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[h3]The burly Kiwi's family relocated to Sydney, Australia four years after he was born and raised with his elder brother Terry. [/h3]

His parent’s work in film set catering led to a natural interest in film work and Russell found himself surrounded by actors from a very early age. The acting bug developed quickly and by the time he was 6 he’d bagged his first line of dialogue in the Aussie TV series Spyforce which kick-started the determination to make himself a household name. Russell’s views on his early acting days were “I was never a child star - I was a child extra. My parents were location caterers, so I was the annoying little kid on the set."

Fancying himself as a bit of a musician, 16-year-old Russell reinvented himself as ‘Russ Le Roc’, forming a rock group called Roman Antix in his spare time. “I Want To Be Like [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/719:0/Marlon_Brando.htm]Marlon Brando[/urlnew]" was the title of the 1980 single Russ Le Roc recorded as a solo artist (before forming Roman Antix), which eventually became the band 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts- the group he still plays in today.

Turning back to acting, fleeting thoughts of enrolling at the National Institute of Dramatic Art were abolished after seeking the advice of their Head of Technical Support who told him “It’d be a waste of your time. You already do the things you go there to learn, and you've been doing it for most of your life, so there's nothing to teach you but bad habits'”. So with his former acting experience behind him, he combined his musical skills to tour Australia in The Rocky Horror Show.

By 25, Russell had managed to gain small acclaim in the Australian films 'Prisoners of The Sun' (1990) and 'The Crossing' (also starring future wife Danielle Spencer, 1990)- which earned his him his first award nomination from the Australian Film Institute for Actor of the Year, eventually winning the AFI Best Supporting Actor award for his role in 'Proof' (1991).

He finally caught the international critic’s attention playing a neo-Nazi skinhead in 1993's controversial 'Romper Stomper'. Russell dusted down the mantelpiece to make way for another AFI Award, this time for Best Actor. Not only did the part hurtle him into the ‘Best Actor’ lists but his performance impressed fellow thesp [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/591:0/Sharon_Stone.htm]Sharon Stone [/urlnew]enough to cast him in her production of 'The Quick and the Dead', a notable box-office flop yet an important catapult in spreading the Crowe hype in the States. Following the small-scale American success of 'The Quick and the Dead', gossip soon spread that several A-list actors such as Ridley Scott and Michael Mann wasted no time in putting Russell into their little black books for future projects.
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Finally the world had sat up and taken note of Russell, setting in motion the meteoric rise in his career to the Oscar winning-heights he may only have dreamed of way back in the 'Spyforce' days. With America cracked, the casting doors began to fly open. Next came the sci-fi film 'Virtuosity' in 1995, playing a virtual serial killer opposite[urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1122:0/Denzel_Washington.htm] Denzel Washington [/urlnew]which was followed in 1997 by the acclaimed 'L.A Confidential'. '

L.A Confidential' was an international hit, winning two Oscars (Best Actress for Kim Bassinger and Best Screenplay) and gaining Russell the worldwide fan base he’d long deserved. In preparation for his part as the racist thug Bud White, Russell pumped some serious iron at the gym to gain the ideal physique for Bud’s character, even suggesting that Bud’s suits be made one size too small to make Bud appear even more macho.

As a break away from playing the tough men, Russell was signed to play a sheriff in the Disney film 'Mystery, Alaska' in 1999 learning to ice skate especially for the part. He followed this with a portrayal of real-life whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in the drama 'The Insider', a part that earned him his first Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor.

You’d of had to have spent the year 2000 locked in a nuclear bunker to have missed Russell’s Crowe’s performance as Maximus in the Oscar explosive 'Gladiator'. Russell had begun shooting for the film only a few months after wrapping on 'The Insider' but managed to shift the 40 pounds of extra weight he’d gained in time to play the svelte Roman. He may have broken bones in his foot and his hip during the shoot but the hard work and multiple injuries paid off when he was awarded an Oscar for Best Actor.

