Russell Crowe - MIsunderstood or Miscreant?
November 13th 2006 02:57
Russell Crowe is a tough one to figure out. I used to love him. Then his boorish behaviour began to bore me. But then, there are moments when I really like him again. Last night’s 60 Minutes interview with Russ was one such moment.
Overall, the interview with reporter Steve Croft was pretty weak, with Steve so very obviously trying to get a rise out of the notoriously short tempered star. However, I was surprised to find Russ to be really likeable throughout the interview.
In response to Steve’s questions about the phone throwing incident at the Mercer Hotel in NY last year which resulted in Russell being fined $160 (and having to pay the desk clerk an estimated $100K to avoid a civil suit), Russell said that he felt that it had been blown out of proportion and Americans overreacted. As Russ said, of the media circus when he was to appear in court, "It was a $160 fine, Steven. So, it wasn't important as 200 press people turning up to a courthouse with a, ya know, trying to bash my wife in the head with their cameras. Falling over each other, cameramen jumping on top of each other and trampling each other on the ground. It wasn't that important, mate”. It’s a statement, that has some merit. If it had been anyone other than Russ who threw the phone, it’s likely that it would have been a non-incident. For instance, just recently Denise Richards, in frustration at paparazzi on the set of her new movie, threw a photographers laptop off a balcony, destroying the laptop and narrowly missed hitting an elderly woman standing below the balcony. No charges will be filed against Richards. Can you imagine if Russ had done the same thing?
Russell admitted that he did regret the incident, but also said that in Australia it would have been resolved with a hand-shake and an apology (though, these days even in Australia he’d probably still have to pay the desk clerk a nice payout for his trauma)
Russell was also pretty upfront about other instances where his famous temper has gotten him in to trouble. However, as Russell pointed out that there have been a lot more reports than actual incidences. And he may have a point. He is after all a pretty easy target. In 2002, two men were charged with trying to extort $112,000 out of Russell in exchange for destroying security video footage of a bar brawl that Russell was involved in.
When Steve Kroft insisted on talking about the phone incident, Russ became a bit short in his answers and a touch aggressive, but held himself in check.
The star admitted he has a bad temper, saying that his whole family does. In his defence, he states “You know what happens if you don't have one? One day you walking down the street and you just pop. You're lying there on the pavement because you've been holding and suppressing all this bullshit, ya know,"
Russell himself believes that part of the reason that his is misunderstood is because of his struggle to be taken seriously as well as the cultural differences between Australia and the US. What he see’s as being honest and direct is sometimes misinterpreted as rude and arrogant. Crowe tells Kroft “I think I'm just a kid, man. You know, I take everything, and people, at face-value, which probably gets me into trouble a lot. Because, you know, somebody asking a question, and then I tend to answer it from my heart. And it's not always clever in this day and age, you know. So I'd never make a politician. But you know, I love the job,"
While I personally think that Rusty needs to loosen up and not take himself so seriously (I mean come on dude, ranting because they edited your speech and cut short a poem you read out at the BAFTA’s? Personally, unless an actor is going to make a complete ass of themselves on camera, in which case keep those camera’s rolling, I think that every acceptance speech should be edited to nothing more than “Thank You”. I mean damn, those awards ceremonies go on forever!), I think he came across as genuine and likeable, and as you’d expect, just a little bit aggressive when he felt that he was being unfairly judged.
I don’t think Russell will ever be the kind of actor who is well loved, possibly not even well-liked, by the masses. But I do think he is respected as an actor. To Russell, that’s possibly more important.
But god I’d love to see him do a Scary Movie or a Dude Where’s My Car style slapstick comedy.
Overall, the interview with reporter Steve Croft was pretty weak, with Steve so very obviously trying to get a rise out of the notoriously short tempered star. However, I was surprised to find Russ to be really likeable throughout the interview.
In response to Steve’s questions about the phone throwing incident at the Mercer Hotel in NY last year which resulted in Russell being fined $160 (and having to pay the desk clerk an estimated $100K to avoid a civil suit), Russell said that he felt that it had been blown out of proportion and Americans overreacted. As Russ said, of the media circus when he was to appear in court, "It was a $160 fine, Steven. So, it wasn't important as 200 press people turning up to a courthouse with a, ya know, trying to bash my wife in the head with their cameras. Falling over each other, cameramen jumping on top of each other and trampling each other on the ground. It wasn't that important, mate”. It’s a statement, that has some merit. If it had been anyone other than Russ who threw the phone, it’s likely that it would have been a non-incident. For instance, just recently Denise Richards, in frustration at paparazzi on the set of her new movie, threw a photographers laptop off a balcony, destroying the laptop and narrowly missed hitting an elderly woman standing below the balcony. No charges will be filed against Richards. Can you imagine if Russ had done the same thing?
