How Russell Crowe almost missed out on the role that made him famous because producers said he wasn’t “bankable” enough
Russell Crowe rose to stardom after his acclaimed performance in the 1992 neo-Nazi drama Romper Stomper.
But the New Zealand-born actor wasn’t a big name at the time, and writer-director Geoffrey Wright revealed he had to fight to cast him as lead character Hando, with producers insisting Crowe wasn’t “bankable”.
“We were under pressure to cast Ben Mendelsohn as Hando,” Wright says in the book “Australia’s Most Infamous Jail: Inside the Walls of Pentridge Prison,” published in the Herald Sun this weekend.
“At this point, Ben was a recognized star while Russell was relatively unknown outside of New Zealand,” he continued.
“Russell had just received positive reviews for his supporting role in Jocelyn Moorhouse’s film Proof, but that was all,” he continued.
Russell Crowe (pictured) rose to stardom after his acclaimed performance in the 1992 neo-Nazi drama Romper Stomper. But the New Zealand-born actor wasn’t a big name at the time, and writer-director Geoffrey Wright revealed he had to fight to cast him
“Still, his work showed an energy that I thought would transform Romper Stomper’s antagonist, Hando, into a charismatic monster, a truly unforgettable villain. “But I had a hard time convincing investors of that.”
Russell became a household name and was nominated for an Oscar three times. He won a gong in 2001 for his role in Gladiator after rising to fame in 2000 in the role of the dedicated general Maximus Decimus Meridius.
These days, the actor and his girlfriend Britney Theriot are regularly seen jetting between Sydney and Coffs Harbor, where he is building a $400 million film studio called Aussiewood.
Crowe played the main character Hando, with producers insisting that Crowe was not “bankable”. (Pictured in the film)
“We were under pressure to cast Ben Mendelsohn as Hando,” says Wright. “At this point, Ben was a recognized star while Russell was relatively unknown outside of New Zealand.”
The Beautiful Mind star owns a 400-acre farm in nearby Nana Glen and splits his time between this rural property and his home in Sydney.
Russell and Britney confirmed their long-rumored romance with a kiss on the tennis court in November 2020.
It is believed he first met the (now former) actress on the set of his 2013 film Broken City.
Britney, who is a spitting image of Russell’s ex-wife Danielle Spencer, has since become a real estate agent.
Russell became a household name and was nominated for an Oscar three times. He won a gong in 2001 for his role in Gladiator after rising to fame in 2000 in the role of the dedicated general Maximus Decimus Meridius