Many things come to mind when thinking 'Russell Crowe', be it the movie Gladiator, Australia, or sheer acting excellence, and some of the things you may not have known about him might leave you shocked and in awe.
10. Did you know that before the acting came, he was a hardcore rocker? Going by the stage name 'Russ Le Roq', he continued to perform in a rock group called 30 Odd Foot of Grunt even after Gladiator success.
9. He is a high school dropout.
8. He has a reputation as a brawler, so if you try him, you might catch these hands!
7. Although many believe him to be Australian, the actor hails from Wellington, New Zealand. After spending ten years of his childhood in Australia, he permanently moved to the country at 21 years old.
6. Forbes once named him the most overpaid celebrity.
5. Russell no longer consumes alcohol. When his wife, Danielle Spencer, became pregnant with their first child, he gave up drinking alcohol in solidarity with her.
4. He started smoking cigarettes at ten years old and has been known to consume 60 per day.
3. He is a dedicated sports fan and even owns a rugby team!
2. In seven years, he starred in five movies that were all nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture. Gladiator (2000) and A Beautiful Mind (2001) both won. L.A. Confidential (1997), The Insider (1999), and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) were also nominated.
1. He is one of only two non-Australians (alongside Queen Elizabeth II) to be featured on an Australian stamp, which is strange as he claims to have had his application for Australian citizenship rejected twice.
What comes to mind when you think of Russell Crowe?
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