MAIN Art & ... Pop Culture Actors Russell Crowe

Born Russell Ira Crowe in Wellington, New Zealand, on April 7, 1964, at age four Crowe moved with his family to Australia, There he frequently went to work with his parents catering film shoots - and on the set is where the young Crowe was said to have eventually caught the acting bug.

Today recognized as one of the leading Hollywood actors in such blockbusters as A Beautiful Mind and Gladiator, Crowe began his professional career in such Australian-produced films as The Crossing in 1990, following up with a critically praised performance in Proof in 1991.

The following year, worldwide attention was given to what is now recognized as an early trademark, "Crowe intense" performance as a skinhead in Romper Stomper.

It was actress Sharon Stone who later championed Crowe's move to Hollywood, and who appeared opposite the rising star in The Quick and The Dead in 1995, which eventually lead to his breakthrough performance in L.A. Confidential two years later and, finally, an Oscar nominated performance for The Insider in 1999.

In 2000, Crowe achieved superstar status with a riveting performance in the summer blockbuster, Gladiator - almost single-handedly reviving the once-dead 50's Roman epic genre. He also gained millions of new fans around the world and, in the process, triumphantly won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2001 for his performance.

His multilayered portrayal of a schizophrenic mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind also netted Crowe a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor the following year.

In 2004, Crowe appeared in the epic sea adventure, Master and Commander

The actor was nominated once again for Best Actor at the 2006 Oscar Awards for his performance in Cinderella Man. An unsual foray into romantic comedy in A Good Year in which Crowe plays an investment banker who moves to Provence to manage a vineyard left to him by his late uncle. The film opened to mixed reviews in September previews.

In September 2007, Crowe appears with actor Christian Bale in the western drama, 3:10 to Yuma and, according to early Oscar buzz, is a main contender at the 2008 awards for his performance in American Gangster, co-starring Denzel Washington, slated to open on November 2, 2007.

Offscreen, Crowe is married to actress Danielle Spencer. The couple, who married in 2003, have a two sons, 2-year-old Charlie and infant Tennyson, born in July 2006.

More about Russell Crowe around the Web:

Russell Crowe Fan Club - Picture gallery, video and movie clips and trailers, a brief bio, news and updates from Fan Pop.com.

Russell Crowe, an unofficial site - Biography, news, wallpaper gallery, movies reviews and messageboard.

Russell Crowe - The Prose and the Passion - Frequently updated news, image of the day, online forum and related links.

Gruntland.com - The official site of 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, the rock band the actor leads in his off-hours featuring news, video clips, lyrics, and related links.

also see -> Christian Bale | Orlando Bloom | George Clooney

Russell Crowe | Tom Cruise | Matt Damon | Johnny Depp

Leonardo DiCaprio | Colin Farrell | Harrison Ford | Jake Gyllenhaal

Hugh Jackman | Ashton Kutcher | Jude Law | Heath Ledger

Joaquin Phoenix | Brad Pitt | Keanu Reeves | Will Smith

Denzel Washington