Cinderella Man packs a punch

Pratik Dogra

It is so simple to be happy…..but so difficult to be simple, goes a saying. In the age where gimmickry, paparazzi, publicity stunts form a vital part of a star’s survival, Russell Crowe comes across as a refreshing change. Unpretentious, unassuming….are some of the traits rarely associated with a Hollywood celebrity, but it is this facet of his personality that makes Russell such a cult. A hit with the masses, he is a survivor, a classic underdog.Though born in New Zealand, Russell Crowe made Australia his home since childhood. Born to movie set caterers, Russell caught the acting bug quite early in his life. He first faced the camera as a child star on a local Australian TV series Spyforce at age five or six. He was hired to deliver a one liner in an episode opposite series star Jack Thompson! After meandering along in various Australian sitcoms, Russell finally got his first big break in 1992. Two of his starrers, ‘Romper Stomper’ and ‘The Sum of Us’ got him instant recognition. While the former was an Australian film on exploits and downfall of a racist skinhead group in a blue-collar suburb, the latter enabled him to gain a foothold in the Australian film community. He created a flutter in the American film fraternity as well. Infact, so impressed was Sharon Stone from him that she pulled out all the stops to sign him for her film, ‘The Quick and the Dead.’ However, Russell’s prior commitments did not allow him to be a part of the film. Sharon is then reported to have held up shooting until she had her gunslinger-Crowe, for her film. ‘The Quick and the Dead’ was eventually released in 1995 as his first American film. Offers poured in. His second flick ‘Virtuosity’, released in the same year, starring Denzel Washington, put Russell in the body of a Virtual Serial Killer, Sid6.7 ... easily the most challenging role he played ever. A sci-fi extravaganza, ‘Virtuosity’ was a fun film and, again, opened the door to even more American offers. Russell`s third American film, ‘LA Confidential’ came out in 1997. The movie did wonders to his career as his popularity amongst the American audience soared. Even missing out on the Oscars didn’t prove a deterrent for him as he went on to sign his first film with The Walt Disney Company, titled ‘Mystery Alaska’. With Gladiator in 2000, an epic flick based on the Roman era, Russell consolidated his position as a versatile performer. One of his most critically acclaimed performances was in the 2001 flick ‘A Beautiful Mind’, released on the Christmas week. A Ron Howard directed movie, based on a Pulitzer Prize nominated novel by the same name, saw him come up with a stellar performance in the character of a paranoid mathematician. In 2005, he teamed up with his ‘A Beautiful Mind’ director Ron Howard for ‘Cinderella Man’, argubaly his best performance till date. In 2006, he re-joined hands with the ‘Gladiator’ director Ridley Scott for ‘A Good Year’, and in late 2007, for the ‘American Gangster’. Over 15 years in Hollywood, Russell Crowe has successfully created a niche for himself unlike a few others in the star studded industry. It’s his uncomplicated style of acting and a down to heart persona off screen, that connects with the audience, making him one of the most endearing personalities of Hollywood. Proving his acting prowess time and again with power packed performances in ‘Gladiator’, ‘A Beautiful Mind’, ‘The Cinderella Man’ and recently in ‘American Gangster’, he is one of the most sought after actors today. Crowe received three consecutive Best Actor Oscar nominations for ‘The Insider’, ‘Gladiator’ and ‘A Beautiful Mind’, winning the Academy Award as Best Actor in 2001 for Gladiator. To mark the occasion, Crowe, in his typical indomitable style, wore his grandfather Stan Wemyss`s Member of the Order of the British Empire medal to the ceremony. He also has the distinction of starring in an Oscar nomination for six years in a stretch (1997-2003), besides starring in two other best picture nominees. Russell Crowe Trivia

Russell is a cousin of former New Zealand international cricket captains Jeff and Martin Crowe.

Ever ready to help a good cause, he plans to donate his brain to medical science when he dies!

In 2006, he entered into a partnership with Australian businessman Peter Holmes to buy a controlling stake in his favourite sports team, the Australian NRL team South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Russell shares his birthday with Jackie Chan.

Shooting for the Oscar nominated LA Confidential was one of the most painful periods of his life, apparently. "One of the most painful things of the LA Confidential (1997) character I played was that the author, James Ellroy, kept telling me that Bud White wasn`t a drinker. I said, `come on, this is 1953. He`s a blue-collar bloke, a cop. You`re telling me he doesn`t sit around with the boys after his shift and have a beer?` And Ellroy says, `absolutely not`. So for five months and seven days, I didn`t have a drink. It`s probably the most painful period of my life", he said.

When asked whether he plans to shift base to LA, he replied, “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”!

“He was a gentle, beautiful man, a fine actor, a loyal friend. I feel deeply for his family”. He said, as he paid tribute to his friend and fellow actor, Heath Ledger.