Russell Crowe biography 2022

Russell Crowe biography

Russell 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.

Since his parents were set caterers and his father was a hotel manager, the Crowe family led a somewhat nomadic life, so Crowe only lived in his first actual house at the age of fourteen. 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 than an actor.

While Russell Crowe 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 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 became 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts.

With former acting experience, the singer, songwriter, and guitarist returned to acting -- never giving up his musical career. At 25, Russell 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 came in 1991, with his performance in Proof.

That was the beginning of his critically acclaimed career, as Russell Crowe 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.

But his success was, at this point, only limited to the land of kangaroos and koalas until Sharon Stone caught his Romper Stomper performance and was convinced that he was perfect 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 States. That year, he co-starred with Denzel Washington, in 1995's Virtuosity, as a serial killer. The movie was nothing to write about, and his career began to soar.

As the tough cop and Kim Basinger's lover in 1997's L.A. Confidential, he broke through in acting circles everywhere. Although he was snubbed at the Oscars, Crowe was touted as the new "it" boy, despite Leonardo DiCaprio's claims of being "king of the world" that same year.

In 1999, Crowe's portrayal of the whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in the drama The Insider earned the actor rave reviews and a Best Actor Oscar nomination. As Roman general Maximus in the epic, Gladiator (also featuring Connie Nielsen and Joaquin Phoenix), Russell Crowe showed critics that he was unstoppable in the Roman arena with his Oscar for Best Actor in a Motion Picture in 2001.

Although Crowe has been compared to James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Robert Mitchum, he refuses to give in to the Hollywood scene.

The only way one can say he has succumbed to it is having been romantically linked to Meg Ryan, his Proof of Life co-star. While filming Jodie Foster's Flora Plum, Crowe suffered a shoulder injury.

He can be seen in A Beautiful Mind, co-starring Jennifer Connelly.

He continues to tour with his band, 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts. As one of Australia's most excellent imports since Elle MacPherson and Mel Gibson, this Gladiator is taking his career to the Max.


last updated October 2022