Interests in his personal-life rather than his acting talents hit the headlines later that year when he set tongues wagging over his relationship with 'Proof of Life' co-star Meg Ryan. Due to the impact of Gladiator, Russell was no longer the anonymous Aussie actor he’d previously thrived on and his private life was suddenly up for grabs.

Russell’s role as schizophrenic mathematician John Nash in 'A Beautiful Mind' secured him a record Oscar nomination hat trick in 2001. He missed out on the gong but made history by being nominated three years in a row.

Sticking with his tried and tested work pals, he continued his on-screen relations with his 'Beautiful Mind' co-star, Paul Bettany on 'Master and Commander: Far Side of The World' in 2003 and was later reunited with 'Beautiful Mind' Director,[urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/581:0/Ron_Howard.htm] Ron Howard [/urlnew]in 'Cinderella Man' (2005).

Playing the role of comeback boxer Jim Braddock, 'Cinderella Man' was widely tipped to be another Oscar nod for Russell after notching a Best Actor nomination at the Golden Globes the same year, but the gossips were wrong and Crowe was overlooked for 2006’s line-up.

Russell has also added Director to his CV by converting the Australian book, 'The Long Green Shore' to the big screens.

Sarah Barnard
Russell Crowe biography



- Russell's cousins are Martin Crowe and Jeff Crowe, famous cricket players in New Zealand. Apart from the Chappell brothers in Australia they have played more tests together than any other brothers.

- Russell shares the same birthday as Jackie Chan and Victoria Beckham.

- Russell ad-libbed the description of Maxiumus’ home in the scene from Gladiator (specifically how the kitchen is arranged and smells in the morning and at night) and it's actually a description of his own home in Australia.

- Russell was considered for the part of Will in 'About A Boy'.

- Two of Russell's movies were based on Vanity Fair articles - 'The Insider' was based on an article called "The Man Who Knew Too Much" which featured in the May 1996 edition and 'Proof of Life' was based on an article titled "Adventures in the Ransom Trade" which appeared May 1998.

- Russell hit the headlines in 2005 after being arrested and charged in New York for throwing a telephone at a hotel worker. He later released a statement saying he was jet-lagged and had been trying to call his wife Danielle Spencer in Australia but couldn’t get a line in his room. Russell’s famous fiery temperament has got him into trouble on many an occasion, including a public scuffle with fellow New Zealander Eric Watson in London in 2002 and a fight in Sydney two years earlier.

- Lost his front tooth playing rugby when he was ten. Only had it repaired years later, at the insistence of the director for 'The Crossing', who paid for it out of his own pocket.

- First lead role when he was 25.

- After filming Gladiator, he and some friends took a 4,000 mile motorcycle trip around Australia.

- Owns a 560-acre farm in 7.5 hours North-West from Sydney, Australia

- Dropped out of high school.

- Performed on stage in "Grease" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Russell Crowe biography



Nottingham (2009) (announced)

Body of Lies (2008) (pre-production)

American Gangster (2007) (completed)

Tenderness (2007) (completed)

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

A Good Year (2006)

Cinderella Man (2004)

Tripoli (2004)

The Far Side of the World (2003)

The Long Green Shore (2003)

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Proof of Life (2000)

Gladiator (2000)

The Insider (1999)

Mystery, Alaska (1999)

Breaking Up (1997)

Heaven's Burning (1997)

L.A. Confidential (1997)

No Way Back (1996)

Rough Magic (1995)

Virtuosity (1995)

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

The Sum of Us (1994)

Love in Limbo (1993)

The Silver Brumby (1993) aka The Silver Stallion: King of the Wild

Brumbies (1993)

For the Moment (1992)

Romper Stomper (1992)

Brides of Christ (1991) TV mini series

Proof (1991)

Hammers Over the Anvil (1991)

Spotswood (1991) aka The Efficiency Expert

The Crossing (1990)

Prisoners of the Sun (1990) aka Blood Oath
Russell Crowe biography

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