Russell Crowe: Difference between revisions

| birth_name = Russell Ira Crowe <!--He is NOT known by his middle name "Ira", thus this is relevant-->

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|singer}}

'''Russell Ira Crowe''' (born 7 April 1964) is an <!-- DO NOT ADD NATIONALITY/CITIZENSHIP TO FIRST SENTENCE PER RFC CONSENSUS ON TALK PAGE -->actor, director and musician. He was born in New Zealand, spentspending 10 years of his childhood in Australia, and residedresiding there permanently by age 21.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/25/russell-crowe-twice-denied-australian-citizenship-its-so-so-unreasonable |title=Russell Crowe claims twice denied Australian citizenship: 'It's so, so unreasonable' |work=The Guardian |location=London |last=Tan |first=Monica |date=25 March 2015 |access-date=27 June 2021 |archive-date=7 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607204957/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/25/russell-crowe-twice-denied-australian-citizenship-its-so-so-unreasonable |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Roach">{{Cite news |last=Roach |first=Vicki |date=26 June 2013 |title=Oscar-winner Russell Crowe denied Australian citizenship |work=Courier Mail |location= Brisbane |url= http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/oscarwinner-russell-crowe-denied-australian-citizenship/story-fnic6ynx-1226670247991 |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=15 August 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160815062942/http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/oscarwinner-russell-crowe-denied-australian-citizenship/story-fnic6ynx-1226670247991 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He[[Russell Crowe filmography|His work on screen]] has earned him [[List of awards and nominations received by Russell Crowe|various accolades]], including an [[Academy Award]], two [[Golden Globe Awards]], and a [[British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Award]]. Crowe is considered by many to be one of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

Crowe began acting in Australia and had his breakout role in the drama ''[[Romper Stomper]]'' (1992). He gained international recognition for his starring roles as a police detective in the thriller ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997) and [[Jeffrey Wigand]] in the drama ''[[The Insider (film)|The Insider]]'' (1999). Crowe gained wider stardom for playing the title role in the period film ''[[Gladiator (2000 film)|Gladiator]]'' (2000), winning the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]. Further acclaim came for portraying mathematician [[John Forbes Nash Jr.]] in the biopic ''[[A Beautiful Mind (film)|A Beautiful Mind]]'' (2001). He has sincethen starred in the war film ''[[Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World]]'' (2003), the sports drama ''[[Cinderella Man]]'' (2005), the Western ''[[3:10 to Yuma (2007 film)|3:10 to Yuma]]'' (2007), the crime drama ''[[American Gangster (film)|American Gangster]]'' (2007), the thriller ''[[State of Play (film)|State of Play]]'' (2009), and the action film ''[[Robin Hood (2010 film)|Robin Hood]]'' (2010). In 2012, Crowe starred as [[Javert]] in the musical ''[[Les Misérables (2012 film)|Les Misérables]].'' Unlike many of his other roles, his performance in this film was widely panned by critics.

Later, Crowe has since appeared as [[Javert]] in the musical ''[[Les Misérables (2012 film)|Les Misérables]]'' (2012), [[Jor-El]] in the superhero film ''[[Man of Steel (film)|Man of Steel]]'' (2013), as [[Noah]] in the biblical drama ''[[Noah (2014 film)|Noah]]'' (2014), and as [[Zeus (Marvel Comics)|Zeus]] in the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] film ''[[Thor: Love and Thunder]]'' (2022). In 2014, he made his directorial debut with the drama ''[[The Water Diviner]]'', in which he also starred. He has been the co-owner of the [[National Rugby League]] (NRL) team [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]] since 2006.

