California Rumor

Mel Gibson is an old hand at fatherhood, which comes as no surprise given he's up to his eighth go-around.

Oksana Grigorieva, the father of Gibson's second daughter, Lucia, says Gibson is a pro: "Mel's very hands-on. He was amazing while he was here for a short visit. He has been very doting and nurturing. He is incredible with children, very kind."

Gibson could only spend three days with the child who was born on October 30. It is his eighth child and Grigorieva's second.

The Russian singer gushed: "He's an amazing person and he treats everybody equally. That's what I know. I know him as a very kind and generous person, embracing his friends and family. He's tremendous as a dad, unbelievable. He's ecstatic. He is very much in love with her already. She just wins people's hearts, she's so beautiful and tiny."

Gibson, 53, was filming The Beaver when he flew to Los Angeles to be at Grigorieva's side for the birth a month ahead of the due date. Gibson missed the birth but he arrived a few hours later and spent three days with his new family before returning to the film set last Monday.

Oksana said: "I was at home then I got rushed into hospital and, eight hours later, I could look at her beautiful face. Mel came just a few hours later because he had to fly from New York."

She added that her relationship with Gibson was solid: "We've always been very spiritually connected and emotionally, too. We've always been very close. Having children is an overwhelming feeling, beautiful."