Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Russell Crowe

Russell Crow. Photo by Eva Rinaldi. Wikimedia Commons.

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Russell Crowe

Russell Ira Crowe is an actor and filmmaker. Although a New Zealand citizen, he has lived most of his life in Australia since 1985. He gained recognition for his roles in the crime film L.A. Confidential (1997) and the drama The Insider (1999). For his portrayal of Jeffrey Wigand in The Insider, Crowe received his first Oscar nomination.

He was born on 7th April 1964 in the Wellington suburb of Strathmore Park. His parents, Jocelyn Yvonne and John Alexander Crowe were caterers. When Crowe was four years old, his family moved to Australia and settled in Sydney, where his parents pursued their career in film set catering. Here are the Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Russell Crowe.

1. He began his career as a musician

Russell Crowe. Photo by Eva Rinaldi. Wikimedia Commons.

Under guidance from his good friend Tom Sharplin, Crowe began his performing career as a musician in the early 1980s performing under the stage name “Russ Le Roq”. He released several New Zealand singles including “I Just Wanna Be Like Marlon Brando”, “Pier 13”, and “Shattered Glass”, none of which charted.

He managed an Auckland music venue called “The Venue” in 1984. When he was 18, he was featured in A Very Special Person, a promotional video for the theology/ministry course at Avondale University, a Seventh-day Adventist tertiary education provider in New South Wales, Australia.

2. He could not secure Australian citizenship

In 2015, it was reported that Crowe had applied for Australian citizenship in 2006 and again in 2013 but was rejected because he failed to fulfill the residency requirements.

However, Australia’s Immigration Department said it had no record of any such application by Crowe. Crowe said while he identified as Australian, the most important reason for him to become a citizen was his two boys, Charles and Tennyson.

3. He was nominated for the Oscars three consecutive times

Crowe received three consecutive best actor Oscar nominations, for The Insider, Gladiator, and A Beautiful Mind. Crowe won the best actor award for A Beautiful Mind at the 2002 BAFTA award ceremony, as well as the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for the same performance.

Although nominated for an Academy Award, he lost to Denzel Washington. All three films were also nominated for Best Picture, and both Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind won the award.

4. Crowe is a philanthropist

During location filming of Cinderella Man, Crowe made a donation to a Jewish elementary school whose library had been damaged as a result of arson. A note with an anti-Semitic message had been left at the scene.

Crowe called school officials to express his concern and wanted his message relayed to the students. The school’s building fund received donations from throughout Canada and the amount of Crowe’s donation was not disclosed.

On another occasion, Crowe donated $200,000 to a struggling primary school near his home in rural Australia. The money went towards an $800,000 project to construct a swimming pool at the school.

5. He was once married to Danielle Spencer

Russell Crowe. Photo by Greg2600. Wikimedia Commons.

In 1989, Crowe met Australian singer Danielle Spencer while working on the film The Crossing and the two began an on-again, off-again relationship. They married in  April 2003. The wedding took place at Crowe’s cattle property in Nana Glen, New South Wales, with the ceremony taking place on Crowe’s 39th birthday.

The couple have two sons named Charles Spencer Crowe (born 21 December 2003) and Tennyson Spencer Crowe (born 7 July 2006). In October 2012, it was reported that Crowe and Spencer had separated. They divorced in April 2018.

6. Crowe’s actions have led people to believe he has a bad temper

In 1999, Crowe was involved in a scuffle at the Plantation Hotel in Coffs Harbour, which was caught on a security camera. Two men were acquitted of using the video in an attempt to blackmail him.

In June 2005, Crowe was arrested and charged with second-degree assault by the NYPD after he threw a telephone at the concierge of the Mercer Hotel who had refused to help him place a call when the system did not work from Crowe’s room.

He was also charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon (the telephone). The telephone incident had a generally negative impact on Crowe’s public image, an example of negative public relations in the mass media, although Crowe had made a point of befriending Australian journalists in an effort to influence his image.

7. He is the co-owner of the National Rugby League

Russell Crowe. Photo by Danrok. Wikimedia Commons.

He has been the co-owner of the National Rugby League (NRL) team South Sydney Rabbitohs since 2006. Crowe has been a supporter of the rugby league football team the South Sydney Rabbitohs since childhood. After his rise to fame as an actor, he has continued appearing at home games and supported the financially troubled club.

8. Crowe has a net worth of around 120 million dollars

Crowe earned $5 million for 2000’s “Gladiator”. That same year he earned $7.5 million for “Proof of Life”. In 2001 he earned $15 million for “A Beautiful Mind”. In 2003 he was paid $20 million for “Master and Commander”, which is the same as earning $28 million in today’s dollars.

In 2005 he earned $15 million for “Cinderella Man”. In 2010 he earned another $20 million for “Robin Hood”. During the peak 15-ish years of his career, starting in roughly 2000, Russell earned well over $150 million in base movie salaries. Crowe also owns property and the National Rugby League too.

9. Crowe is keen to spend time with his sons

Crowe is a deliberate father. Charles, 18, and Tennyson, 16, who live with their mother most of the time, but spend weekends and some holidays with their father when he is back home in Australia.

But there is one time of year that is sacred to the Gladiator actor – the period between Christmas and New Year – which he devotes to spending time with his two sons. That means, he usually misses out on the awards show circuit in Hollywood, which kicks off in the first week of January.

10. He lost his front tooth when he was 10

Russell Crowe. Photo by Kristina D.C. Hoeppner. Wikimedia Commons.

When he was ten, he lost his front tooth playing rugby and never had it replaced. In 1990, George Ogilvie, the director of The Crossing, insisted he get it fixed and even paid for it out of his own pocket!