Crowe was born in [[Strathmore Park]], a suburb of [[Wellington]], New Zealand, on 7 April 1964,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russell Crowe |url= http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/crowe/timeline.html |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101121093244/http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/crowe/timeline.html |archive-date=21 November 2010 |access-date=30 June 2008 |publisher=People in the News ([[CNN]])}}</ref> the son of film set caterers Jocelyn Yvonne (née Wemyss) and John Alexander Crowe.<ref name="actors">{{Cite web |date=4 January 2004 |title=Inside The Actors Studio With Russell Crowe – Transcript |url=http://www.kaspinet.com/Inside_The_Actors_Studio-Transcript.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623093158/http://www.kaspinet.com/Inside_The_Actors_Studio-Transcript.htm |archive-date=23 June 2008 |access-date=10 April 2010 |publisher=Kaspinet.com}}</ref> His father also managed a hotel.<ref name="actors" /> His maternal grandfather, Stan Wemyss, was a cinematographer who was appointed an [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for filming footage of [[World War II]] as a member of the New Zealand Film Unit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside The Actors Studio – Transcript |url= http://www.kaspinet.com/Inside_The_Actors_Studio-Transcript.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150324015003/http://www.kaspinet.com/Inside_The_Actors_Studio-Transcript.htm |archive-date=24 March 2015 |publisher=kaspinet.com}}</ref> Crowe is Māori, and identifies with [[Ngāti Porou]] through one of his maternal great-great-grandmothers.<ref name="Ancestry">{{Cite tweet |number=353596721428824064 |user=russellcrowe |title=Born NZ, live Australia, 1 Welsh grandad, 1 Scottish, also Italian, Norwegian & Maori heritage, also English in there but I don't mention that |author=Russell Crowe |date=6 July 2013 |access-date=4 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="actors" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Russell Crowe ~ Russell ... Something to Crowe About! |url= http://russellcrowe.5u.com/Interviews/JuiceMagazine_5_93.html |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304045042/http://russellcrowe.5u.com/Interviews/JuiceMagazine_5_93.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |publisher=5u.com}}</ref> His paternal grandfather, John Doubleday Crowe, was a Welsh man from [[Wrexham]], while another of his grandparents was Scottish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russell Crowe |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/iconsofwales/sites/content/pages/russell_crowe.shtml |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060630132713/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/iconsofwales/sites/content/pages/russell_crowe.shtml |archive-date=30 June 2006 |access-date=19 November 2006 |publisher=BBC Wales |date=30 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2010 |title=English folklore brings Crowe back to Wales |url= http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/88090/english-folklore-brings-crowe-back-to-wales.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151016030751/http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/88090/english-folklore-brings-crowe-back-to-wales.aspx |archive-date=16 October 2015 |access-date=22 February 2013 |website=[[The Leader (Welsh newspaper)|The Leader]] |location=Wrexham}}</ref> His other ancestry includes English, German, Irish, Italian, Norwegian, and Swedish.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 June 2005 |title=Russell Crowe: Hollywood livewire |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4070410.stm |access-date=10 April 2010 |archive-date=5 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205180620/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4070410.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=5 February 2011 |title=Brits 'Sheepish' About 'Kiwi' Cousins Despite Close Historical Links |publisher=Ancestry.co.uk |url= http://www.ancestry.co.uk/about/default.aspx?section=pr-2011-02-05 |access-date=4 March 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120330235306/http://www.ancestry.co.uk/about/default.aspx?section=pr-2011-02-05 |archive-date=30 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |date=7 February 2011 |title=Ancestry entdeckt preußische Wurzeln des "Gladiator" Russell Crowe |publisher=Ancestryeurope.lu |lang=de |url= http://www.ancestryeurope.lu/press/press-releases/deutschland/2011/02/ancestry-entdeckt-preuische-wurzeln-des-gladiator-russell-crowe/ |url-status=dead |access-date=4 March 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170706111523/http://www.ancestryeurope.lu/press/press-releases/deutschland/2011/02/ancestry-entdeckt-preuische-wurzeln-des-gladiator-russell-crowe/ |archive-date=6 July 2017}}</ref><ref name="Ancestry" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Johansen / Olsen Family Tree |url=http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=clarkenz&id=I055 |publisher=ancestry.com |access-date=16 May 2015 |archive-date=22 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222124726/http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=clarkenz&id=I055 |url-status=live }}</ref> He is a cousin of former [[New Zealand national cricket captains]] [[Martin Crowe|Martin]] and [[Jeff Crowe]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=North East Wales Showbiz – Russell Crowe |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/showbiz/russellcrowe.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100523081252/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/showbiz/russellcrowe.shtml |archive-date=23 May 2010 |access-date=22 February 2013 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> and the nephew of cricketer [[Dave Crowe]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Video: Family, friends pay respects at Martin Crowe's funeral |work=Newshub |publisher=newshub.co.nz |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2016/03/family-friends-pay-respects-at-martin-crowes-funeral.html |access-date=3 March 2016 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723153313/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2016/03/family-friends-pay-respects-at-martin-crowes-funeral.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Through his paternal grandmother, he is a direct descendant of [[Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat|Simon Fraser]], the last man to be beheaded in Britain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Simon Fraser: the last man in Britain to be beheaded |url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/simon-fraser-the-last-man-in-britain-to-be-beheaded-1479423 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=The Scotsman}}</ref>

