There is speculation Mel Gibson could be the father of Jodie Foster's sons.
The actress hit the headlines on Sunday after she spoke about her sexuality in her Golden Globe Awards acceptance speech, insisting she'd done her "coming out" a long time ago.
The star has sons Charles and Kit, but has never confirmed who their father is. She and Gibson are known to be good friends, with the actress standing by the actor during his personal struggles over the last few years.
After she paid tribute to the troubled Hollywood icon in her speech - saying, "Mel Gibson - you know you saved me too," - industry members have started to wonder if he is the boys' father.
"The kids look like him [Gibson] but blonder," an amateur genealogist told New York Post.
The publication reports speculation about the children's paternity is rife in Hollywood, especially as Gibson was sitting with Charles and Kit when Foster took to the stage on Sunday.
The actor has eight children, seven with his ex-wife Robyn and one with his former partner Oksana Grigorieva. Gibson has been largely out of the limelight since his messy split from Grigorieva, during which she accused him of domestic violence and recordings of him making racist remarks were leaked online.
Although much of Hollywood turned its back on Gibson, Foster worked with him on her movie The Beaver at the height of the crisis. While promoting the release in 2011 she called the actor "one of the most loved people in the business" and also asked people to look past his personal issues and concentrate on his work.
"I can go on to say I think he is one of the greatest filmmakers in America that we have. That would be a shame, to never see that voice as a director," she said. "I look forward to anything that he makes whether he's the boom operator, the actor or, especially, the director."
Spokespeople for Foster and Gibson have not commented on the report.
Earlier this week, it was suggested the actress's late friend Randy Stone could be the children's father. His mother gave an interview saying Foster wouldn't tell the boys of their paternity until they turn 21, adding she hopes Stone is their dad.
