Russell Crowe - The Prose & the Passion

Vital Statistics

Name: Russell Ira Crowe

Birthdate: April 7, 1964 in Strathmore Park, New Zealand (a suburb of Wellington)., Family moved to Sydney, Australia, when Russell was 4.

Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand

Ancestry: Norwegian, Maori.

Home: a farm in Australia, about 7.5 hours outside of Sydney

Height: Just under 6 feet

Married: nope, still looking for the right woman. Meg Ryan wasn't it.

Significant Other(s): Meg Ryan, actor; began highly publicized relationship during filming of Proof of Life in 2000; separated December 2000; Danielle Spencer, actress; together 1990-1995

Current Fling: Definitely not our business (nor is it the tabloids' business!)

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue/green
Height: 5'11"+ just under 6'
Family: His parents Alex and Jocelyn are married and he has one brother named Terry
Favorite Rugby team: South Sydney Rabbitohs
Personality Traits: Laid-back, wicked sense of humour and Russell has described himself as "happy-go-lucky" and "persistent", thanks to his Australian and New Zealand upbringings.
Previous Employment: Fruit picker, car detailer, waiter, DJ, horse wrangler, busker, telemarketer, & insurance salesman.

Grew up in film and television industry, developed an affinity for the business at a very early age.

Family:

Great-grandmother: Maori; on mother's side
Grandfather: Stan Wymess, cinematographer; named an MBE for his work shooting footage during WWII
Father: Alex Crowe, set caterer; former pub manager
Mother: Jocelyn Crowe (née Wymess), set caterer
Brother: older, Terry
Cousin: Jeff Crowe, professional cricket player
Cousin: Martin Crowe, professional cricket player

Russell Ira Crowe was born April 7, 1964, in Wellington, New Zealand, to parents Jocelyn and Alex Crowe. Young Russell was raised in Sydney, Australia after his family relocated down-under when he was four years old.

His family moved to Sydney, Australia when Russell was 4 years old. His father managed pubs, and the family lived in rooms above them for most of the boys' childhood. His parents made their living by catering movie shoots, and often brought Crowe with them to work; it was while hanging around the various sets that he developed a passion for acting. Russell's grandfather, Stan Wymess, was a cinematographer who was named for an MBE for his work shooting footage during WWII so Russell is the third generation of his family to be involved in movie making though the first on the other side of the camera.

Of his childhood Russell once said "I grew up in Australia, so I've got aspects of both cultures. New Zealanders tend to be very persistent, you know? And Australians are quite happy-go-lucky, so I've got kind of a combination of the two things."

Acting at age 6

After making his professional debut in an episode of the television series Spyforce when he was six. Acquiring a taste for acting when he served as a child extra while accompanying his parents to work, the high school dropout was more passionate about performing as a musician rather than an actor.

Musical Career at 14

When Crowe was 14, long after he had started smoking and drinking, his parents moved back to New Zealand, this time to Auckland, where his father got a job managing a place called the Potter's Wheel, commonly known as the Flying Jug. The Flying Jug was on the border of three towns with differences, and when a fight started there, it always ended with the arrival of an ambulance. Someone was murdered in the front room of the Flying Jug one night, and when Crowe tells this story, you see the dead man lying at his feet.

Shattered Glass During his teen years, Crowe concentrated on a music career, recording a single, "I Want To Be Like Marlon Brando," under the nom de plume Rus Le Roc (1980).

TV Appearances/Stage Work:

His singing talents helped him land stage work, in a production of Grease 1983 and a two-year run 1986-88 as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a touring production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. "It's the only show that kept my interest, and that's because it changed every night because of the audience reaction," he told Interview in 1997.

"I did 458 performances. I was Eddie and Dr. Scott for about 400 performances and about 58 as Frank N. Furter. I was the understudy (for Frank) when the understudy's nightmare came true. I actually had to go on without any rehearsal, I didn't even bother to try out my shoes. I figured the other guy would do his gig. I only agreed to it because it was an extra $50 a week. So, suddenly, bang, I'm on as Frank."

Russell on Neighbours

While he had several acting credits under his belt, 16-year-old Crowe dubbed himself Russ Le Roc -- of the rock group Roman Antix, that is -- and performed in order to supplement his income. Working as a bartender, waiter and bingo-number caller wasn't enough to pay the bills, so playing music served as an additional source of income.

"I Want To Be Like Marlon Brando" was the title of the 1980 single Russ Le Roc recorded as a solo artist (before forming Roman Antix), which eventually became 30 Odd Foot Grunts. With former acting experience, the singer, songwriter and guitarist retuned to acting -- never giving up his musical career.

Film Debut

Crowe took a twelve year break from professional acting, making his film debut when he was eighteen. (He also busked on the street and worked as a waiter, a car detailer, a DJ, an insurance salesman, a telephone solicitor, a fruit picker, a horse wrangler and a bingo caller on a resort island.) He had his first major roles in such dramas as The Crossing (1990) and Proof (1991) (for which he won an Australian Film Institute award). He then went on to gain international recognition for his intense portrayal of a Melbourne skinhead in the controversial film Romper Stomper (1992), winning another AFI award, as well as an Australian Film Critics award.

During this time, Russell made other Australian movies, including Spotswood (AKA The Efficiency Expert)and Hammers Over the Anvil. He also was in Brides of Christ, a TV mini series.

