected to the White House. These people made it clear that Mel Gibson wouldn't get any invitations to the White House if they went ahead and financed the film."
Icon dropped the deal soon after, but luckily for Moore, Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein stepped in and saved the day.
