The curse of the Gladiator: How Russell Crowe's Maximus role turned him into Hollywood's golden boy...
before he fell on his own sword By Rebecca Lawrence For Mailonline Published: 07:07 EDT, 11 June 2024 | Updated: 07:21 EDT, 11 June 2024 e-mail 5 View comments He became a household name with his leading role in 2001's Gladiator. Playing a brave, upstanding warrior and a moral hero with right on his side, Russell Crowe instantly won over audiences - and critics - earning him the Academy Award for Best Actor. A shocked and humble Russell took to the stage with glee to accept his award, admitting in his speech: 'When you grow up in the suburbs of Sydney or Auckland, or Newcastle like Ridley or Jamie Bell , or the suburbs of anywhere, you know, a dream like this seems kind of vaguely ludicrous and completely unattainable.
; The Kiwi actor, then 35, went on to admit winning the Oscar was 'directly connected to those childhood imaginings', in a speech that earned the star a standing ovation. Yet what started off as a fairytale for Russell quickly descended into a nightmare. Playing a brave, upstanding warrior and a moral hero with right on his side, Russell Crowe instantly won over audiences - and critics - with his role in the 2001 epic Gladiators Yet what started off as a fairytale for Russell quickly descended into a nightmare (pictured in 2022) Fresh off his Oscars win, Russell was considered Hollywood's golden boy.
It was a longtime coming from the star, who was in his 30s wh.
