Russell Crowe talks Michael Jackson & prank phone calls
Cele|bitchy » Blog Archive » Russell Crowe talks Michael Jackson, prank phone calls & old alcoholics
Russell Crowe is the cover boy for the June issue of GQ UK, all to promote Robin Hood. But don’t go thinking that this will be a profile of one of the biggest, most hardcore actors around! Oh, no. From the man who allegedly told a director, “I’m the greatest actor in the world and I can make even sh-t sound good” we get this lovely quote: “I know some hard men, mate, and I am not a hard man. I’m a guy who likes poetry, who writes songs. I put on make-up for a living.” Excellent! Mascara? Here’s more from the GQ interview, courtesy of The Telegraph:
Russell Crowe says his hard man image is a myth, claiming he is a poetry-loving pacifist who wears make-up for a living and disapproved of hellraiser Oliver Reed. The actor, star of the forthcoming Robin Hood remake, prefers to fell his opponents with “intellectual barbs” rather than his fists.[From The Telegraph]
“I am always described as ‘Hollywood Hard Man’. It’s just ridiculous. I know some hard men, mate, and I am not a hard man. I’m a guy who likes poetry, who writes songs. I put on make-up for a living. Give me a break. If I was a hard man, I wouldn’t be any good at my job,” Crowe told GQ magazine.
“How many times have you read that I punch photographers? I have never punched a photographer. But I have thrown some of the sharpest intellectual barbs in my life at guys who are chasing me down the street with a camera. I cut them to the quick. They’re lucky to get home with any blood in their system emotionally. And they hate me for it. I’m not sorry.”
His love of verse was evident in 2002, when he threatened a TV producer who cut his poetry recital from a Bafta broadcast. Crowe conceded that he gave the producer “a good single poke in the chest” but said he was suffering from jetlag at the time.
Crowe was scathing about one of Hollywood’s most notorious hellraisers, Oliver Reed, his co-star in Gladiator. Reed died mid-way through filming in Malta after a mammoth drinking session.
“I never got on with Ollie. He has visited me in dreams and asked me to talk kindly of him. So I should… but we never had a pleasant conversation,” Crowe said. “I have seen him walk down the street in Malta drunk as a lord and just hit anybody he got near to - even a man walking with his children. I just found that to be… not impressive. He drank himself to death. He sat on a bar stool until he fell off it and carried on drinking… Lying in his own —- and vomit, he continued to drink ’til he passed out.”
“What did the tabloids estimate he’d had on the day he died? Something like 30 beers, eight or ten dark rums and half a bottle of whisky? In the end, he created such a weird energy around him that no one drinking with him cared.”
In the interview to promote Robin Hood, which opens the Cannes Film Festival next week and reunites him with Gladiator director Ridley Scott, Crowe talked about his music career.
The New Zealand-born actor said his music is popular in Canada. “”Billy Bragg, Sting, Elvis Costello - those guys say, ‘You’re a songwriter’. I got a song on a record in Canada that went gold. It might not be significant to somebody else but it works for me.”
That’s very interesting about Oliver Reed. I didn’t know Reed was such a notorious drunk, but Reed was of that Peter O’Toole-Richard Burton generation of liquor-soaked hellraisers. It’s kind of amazing that O’Toole is still around, honestly. It shocks me every time I think about it.
In another interview excerpt, Russell talks about his friendship with Michael Jackson, saying that Michael used to prank call him: “A gruff voice would say something was wrong, then this tiny little voice said, ‘Don’t worry. This is Michael.’” Russell also says that Michael invited him to Neverland Ranch several times, but Russell never got the chance to go. Russell also claims that he loves to prank call random people too - when he was working on L.A. Confidential, he would prank call the book’s author, James Ellroy, and leave messages like: “Woof-woof, hear the demon dog bark. He’s got a 12-inch wanger and it glows in the dark”. Russell is a very strange man.
