For all his antics and temper tantrums he’s sometimes prone to throw, Russell Crowe is undeniably one of the leading actors of his generation. Perhaps if not for his dedication to the craft of acting, he could be dismissed as another spoiled ego celebrity. But he’s backed up all that he’s said and done with results – consistent top quality performances in top quality movies, pocketing an Oscar and some nominations along the way. Whether or not you take Russell Crowe seriously, look at it this way: if legendary director Sir Ridley Scott keeps calling him up to be his leading man, then Mr. Crowe has to be doing something right.
Born in 1964 in New Zealand, Russell became introduced to the movie business early as both his parents were caterers on film sets. But Crowe was really a self-taught actor, dropping out of school to work and financially help his family. A couple of early TV appearances led to his feature film debut in 1990 with the Australian movie “The Crossing.” By the mid-1990s Russell was an Australian lead actor, paving the way for his American film debut in the Sam Raimi Western “The Quick and the Dead.” He delivered another noticeable performance in “L.A. Confidential” before snagging the first of three straight Best Actor nods with “The Insider” in 1999. The method actor approached the real life character of Jeffrey Wigand by gaining some weight and changing hair color – and proved he could hold his own in some great scenes with Pacino. The Oscar came the following year for the superstar-making Maximus in “Gladiator.” It was his first collaboration with Ridley Scott, it was the Best Picture of 2000, and the success of audiences buying into a sword and sandals epic was mostly due to the performance of Russell Crowe. “Gladiator” was also the door into doing whatever role he now wanted.
Another Best Actor nomination for “A Beautiful Mind” assured Russell’s place in the pantheon of forces to be reckoned with. Throughout the last few years, Russell’s off-screen antics challenged his reputation, but he settled down in marriage with his longtime girlfriend Danielle Spencer in 2003, and he is now the father of two children. He has a passion for music, as his bands 30 Odd Foot of Grunts and The Ordinary Fear of God have achieved somewhat of a cult status. And still his acting remains impeccable. We just hope he keeps his head out of the clouds – and away from phones.
Badass Character – Maximus
In 2007, we created a Badass Bracket for 32 of the most badass characters from the movies and TV that we could think of. It was pretty hard narrowing it down to that number, but Maximus was an easy addition as a #2 seed. He made it all the way to the final four.
Here’s the Badass Bracket profile for mighty Maximus:
Russell Crowe, “Gladiator“
After leading his men to victory against an army of German barbarians, the last thing Maximus was ever expecting was a demotion, let alone an attempt on his life. True, the tough-as-nails general managed to elude his would-be murderers, but his wife and son weren’t so lucky, so you can understand why he’s feeling a little vengeful around childhood pal Commodus, who masterminded the whole betrayal. Still, Maximus wasn’t the emperor’s go-to guy for nothing. His leadership skills in the ring are legendary (without him, the rest of those gladiators were toast against the Roman legion), and his work with a rusty blade tends to result in a bloody good time. Tragic hero? Maybe. Absolute badass? You bet.Definitive badass moment: Going up against Rome’s undefeated champion obviously isn’t challenge enough, as Maximus is also forced to ward off a pack of bloodthirsty tigers at the same time.
Classic badass line: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”
Seed: #2
Occupation: General turned gladiator
Strengths: Deadly with a sword, a master strategist
Weaknesses: Lets his emotions get in the way
Bracket History: Defeated #6 Conan in round 4, 63%-37% / Defeated #7 Sonny Corleone in round 3, 82%-18% / Defeated #15 James Dalton in round 1, 89%-11%
Russell on the Screen
You know you’re someone when the titles of the movies you are in refer to your own character. Consider: “The Insider,” “Gladiator,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Master and Commander,” and “Cinderella Man.” He started in American cinema with the ensembles “The Quick and the Dead” and “L.A. Confidential,” and his teaming with Meg Ryan in “Proof of Life” is often overlooked. Check out the fun “Mystery, Alaska” as well as his first head to head with Denzel Washington in “Virtuosity.” He also enjoys working with a lot of the same directors, as his work for Ron Howard (“A Beautiful Mind,” “Cinderella Man”) and Ridley Scott (“Gladiator,” “A Good Year,” “American Gangster”) show.
Russell Crowe Quotes
On L.A.:
“I’d move to Los Angeles if Australia and New Zealand were swallowed up by a huge tidal wave, if there was a bubonic plague in Europe, and if the continent of Africa disappeared from some Martian attack.”
On his acting range:
“I’d like to play passionate women, but no one will let me.”
On celebrity goodwill:
“I’m sick to death of famous people standing up and using their celebrity to promote a cause.”