Actor, born in Wellington, New Zealand. At age four he settled with his parents in Sydney, Australia. He entered the pop music scene as singer/musician Russ Le Roc (1980), and in 1985 made his acting debut on the Australian television soap Neighbours. His early film credits include Proof (1992) and Romper Stomper (1993, Australian Film Institute Best Actor), and in 1995 he made his US debut in The Quick and the Dead. Later films include L A Confidential (1997), The Insider (1999, Oscar nomination), Gladiator (2000, Best Actor Oscar), A Beautiful Mind (2001, Best Actor Golden Globe; BAFTA), Master and Commander (2003), and Cinderella Man (2005).
| Russell Crowe | |
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Russell Crowe at O'Reilly's Pub in St. John's, Newfoundland |
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| Born |
April 7, 1964 (age 42) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Height | 5'10½" (179cm) |
| Notable roles |
Hando in Romper Stomper James J. Braddock in Cinderella Man |
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Academy Awards |
Won: Academy Award for Best Actor (2001) for Gladiator Nominated: Academy Award for Best Actor (2000) for The Insider, Academy Award for Best Actor (2002) for A Beautiful Mind |
Russell Ira Crowe (born April 7, 1964) is an Oscar-winning New Zealand-Australian film actor.
Biography
Early life
Crowe was born in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand to Jocelyn Wemyss and Alex Crowe, both of whom were caterers; His maternal grandfather, Stan Wemyss, was a cinematographer who, according to Crowe, produced the first film by New Zealander Geoff Murphy, and was also named an MBE for filming footage of World War II. Crowe's maternal grandfather's mother was a Māori, and as a result Crowe is registered on the Māori voting poll in New Zealand;
When Crowe was four years old, his family moved to Australia, where his parents pursued a career in filmset catering. The producer of the Australian TV series Spyforce was his mother's godfather, and Crowe at age five or six was hired for a line of dialogue in one episode, opposite series star Jack Thompson, who years later played Crowe's father in The Sum of Us and who coincidentally had been educated at the same school which Crowe was to attend for two years: Sydney Boys High School.
When he was 14, however, Crowe's family moved back to New Zealand, where he attended Auckland Grammar School with his cousins Martin Crowe and Jeff Crowe.
Crowe returned to Australia at age 21, intending to apply to the National Institute of Dramatic Art.
After appearing in the TV series Neighbours and Living with the Law, Crowe was cast in his first film, The Crossing (1990), a small-town love triangle directed by George Ogilvie.
In 1992, Crowe starred in the first episode of the second Series of Police Rescue
Hollywood
After initial success in Australia, Crowe began acting in American films.
Crowe received three consecutive best actor Oscar nominations for The Insider, Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. While the film was not greatly received, Crowe seemed pleased with the film, telling stv in an interview that he thought it would be enjoyed by fans of his other films.
On March 9, 2005, Crowe revealed to GQ magazine that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents had approached him prior to the 73rd Academy Awards on March 25, 2001 and told him that the Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda wanted to kidnap him.
Crowe was guarded by Secret Service agents for the next few months, both while shooting films and at award ceremonies (Scotland Yard also guarded Crowe while he was promoting Proof of Life in London in February 2001).
Temperament
Crowe has been involved in a number of altercations in recent years which have given him a reputation for having a bad temper. When part of Crowe's appearance at the 2002 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards was cut out to fit into the BBC's tape-delayed broadcast, Crowe accosted producer Malcolm Gerrie. (The part cut was a poem in tribute to actor Richard Harris who was then terminally ill.) During the filming of A Beautiful Mind on the campus of Princeton University, Crowe made an obscene gesture to Princeton student Meredith Moroney whom he spotted photographing him, which raised a media stir. The students had been told not to interupt the filming by college authorities.) In 1999, Crowe was involved in a scuffle at the Saloon Bar in Coffs Harbour, Australia, which was caught by a security video.
In June 2005, Crowe was arrested and charged with second degree assault by New York City police, in connection with an incident at the Mercer Hotel, SoHo, New York. In this episode, Crowe is the star of his own, fictional TV series: Russell Crowe: Fightin' Around The World, and he travels the globe in his tug boat to fight people of different nationalities.
Family and general interests
On April 7, 2003, his 39th birthday, Crowe married Australian singer and actress Danielle Spencer. Crowe met Spencer while filming The Crossing (1990). Crowe and Spencer have two sons: Charles "Charlie" Spencer Crowe (born December 21, 2003) and Tennyson Spencer Crowe (born July 7, 2006).
Two of Russell Crowe's cousins, Martin and Jeff Crowe are former New Zealand national cricket captains.
Most of the year, Crowe resides in Australia at both his Sydney home in Woolloomooloo and his 320 hectare rural property in Nana Glen near Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, but he rented a house for Summer 2006 in Nyack, New York while he worked on a movie being shot in New York City.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
On 19 March, 2006, the voting members of the South Sydney Rabbitohs National Rugby League club voted (in a 75.8% majority) to allow Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes à Court to purchase 75% of the club, leaving 25% ownership with the members.
Crowe has been a major supporter of the Rabbitohs rugby league team for many years, appearing at many home games, and supporting the club during its time when they were forced from the National Rugby League competition for two years.
Musical Activities
Crowe's early stage name as a musician was "Rus Le Roq" and he was billed as such while performing with the New Zealand production of The Rocky Horror Show. The album includes a tribute song to the late actor, Richard Harris, who became Crowe's friend during the making of Gladiator. On March 10, 2006, Russell Crowe performed with his new band The Ordinary Fear of God on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Filmography
Neighbours (TV Show) (1987) The Crossing (1990) Prisoners of the Sun (1990) Hammers Over the Anvil (1991) Proof (1991) The Efficiency Expert (1992) Romper Stomper (1992) Police Rescue (1992) (Episode: The Right Stuff) For the Moment (1993) Love in Limbo (1993) The Silver Stallion: King of the Wild Brumbies (1993) The Sum of Us (1994) The Quick and the Dead (1995) No Way Back (1995) Virtuosity (1995) Rough Magic (1995) L.A. Confidential (1997) Heaven's Burning (1997) Breaking Up (1997) Mystery, Alaska (1999) The Insider (1999) Gladiator (2000) Proof of Life (2000) A Beautiful Mind (2001) Texas (2002) (documentary) (also director and producer) 60 Odd Hours in Italy (2002) (short subject) (also director) Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) Cinderella Man (2005) A Good Year (2006) Tenderness (2007) American Gangster (2007) 3:10 To Yuma (2007)Academy Awards and Nominations
1999 - Nominated - Best Actor in a Leading Role - The Insider 2000 - Won - Best Actor in a Leading Role - Gladiator 2001 - Nominated - Best Actor in a Leading Role - A Beautiful Mind|
Preceded by: Kevin Spacey for American Beauty |
Academy Award for Best Actor 2000 for Gladiator |
Succeeded by: Denzel Washington for Training Day |
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