I guess flinging a phone at somebody counts as an intellectual barb for Russell.The actor, star of the forthcoming Robin Hood remake, prefers to fell his opponents with “intellectual barbs” rather than his fists.
And Russell & MJ were friends? Something seems off about that.
I guess running off with Meg Ryan was a really intellectual thing to do.
“Woof-woof, hear the demon dog bark. He’s got a 12-inch wanger and it glows in the dark,” is presumably his idea of an intellectual barb.
Scary. On so many levels.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man.(Lana Turner)
Full of himself, isn't he.
I am from the American CIA and I have a radio in my head. I am going to kill you.
That must be the new 'big in Japan'.The New Zealand-born actor said his music is popular in Canada.
All of God's children are not beautiful. Most of God's children are, in fact, barely presentable.
he has a big ego but does have the acting chops to back it up.
I like Russell Crowe and I know I'm alone in this but I think the phone thing was a set up. The desk clerk should have given him a new phone instead of acting like a ass and pushing him, he was paying $3500.00 bucks a night for a room and he can't make a call.. b/s. The clerk pushed him just like the paps do to get a picture only the clerk wanted money. JMO
But the arrogance and attitude of a the man who thinks he is something pretty special ..well it just doesnt sit right. He is getting very beat up looking and he is the fattest oldest ugliest Robin Hood I ve seen.
You lost me at hello.
WTF? That must be a hell of a big rock the Celebitchy chick is living under. It amazes me that somebody who writes about celebrities is so clueless about celebrities, and about writing for that matter.That’s very interesting about Oliver Reed. I didn’t know Reed was such a notorious drunk
And I love Russell. Sure, he's insane, and completely up himself, but I love him anyway. Go the Rabbitohs!
I didn't know he had a hit here in Canada. I know he's good friends with Alan Doyle of Great Big sea. I think Doyle has got a small part in Robin Hood too.
I agree He's one of my favorite actors and he is a talented one as well. I have friends in Austin Texas who were going to school there tell me Russell had a band and use to perform there many times as well as Keanue Reeves too.Originally Posted by faithanne
A lot of the old hollywood actors and actresses weren't the friendliest in the crop. Especially Betty Davis one of my favorite all time old hollywood actresses. She was still one of the most talented actresses of her time. Russell is an actor I always love to see.
Not really. If you ever watch an interview w/Ellroy, you will see why Crowe left him the message. Ellroy is openly and admittedly--and hilariously--batshit crazy. He's a tremendous author and a brilliant guy, but yeah, listening to him talk, or even more, watching him interviewed live, with his strange body language and wild comments, can be very surreal. (I have a friend who's actually hung out with him a few times and he literally couldn't describe the experience adequately--and this guy is also a writer and usually VERY verbal. Funny! I've never seen him so speechless...)“Woof-woof, hear the demon dog bark. He’s got a 12-inch wanger and it glows in the dark,” is presumably his idea of an intellectual barb.
Scary. On so many levels.
IMO, Crowe's weird message is a perfect joke to leave the (infinitely weirder) Ellroy.
Did you know that every time a parent gives in to their kid's whines and buys them candy at the checkout lane, a kitten gets diabetes?-Dlisted
I dislike groups of people, but I love individuals. Every person you look at, you can see the universe in their eyes, if you're really looking.-George Carlin
True! the message is also evocative of Ellroy's brand of staccato prose.
Don't fear the reefer..
Russell Crowe ain't no Robin Hood.
Did you just make that up? I rather like that.“Woof-woof, hear the demon dog bark. He’s got a 12-inch wanger and it glows in the dark,” is presumably his idea of an intellectual barb.
Scary. On so many levels.
He was slamming the other Robin Hood movies. He's NO Errol Flynn.
But his Robin Hood is dark and realistic and spandex-less. OOOO ahhhhhh........I guess he couldn't recognize a Classic if he actually starred in one.
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