Russell admitted that he did regret the incident, but also said that in Australia it would have been resolved with a hand-shake and an apology (though, these days even in Australia he’d probably still have to pay the desk clerk a nice payout for his trauma)
Russell was also pretty upfront about other instances where his famous temper has gotten him in to trouble. However, as Russell pointed out that there have been a lot more reports than actual incidences. And he may have a point. He is after all a pretty easy target. In 2002, two men were charged with trying to extort $112,000 out of Russell in exchange for destroying security video footage of a bar brawl that Russell was involved in.
Russell Crowe in his new movie A Good Year
When Steve Kroft insisted on talking about the phone incident, Russ became a bit short in his answers and a touch aggressive, but held himself in check.
The star admitted he has a bad temper, saying that his whole family does. In his defence, he states “You know what happens if you don't have one? One day you walking down the street and you just pop. You're lying there on the pavement because you've been holding and suppressing all this bullshit, ya know,"
Russell himself believes that part of the reason that his is misunderstood is because of his struggle to be taken seriously as well as the cultural differences between Australia and the US. What he see’s as being honest and direct is sometimes misinterpreted as rude and arrogant. Crowe tells Kroft “I think I'm just a kid, man. You know, I take everything, and people, at face-value, which probably gets me into trouble a lot. Because, you know, somebody asking a question, and then I tend to answer it from my heart. And it's not always clever in this day and age, you know. So I'd never make a politician. But you know, I love the job,"
While I personally think that Rusty needs to loosen up and not take himself so seriously (I mean come on dude, ranting because they edited your speech and cut short a poem you read out at the BAFTA’s? Personally, unless an actor is going to make a complete ass of themselves on camera, in which case keep those camera’s rolling, I think that every acceptance speech should be edited to nothing more than “Thank You”. I mean damn, those awards ceremonies go on forever!), I think he came across as genuine and likeable, and as you’d expect, just a little bit aggressive when he felt that he was being unfairly judged.
I don’t think Russell will ever be the kind of actor who is well loved, possibly not even well-liked, by the masses. But I do think he is respected as an actor. To Russell, that’s possibly more important.
But god I’d love to see him do a Scary Movie or a Dude Where’s My Car style slapstick comedy.
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Comment by TonyK
AFL Central
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by TonyK
AFL Central
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Imagine if Naomi had a laptop and was throwing those at her assistants instead of mobile phones!
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Saw the interview and found him to to charming and charismatic until there was mention of his dark side.
His justifications of his behaviour showed a total disregard for his victims. My opinion was that he was unable to connect to the reality of how serious his crime was. Ordinary folk like us would possibly go inside for the same actions.
Yet talent is talent regardless of its ugly vessel.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
You're right on the money calling Russ volatile. And he definitely did show some of his antagonistic side as soon as there was mention of his darker side. But I think I have to disagree with the comment that ordinary folks would have gotten harsher penalties for his assault charge, as if it was an ordinary person who threw the phone, I don't think there would been any charges laid in the first place.
I did think it interesting that someone who claims to feel that his temper is often justified was so defensive at the first mention of it. If you're not going to be disciplined enough to hold your temper in the first place, you ought to expect that your behaviour is going to dominate any interviews you do. So don't whine about it.
But, he is talented, and while he can still pull an audience he'll be okay. It's when his off-screen behaviour starts to affect the box office that he'll find things a little tougher
KylieW
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by incognito
incognito
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Russell has an ability to polarise people, that's for sure. And even I, as someone who generally doesn't mind him, think's he's a complete tool at times.
Comment by incognito
incognito
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by Justin
Haha! I'd love to see that too. Critics have been fairly unanimous of deploring his latest flick, "A Good Year", describing it as almost comedic if not so tiresome and charmless.
I like Russ though. He's a complex individual who doesn't suit every situation (or movie, see above), possibly wouldn't be very likeable on any given day, but still is genuine despite arguments for and against him.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
I think he should do something silly and just break out of the mould. Surprise people!
I agree with your assessment of him. On his good days he'd be charming as hell, and like a bear with a sore head on bad days. But I don't think he ever pretends or puts on a game face......which is probably why he's such a target for the media.
KylieW