Zach Galifianakis in “deep protest” over Mel Gibson’s cameo in Hangover 2?

UPDATE: Well, it looks like Zach’s “protest” worked! Mel Gibson will no longer be cameo’ing in THE HANGOVER 2 according to TMZ. Director Todd Phillips said: “I thought Mel would have been great in the movie and I had the full backing of Jeff Robinov and his team. But I realize filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew.”

Zach Galifianakis is currently filming THE HANGOVER 2 along with original stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha. But while contractual obligations signed before THE HANGOVER became a huge hit is requiring Galifianakis to star in the film, that doesn’t mean he has to like it. The comedian recently guested on the Comedy Death Ray podcast earlier this month and talked to Scott Auckerman (who, along with Galifianakis, writes the popular “Between Two Ferns” series) about his participation in the film.

“A movie you’re acting in, you don’t have a lot of control — you just show up and vomit your lines out. I’m not the boss. I’m in a deep protest right now with a movie I’m working on, up in arms about something. But I can’t get the guys to [listen] … I’m not making any leeway.”

Galifianakis refused to get into specifics but told Auckerman, “I’ll tell you about it later. It’s very frustrating.” Word round the campfire is that Galifianakis is taking specific issue with yesterday’s news that Mel Gibson would be filming a cameo in the film.

Exactly who the “guys” are that aren’t listening to Galifianakis remains unclear, but director Todd Phillips is about to begin press for DUE DATE and I imagine this topic might come up once or twice…