Russell Crowe ‘threatened to kill producer while filming Gladiator’

London: According to a new book, Hollywood A-lister Russell Crowe threatened to kill a producer with his bare hands, over payment of his assistants, during filming of ‘Gladiator’. Journalist Nicole LaPorte recounts the incident in her new book ‘The Men Who Would Be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies, and a Company called DreamWorks.’

Back in 2000, Crowe allegedly rang Branko Lustig, 77, and swore at him, saying: "I will kill you with my bare hands." Lustig, a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, reported the matter to Steven Spielberg, whose DreamWorks studio was backing the film. He was later asked to leave the production. However, the actor`s spokesman in Australia dismissed the allegations. "I`ve been told that Amazon already has the book discounted. Go figure," the Telegraph quoted the rep as telling the Sydney Morning Herald. ANI