Crowe received three consecutive best actor Oscar nominations, for ''The Insider'', ''Gladiator'', and ''[[A Beautiful Mind (film)|A Beautiful Mind]]''.<ref name="actors" /> Crowe won the [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|best actor award]] for ''A Beautiful Mind'' at the [[56th British Academy Film Awards|2002 BAFTA award]] ceremony, as well as the [[Golden Globe]] and [[Screen Actors Guild Award|Screen Actors Guild]] awards for the same performance. Although nominated for an Academy Award, he lost to Denzel Washington. All three films were also nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], and both ''Gladiator'' and ''A Beautiful Mind'' won the award. Crowe became the first actor to star as the lead in back-to-back Best Picture winners since [[Walter Pidgeon]] (who starred in ''[[How Green Was My Valley (film)|How Green Was My Valley]]'' [1941] and ''[[Mrs. Miniver]]'' [1942]).{{cn|date=May 2024}}

Within the six-year stretch from 1997 to 2003, he also starred in two other best picture nominees, ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' and ''[[Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World]]''. In 2005, he re-teamed with ''A Beautiful Mind'' director [[Ron Howard]] for the biographical boxing drama ''[[Cinderella Man]]''. In 2006, he re-teamed with ''Gladiator'' director [[Ridley Scott]] for ''[[A Good Year]]'', the first of two consecutive collaborations (the second being ''American Gangster'' co-starring again with Denzel Washington, released in late 2007). Although the light romantic comedy of ''A Good Year'' was not greatly received, Crowe seemed pleased with the film, telling [[STV (TV channel)|STV]] in an interview that he thought it would be enjoyed by fans of his other films.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russell Crowe video interview |url=http://www.stv.tv/content/out/film/videointerviews/display.html?id=opencms:/out/films/video_interviews/russell_crowe_a_good_year_interview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501091646/http://www.stv.tv/content/out/film/videointerviews/display.html?id=opencms%3A%2Fout%2Ffilms%2Fvideo_interviews%2Frussell_crowe_a_good_year_interview |archive-date=1 May 2008 |access-date=29 May 2007 |publisher=[[STV (TV network)|STV]] |format=Video}}</ref>

