With an ever-growing list of Hollywood actors, it’s easy to forget to give honor to some of its finest. Actors like Russell Crowe deserve a standing ovation for his successful film and television career.
There are few actors with an impressive list of award-winning movies to their names. If you’re a fan or an admirer of his contributions to the movie industry, here are some of his must-See movies to add to your collection.
Gladiator (2000)
Credit: Gladiator
Every great actor has a movie that threw them into the limelight and brought them instant fame. For Russell Crowe, that movie is undeniably Gladiator. For a long time, it was hard to picture him in any movie other than Maximus Decimus Meridius.
“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”
Watching Gladiator feels like a rite of passage for any true fan of Russell Crowe. If you missed this epic movie for whatever reason, it’s time to tick that box!
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Credit: A Beautiful Mind
When you’re done watching Russell Crowe go from being the Commander of the Armies of the North to disgraced exile to the honored gladiator, you can catch him next being a brilliant mathematician. Russell Crowe plays the character of John Nash, adapted from the life and times of renowned American mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr.
Russell Crowe’s character, Nash, gets invited to the Pentagon to help decipher enemy encrypted telecommunications. But, after his alleged recruitment to work with the U.S. Department of Defense, his world gets turned upside down. He battles to fight his way out of a psych ward and keep his wife.
A Beautiful Mind is one of Russell Crowe’s highest-grossing movies. With a budget of $58 million, the movie grossed $316.8 million at the Box Office.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Credit: 3:10 to Yuma
When it comes to versatility and acting range, Russell Crowe is a beast! He delivers exceptionally in his roles. Crowe co-plays the lead with Christian Bale. Crowe plays the antagonist Ben Wade. Wade is the ruthless leader of a notorious outlaw gang.
3:10 to Yuma is set in 1884 Arizona and follows the story of a captured Wade who must be put on the 3:10 pm train to Yuma Territorial Prison. Looking for a way to pay off his debt to Glen Hollander, Dan Evans (Christian Bale) takes up a responsibility others would run away from. For a fee of $1,000, Evans would take Wade to Contention and ensure he boards the 3:10 pm train to Yuma.
Unhinged (2020)
Credit: Unhinged
Road rages may give a momentary adrenaline rush, but sometimes a little sorry can save you from a lot of trouble. Russell Crowe plays the mentally deranged character, Tom Cooper. Although the movie received mixed reviews from critics, there was no doubting Crowe’s performance.
The stranger, Tom Cooper, makes life unbearable for Rachel Flynn, a newly divorced single mother. In an attempt to get her son to school and beat rush hour traffic, she pissed off a stranger by honking excessively.
She refuses to apologize when Crowe’s character requests it. Instead, he makes it his duty to make life miserable for her by attacking her close friends and family. Again, leave it to Crowe to deliver a mad performance (pun intended).
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Credit: Thor: Love and Thunder
A good way to end this list is to see Crowe take on a comedic role.
When the cast for Thor: Love and Thunder was released, it was a bit of a guessing game to know which character Russell Crowe would land. Crowe plays Zeus, the King of the Olympians. The role is far from a lead role, but you can trust Crowe to leave a lasting impression. He plays the character with a Greek accent and, for once, got to see a playful Zeus character. Rather than help stop Gorr, Zeus is mostly interested in where the gods’ next orgy would take place.
Still doubting Russell Crowe’s versatility and acting range? There are a few actors who can be chosen to play characters in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the same year!