A hunky New Zealand native who initially dreamed of rock and roll stardom, Crowe played in a band as an adolescent and toured in the musicals
Grease,
The Rocky Horror Show and
Blood Brothers before switching to TV and film projects in Australia. After a succession of diverse, critically acclaimed turns (a Nazi skinhead in
Romper Stomper, a gay man looking for a mate in
The Sum of Us), Crowe was imported to Hollywood in the mid-'90s, but his first few films flopped (
Virtuosity,
The Quick and the Dead). In 1996 he landed the plum part of a brooding detective in the stylist noir
L.A. Confidential, which allowed him to exude both sex appeal and a scary intensity. His compelling portrayal of a tobacco-industry whistle-blower in
The Insider in 1999 earned him his first Oscar nomination. He won the prize for
Gladiator in a role that showed off his acting and athleticism (and meaty thighs) and earned another Academy Award nod as a schizophrenic Nobel Prize-winning mathematician in 2001's
A Beautiful Mind. Although Crowe purported to dislike being a celebrity, he was now on the A-list and also in the tabloids due to his red-hot — if brief — affair with Meg Ryan, his costar in the lackluster
Proof of Life. He was also gaining a reputation for being petulant, moody and, at times, violent. The actor slowed down the pace a bit in the early '00s, appearing in one high-profile movie every few years (
Master and Commander,
Cinderella Man). He also wed his long-term on-again, off-again love Danielle Spencer, had a son, and spent time recording and touring with his band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.
Russell Crowe Fast Facts:
- Grandfather Stan Wymess was a well-regarded World War II cinematographer and Crowe's parents were set caterers.
- Performed with the Australian touring company of Grease and played Dr. Frank N. Furter in a production of The Rocky Horror Show.
- Sharon Stone was an early fan of Crowe and lobbied for a more substantial role for him in their 1995 western The Quick and the Dead.
- In early 2001, the FBI confirmed that special protection had been given to Crowe in the wake of what was deemed a credible kidnapping threat.
- Russell Crowe Relationships:
- Danielle Spencer - Wife
- Jeffrey Crowe - Cousin
- Jocelyn Crowe - Mother
- Martin Crowe - Cousin
- Stan Wemyss - Grandfather
- Tennyson Spencer Crowe - Son
- Terry Crowe - Brother
- Alex Crowe - Father
- Charles Spencer Crowe - Son
- Russell Crowe Awards:
- 1999 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2000 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Winner
- 2001 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2000 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- 2001 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- 2002 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Winner
- 2004 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- 2006 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