After a year off from acting, Crowe played Jackknife in ''[[The Man with the Iron Fists]]'', opposite [[RZA]]. He took on the role of [[Javert]] in the [[musical film]] of ''[[Les Misérables (2012 film)|Les Misérables]]'' (2012),<ref name="ComingSoon">{{Cite web |date=8 September 2011 |title=Russell Crowe Joins Les Miserables |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=81882 |access-date=10 September 2011 |publisher=ComingSoon.net |archive-date=13 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013213046/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=81882 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and portrayed [[Superman]]'s biological father, [[Jor-El]], in the [[Christopher Nolan]]-produced film, ''[[Man of Steel (film)|Man of Steel]]'', released in the summer of 2013. In 2014, he played a gangster in the [[Winter's Tale (film)|film adaptation]] of Mark Helprin's 1983 novel ''[[Winter's Tale (novel)|Winter's Tale]]'', and the title role in the [[Darren Aronofsky]] film ''[[Noah (2014 film)|Noah]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silver |first=Stephen |title=Crow on Board as Noah |url=http://www.technologytell.com/entertainment/511/crowe-on-board-as-noah/ |access-date=24 April 2012 |website=Entertainmenttell |publisher=technologytell.com |archive-date=1 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701084026/http://www.technologytell.com/entertainment/511/crowe-on-board-as-noah/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In June 2013, Crowe signed to make his directorial debut with an historical drama film ''[[The Water Diviner]]'', which he also starred in alongside [[Jacqueline McKenzie]], [[Olga Kurylenko]], [[Jai Courtney]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2013 |title=Russell Crowe Plans Directorial Debut in Period Drama 'Water Diviner' |publisher=firstshowing.net |url=http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/russell-crowe-plans-directorial-debut-in-period-drama-water-diviner/ |access-date=19 June 2013 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202437/http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/russell-crowe-plans-directorial-debut-in-period-drama-water-diviner/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Set in the year 1919, the film was produced by Troy Lum, Andrew Mason and Keith Rodger.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2013 |title=Russell Crowe Set To Make Feature Directing Debut With THE WATER DIVINER |publisher=twitchfilm.com |url=http://twitchfilm.com/2013/06/russell-crowe-set-to-make-feature-directing-debut-with-the-water-diviner.html |url-status=dead |access-date=19 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622071403/http://twitchfilm.com/2013/06/russell-crowe-set-to-make-feature-directing-debut-with-the-water-diviner.html |archive-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> Crowe had a major role in ''[[The Mummy (2017 film)|The Mummy]]'' (2017)., Croweplayed portrayedthe mythical Greek god [[Zeus (Marvel Comics)|Zeus]] in the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] film ''[[Thor: Love and Thunder]]'', which was (released on 8 July 2022.),<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 March 2021 |title='Thor: Love And Thunder': Russell Crowe Lands Role In Sequel |publisher=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/thor-love-and-thunder-russell-crowe-1234723853/ |url-status=live |access-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210329173737/https://deadline.com/2021/03/thor-love-and-thunder-russell-crowe-1234723853/ |archive-date=29 March 2021}}</ref> Heand portraysportrayed the famous exorcist [[Gabriele Amorth|Fr. [[Gabriele Amorth]] in ''[[The Pope's Exorcist]]'' (2023).<ref>{{Citation |last=Avery |first=Julius |title=The Pope&apos;'s Exorcist |date=7 April 2023 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13375076/ |type=Horror |publisher=2.0 Entertainment, Jesus & Mary, Loyola Productions |access-date=23 August 2022 |archive-date=23 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823072009/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13375076/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 1980s, Crowe, under the name of "Russ le Roq", recorded a song titled "I WantJust toWanna Be Like Marlon Brando".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Widdicombe |first=Ben |date=11 July 2004 |title=Gatecrasher |work=Daily News |location=New York |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/2004/07/11/2004-07-11_gatecrasher.html |url-status=dead |access-date=10 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518144602/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/2004/07/11/2004-07-11_gatecrasher.html |archive-date=18 May 2011}}</ref>

On another occasion, Crowe donated {{nowrap|🇦🇺$200,000}} to a struggling primary school near his home in rural Australia. The money went towards an {{nowrap|🇦🇺$800,000}} project to construct a swimming pool at the school. Crowe's sympathies were sparked when a pupil drowned at the nearby [[Coffs Harbour]] beach in 2001, and he felt the pool would help students become better swimmers and improve their water safety. At the opening ceremony, he dived into the pool fully clothed as soon as it was declared open. Nana Glen principal Laurie Renshall said, "The many things he does up here, people just don't know about. We've been trying to get a pool for 10 years."<ref>{{cite news |title=Rusty the Pool Man |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=29 July 2005}} Cited in {{Cite web |title=July 29 |url=http://thoroughlyrussellcrowe.com/onthisdayin/jul/jul29.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306210642/http://thoroughlyrussellcrowe.com/onthisdayin/jul/jul29.html |archive-date=6 March 2012 |publisher=Thoroughly Russell Crowe}}</ref>