Russell starred in the several moveis after this, including For the Moment, The Silver Brumby (AKA The Silver Stallion: King of the Wild Brumbies), Love in Limbo, and The Sum of Us.

When his mother and father ran into financial trouble in 1995, Crowe bought a nonworking farm north of Sydney, Australia and moved them and his brother Terry in.

At the age of 25, Crowe was cast in his first feature film role, as Lieutenant Corbett in Prisoners of the Sun, otherwise known as Blood Oath. But his big break arrived in 1991, with his award-winning performance (Australian Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actor) in Proof. That was only the beginning of his critically acclaimed career, as he followed up his role in 1993's Romper Stomper, as a Nazi skinhead. With another Australian Film Institute Award, this time for Best Actor, to add to his mantle, Crowe starred as a homosexual man in 1994's The Sum of Us.

The ever-restless Crowe made the move to films shortly there after, landing small roles in small Australian films Prisoners of the Sun and The Crossing, before making waves internationally in the critically acclaimed Proof and the neo-Nazi drama Romper Stomper, where his performance as the brutal skinhead Hando won him the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor.

But Crowe's success was, at this point, only limited to the land of kangaroos and koalas, until a certain Sharon Stone caught his Romper Stomper performance and was convinced that he was the perfect fit for her film The Quick and the Dead. Crowe was the only positive part of the film, which stayed true to its name and died quickly at the box-office. But it was all good for Crowe, who was becoming recognized in the United States. That year, he co-starred with Denzel Washington in 1995's Virtuosity, as a serial killer. Although the movie was nothing to write Australia about, Crowe's career was beginning to soar to new heights. He then made smaller films Rough Magic (with Bridget Fonda), No Way Back, Heaven's Burning, and Breaking Up (with Selma Hayek).

He finally broke through in acting circles everywhere as the no nonsense cop and Kim Basinger's lover in 1997's L.A. Confidential. Although he was snubbed at the Oscars, Crowe was being toted as the new "it" boy of Hollywood, despite Leo's claims of being "king of the world" that same year. The film was an instant hit at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. His co-star Kim Basinger won an Academy Award for her part Lynn, Russell Crowe's love interest in the movie. Russell's depiction of Bud White won over the critics, and he was rewarded with several scripts.

He chose the part of John Biebe, the sheriff and hockey team leader, of Mystery, Alaska to be his next role.

Next up, in 1999, Crowe's portrayal of real-life whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in the drama The Insider earned the actor rave reviews, as well as a Best Actor Oscar nomination. Director Michael Mann cast Russell to play the part of Jeffrey Wigand in The Insider. Putting on nearly 50 pounds, he played the role of the 53 year old who was responsible for blowing the whistle on Big Tobacco. He co-stared with Al Pacino, and was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor. Unfortunately, he lost to LA Confidential co-star Kevin Spacey for American Beauty.

While filming The Insider, he was approached to star in the new Ridley Scott film, Gladiator. At first Russell was reluctant, but later changed his mind so he could work with Ridley. He needed to lose the nearly 50 pounds he had put on for The Insider, and acheived this by "chasing cows" and "putting up fence" on his farm.

His next movie will be Proof Of Life, in which he plays a hostage negotiator trying to save the life of co-star Meg Ryan's husband. Of course, during the movie, he falls in love with her character, which creates a huge conflict of interest. Russell demanded that he do most of the stunt work- he did not want his credibility to be questioned. A note: this is the first american film in which he is using his real Australian accent.

After Proof Of Life, he is set to start shooting Flora Plum, directed by friend Jodie Foster. He will be a circus freak, and has said that the only part we'll see of him will be his eyes. He will co-star with Claire Danes, from My So-Called Life fame.

As Roman general Maximus in the blockbuster epic, Gladiator, Russell Crowe showed moviegoers and critics alike that he was unstoppable in the Roman arena, and in Hollywood.

Although Crowe has been compared to legendary greats James Dean, Marlon Brando and Robert Mitchum, he refuses to give in to the Hollywood scene. The only way one can say that he has succumbed to it though, is having been romantically linked to Hollywood cutie, Meg Ryan; his Proof of Life co-star.

Director Curtis Hanson cast Crowe and fellow Aussie Guy Pearce as the leads in L.A. Confidential because he wanted unknowns who were also clean-cut all-American types to play the heroic Los Angeles cops. Apparently there's something about Crowe that suggests that he is beyond reproach, since he is playing now playing whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand, who leaked damaging information about the tobacco industry, in the docu-drama The Insider. To transform into the middle-aged scientist Wigand, the thirty-something actor was required to gain a few pounds, wear eyeglasses and have his hair dyed gray. He'll go to another extreme in the upcoming epic Gladiator, playing a general caught in a struggle for the leadership of the Roman Empire.

Let's just hope that Crowe doesn't look at his dailies and smile. "Satisfaction is something that's very difficult for me because I'm not sure if I'll ever reach that level," Crowe told The Toronto Sun in 1998. "And if I do, it'll probably be the last film I ever do."

In total, Russell has been involved in 22 films since 1990

Apart from his acting career, Russell also performs lead vocals/lead guitar for 30 Odd Foot of Grunts a “blues-based folk/rock band” that has recorded three albums. He says, and he plans to record an album in Austin, Texas, as soon as his diary opens up.

Russell is currently single. One of his last long term relationships was with Danielle Spencer, an actress. They were together from 1990 till 1995.