Russell Crowe

Crowe was born on April 7, 1964, in Wellington, New Zealand, and raised in Australia. He became well-known and respected in Australia for his starring roles in The Crossing (1990), Proof (1991) and Romper Stomper (1992).

American audiences have Sharon Stone to thank for giving them their first glimpse of Crowe: When Stone was filming The Quick and The Dead (1995), she asked for Crowe to be cast opposite her. L.A. Confidential (1997) established him as a household name, and The Insider (1999) had him disappear so deeply into his role as to be almost unrecognizable.

But it was Ridley Scott's epic Gladiator (2000) that made Crowe a star and earned him a Best Actor Oscar. He was nominated again for A Beautiful Mind (2002) and received critical praise for his portrayal of Captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003).

Filmography