In August 2020, Crowe donated {{nowrap|🇺🇸$5,000}} to a fundraiser on [[GoFundMe]] by filmmaker Amanda Bailly and journalist Richard Hall to help rebuild Le Chef, a restaurant which was destroyed in the [[2020 Beirut explosion]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Ramos|first=Dino-Ray|date=17 August 2020|title=Russell Crowe Makes Generous Donation To Rebuild Beirut Restaurant On Behalf Of Anthony Bourdain|url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/russell-crowe-beirut-lebanon-le-chef-anthony-bourdain-charbel-bassil-1203014953/|access-date=16 August 2021|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|language=en-US|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816041626/https://deadline.com/2020/08/russell-crowe-beirut-lebanon-le-chef-anthony-bourdain-charbel-bassil-1203014953/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=O'Reilly|first=Bill|date=13 August 2020|title=Russell Crowe donates to Beirut restaurant loved by Anthony Bourdain|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russell-crowe-donates-beirut-restaurant-loved-anthony-bourdain-n1236596|access-date=16 August 2021|website=[[NBC News]]|language=en|archive-date=17 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817145126/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russell-crowe-donates-beirut-restaurant-loved-anthony-bourdain-n1236596|url-status=live}}</ref> The fundraiser aimed to raise {{nowrap|🇺🇸$15,000}}, but it had raised approximately {{nowrap|🇺🇸$19,000}} as of 16 August.<ref name=":0" /> In response to Hall noting the donation, Crowe tweeted: "On behalf of [[Anthony Bourdain]]. I thought he probably would have done so if he was still around. I wish you and Le Chef the best and hope things can be put back together soon."<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

[[File:Russell Crowe North Sydney Bears.jpg|thumb|right|Crowe on the pitch at a [[North Sydney Bears]] game in 2017]]

He has been the co-owner of the [[National Rugby League]] (NRL) team [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]] since 2006.; Crowe has been a supporter of the rugby league football team the [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]] since childhood. After his rise to fame as an actor, he has continued appearing at home games and supported the financially troubled club. Following the [[Super League war]] of the 1990s, he made an attempt to use his Hollywood connections to convince [[Ted Turner]], a rival of Super League's [[Rupert Murdoch]], to save the Rabbitohs before they were forced from the [[NRL]] competition for two years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weidler |first=Danny |date=12 July 1998 |title=Banking on Burt |page=96 |work=The Sun-Herald |location=Australia |url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news980715_0462_0394 |access-date=4 May 2010 |archive-date=15 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615162623/http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news980715_0462_0394 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1999, Crowe paid {{nowrap|🇦🇺$42,000}} at auction for the brass bell used to open the [[1908 NSWRFL season|inaugural rugby league]] match in Australia in 1908 at a fundraiser to assist Souths' legal battle for re-inclusion in the league.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kent |first=Paul |date=22 November 1999 |title=Emotions run high at fighting fund function, as Rabbitohs plan their next wave |page=33 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Farfax |location=Australia |url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news991122_0355_4050 |access-date=4 May 2010 |archive-date=15 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615162630/http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news991122_0355_4050 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2005, he made the Rabbitohs the first club team in Australia to be sponsored by a film, when he negotiated a deal to advertise his film ''Cinderella Man'' on their jerseys.<ref>{{Cite news |last=[[Australian Associated Press]] |date=11 March 2005 |title=Crowe sees ad trend |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Australia |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/League/Crowe-sees-ad-trend/2005/03/10/1110417615712.html |access-date=30 June 2010 |archive-date=6 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106105622/http://www.smh.com.au/news/League/Crowe-sees-ad-trend/2005/03/10/1110417615712.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 19 March 2006, the voting members of the South Sydney club voted (in a 75.8% majority) to allow Crowe and businessman [[Peter Holmes à Court]] to purchase 75% of the organisation, leaving 25% ownership with the members. It cost them A{{nowrap|🇦🇺$3&nbsp; million}}, and they received four of eight seats on the board of directors. A six-part television miniseries entitled ''South Side Story'' depicting the takeover aired in Australia in 2007.<ref name="News&file=article&sid=2187">{{Cite web |last=M/C Reviews |title=Television: South Side Story&nbsp;– Who will Russell be next week? |url=http://reviews.media-culture.org.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2187 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312000152/http://www.reviews.media-culture.org.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2187 |archive-date=12 March 2011 |access-date=10 April 2010 |publisher=Reviews.media-culture.org.au}}</ref>

