He was one of Hollywood’s biggest bad boys, but marriage tamed him. But Russell Crowe has admitted that after his divorce he “became a fucking bastard”.
The Gladiator star, 60, who formally split from wife Danielle Spencer in 2018, said he has fully embraced his new bachelor lifestyle after 15 years of marriage.
He admitted his romantic antics were “ridiculous” and included one particularly memorable encounter with a “significantly younger” woman.
She said: “To be completely honest with you, after my divorce went through, I became a whore. I was ridiculous, I had shit all over me. You know the old saying, ‘There’s a girl in every port’?
The lothario, who was linked to Billy Joel’s ex-wife Katie Lee, 42, in 2012, also confessed to using the controversial ‘lovebombing’ technique.
He was one of Hollywood’s biggest bad boys, but marriage tamed him. But Russell Crowe has admitted that after his divorce he “became a fucking bastard” (pictured in June)
The Gladiator star, 60, who formally split from wife Danielle Spencer in 2018, said he has fully embraced his new bachelor lifestyle after 15 years of marriage (pictured in 2007)
Love bombing involves one person showering another person with excessive affection, praise, and gifts in order to influence them.
Crowe, who starred in A Beautiful Mind and American Gangster, said: “I used to organise these things. Now there’s this saying: If you drop a love bomb on someone, that’s it.”
“I’d be love bombing people like crazy because I’ve got a dollar or two to spare, so you can do that kind of shit.”
The candid comments came during a live performance by Crowe’s band The Gentlemen Barbers at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Wednesday night. Although primarily known for his acting career, Russell has long been working as a musician and is currently touring the UK.
The New Zealand-born actor also told of the time he was supposed to go on a date with a younger woman in France, but she stood him up in favour of one of Britain’s largest seaside towns.
“She was a young girl, and when I say young I mean much younger than me. Very much so, we’ll leave it at that,” he explained.
‘As the date for us to meet in Paris approached, I learned that she had gone somewhere else. Now, put yourself in that situation, okay?
‘Here are the options: you, the person, and Paris. Instead, she decided to go to Southampton. Fuck her! If you pull out the list of the top 50 places you should visit before you die, guess what’s not on the damn list?’
He admitted his romantic adventures were “ridiculous” and included a particularly memorable dalliance with a “significantly younger” woman.
Their lustful phase lasted a couple of years, before Crowe settled down with former actress Britney Theriot, 31, who he has been in a “fantastic relationship” with since 2020 (pictured)
The lothario was previously linked to Billy Joel’s ex-wife Katie Lee, 42, in 2012 (pictured this month)
Their lustful phase lasted a couple of years, before Crowe realised his mistake and settled down with former actress Britney Theriot, 31, with whom he has been in a “fantastic relationship” since 2020.
The Oscar winner explained: “It took me a couple of years to look in the mirror one day and say, ‘What are you doing? Nothing is going to get better or make me happier by approaching things this way.'”
The couple recently sparked engagement rumours when Ms Theriot was seen sporting a dazzling diamond ring on her ring finger, and there were claims they were considering a wedding in Italy after visiting a church in Rome in June.
He also maintains a close relationship with his ex-wife, Ms Spencer, 55, with whom he shares two sons, Charles, 20, and Tennyson, 18.
The actor will be noticeably absent from the upcoming sequel to Gladiator, the film that catapulted him to international stardom.
Fans were hoping he would appear in a flashback or in scenes from the afterlife, but director Ridley Scott is instead focusing on the character of Lucius played by Paul Mescal.
Other big names set to appear in Gladiator II, due out in November, include Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Sir Derek Jacobi.
When Gladiator was released in 2000, Crowe, who played General Maximus Decimus Meridius, could not have anticipated the number of fans it would attract, including a mysterious devotee in the Vatican.
On one occasion, he received a call from a Catholic representative inviting him to tour the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel after hours, with no tourists present. Crowe immediately jumped at the chance and took his mother on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Describing the “magnificent” experience filled with “immense beauty,” Crowe said he pushed his mother into the world’s most famous chapel early in the morning, before the sun had risen. That’s when their mysterious host, who had been walking with them, said: “I’m going to turn on the Pope’s lights for you today.”
The actor asked him what he meant.
He also maintains a close relationship with his ex-wife, Ms Spencer, 55, with whom he shares two sons, Charles, 20, and Tennyson, 18 (pictured in 2010).
“Well, when the Pope comes to meditate in the Sistine Chapel, he likes to see all the colours. That’s why we put in some lights,” he explained.
Crowe and his mother were overwhelmed. He said: “It was amazing. The blues, the reds, everything was just glowing. It was amazing, it was an amazing experience.”
He then thanked his host and added modestly: “You didn’t have to do that, why did you do it?”
The Vatican official said: “Russell, please. Maximus, you are the eighth king of Rome.”
