Mel Gibson's 26-year-old girlfriend is pregnant

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Actor and director Mel Gibson is poised to become a father for the ninth time.

People magazine said Rosalind Ross, his girlfriend of two years, is pregnant and expected to give birth in early 2017.

"Mel and Rose are so excited about the baby," a friend told the publication. "Mel loves being a dad and he and Rose can't wait to be parents together. The last two years have been some of his happiest years he's ever had."

The 60-year-old celebrity's publicist confirmed the pregnancy to E! News after People broke the story.

Gibson most recently fathered daughter Lucia in 2009 with former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva.

He was previously married to Robyn Moore -- the mother of seven of his children -- for 26 years before they split up in 2006.

The Lethal Weapon and Braveheart star recently debuted his latest directorial effort Hacksaw Ridge at the Toronto Film Festival to great acclaim.