On 5 November 2006, Crowe appeared on ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'' to announce that [[Firepower International]] was sponsoring the South Sydney Rabbitohs for {{nowrap|🇺🇸$3&nbsp; million}} over three years.,<ref>Ryle, Gerald [https://www.smh.com.au/news/business/where-theres-smoke-its-a-job-for-firepower/2007/02/23/1171734017315.html Where there's smoke it's a job for Firepower] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705083152/http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/where-theres-smoke-its-a-job-for-firepower/2007/02/23/1171734017315.html |date=5 July 2017 }}''Sydney Morning Herald''. 24 February 2007</ref> During a ''Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' appearance, Crowe showedshowing viewers a Rabbitoh playing jersey with Firepower's name emblazoned on it.<ref>McDonald, Margie [https://archive.today/20120731145147/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,20730820-23214,00.html Souths introduce random tests]''Foxsports'', 10 November 2006</ref>

He is also a fan of [[Leeds United]] and narrated the [[Amazon Prime]] documentary ''[[Take usUs Home: Leeds United]]'' Amazon Prime documentary.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Video |first=Source: Prime |date=24 July 2019 |title=Take Us Home: Leeds United docu-series on Bielsa's first season, narrated by Russell Crowe – trailer |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2019/jul/24/take-us-home-leeds-united-docu-series-marcelo-bielsa-russell-crowe-trailer |access-date=14 April 2020 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806195826/https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2019/jul/24/take-us-home-leeds-united-docu-series-marcelo-bielsa-russell-crowe-trailer |url-status=live }}</ref>

A longtime resident of [[Nana Glen]], Crowe is well known in the community and is a frequent patron of the local rugby games. During the [[Australian bushfires]] in 2019 and 2020, he raised over {{nowrap|🇦🇺$400,000}} for the [[NSW RFS]] by selling his [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]] hat in an online auction.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 November 2019 |title=Rusty's dirty hat has sold, resulting in a huge donation to the NSW RFS |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/russell-crowe-auctions-souths-hat-to-raise-money-for-fireys/news-story/7acbaea26712bb8fbe0cf49bac141f88 |website=NewsComAu |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308102906/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/russell-crowe-auctions-souths-hat-to-raise-money-for-fireys/news-story/7acbaea26712bb8fbe0cf49bac141f88 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the beginning of 2009, Crowe appeared in a series of Australian special-edition postage stamps called "Legends of the Screen", featuring Australian actors. Crowe, [[Geoffrey Rush]], [[Cate Blanchett]], and [[Nicole Kidman]] each appear twice in the series, once as themselves and once as their Academy Award-nominated character. Crowe is the only non-Australian to appear in the stamps.<ref>[http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20256753,00.html "Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman Happy to Be Licked&nbsp;– On Stamps."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205150210/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20256753,00.html |date=5 February 2009 }} ''People'' Alan Doyle. 4 February 2009.</ref>

In July 2023, on holiday in Italy visiting the archaeological site of [[Ostia Antica]], to please fans of ''Gladiator'', including those who asked about [[Gladiator 2II|the sequel]], Crowe pretended to have a phone conversation with Cicero, servant of Crowe's character Maximus. 'Max' asks Cicero where the men are, why they have gone away, then says he understands why: "I'm dead... It's perfectly understandable."