When you hit 60 years old, it's hard not to think about some of the mistakes you've made in your life. It's impossible not to transfix yourself on 'what ifs.' Even someone as successful as Russell Crowe admits his faults over the years.
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Over the years, the Gladiator actor gained a reputation for being difficult to work with on sets. Typical shouting matches? Yeah. Throwing cell phones? Absolutely. He'll straight up fight you if his temper gets to that point. His behavior is an open industry secret. Russell is fully aware of his perception, so much he can hardly fathom anyone not having regrets.
In an interview with GQ, Crowe details some of his missteps. "I'm in awe of people these days who say, 'I have no regrets,'" The Nice Guys actor says. "Really? Not one single thing you ever did. Right? You're so fucking perfect. I've got a shit ton of regrets. An angry word, an overreaction, a missed opportunity for friendship — lots of things like that."
Crowe continues, expressing how blessed he is to do what he's done in his career. It grounds Russell to be able to acknowledge all aspects of his life. "But all of those things are in perspective, because I've done lots of really cool shit too," he explains. "My regrets are, in a way, badges of honor. Having the ability to have that introspection and go, 'You know, the other day you were a f*****g d**k, mate. Do your best not to be a f*****g d**k like that again.'"
Russell Crowe Gets Real on Comic Book Movies
In addition to his candid remarks about regret, Russell peels back the curtain on what it means to work on a comic book movie. Later in the interview, the writer asks about the Madame Web debacle and how the film's lead Dakota Johnson referred to it as a film "made by committee." Frankly, Crowe finds it laughable. ""You're telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f*****g universe for cartoon characters ... and you didn't get enough pathos? Not quite sure how I can make this better for you," he expresses.
Moreover, he emphasizes how massive the comic book productions are. More or less, Crowe confirms that you're just a cog in their grand system. "It's a gigantic machine, and they make movies at a certain size... These are jobs," Russell says. "You know: Here's your role, play the role. If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons."
