Russell Crow: The guilt that overshadowed his 2001 Oscar victory

He won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001 thanks to his critically acclaimed performance in Gladiator. 

But Russell Crowe has admitted that an overwhelming sense of guilt prevented him from fully embracing his moment in the spotlight. 

Speaking to Today’s Richard Wilkins on Tuesday, the 56-year-old said he didn’t deserve the level of praise he received for the role, because it was Gladiator’s director, Ridley Scott, who really made the film a success. 

‘[After starring in Gladiator], I got so many pats on the back, and, you know, I got some big awards and all that, and obviously that sort of stepped me up to a different level for quite some time,’ Russell explained. 

However, the actor said he felt a pang of guilt while recently watching a live screening of Gladiator at the Colosseum in Rome. 

‘I watched that movie, and it is a director’s film,’ he said, adding: ‘It was one of those moments of, ‘Why did I get all the attention, when the Academy Award belongs to Ridley Scott?” 

It comes after Russell admitted to The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon that he almost turned down his career-making role in Gladiator. 

Appearing on the show via video-link last week, the Kiwi-born star described making Gladiator 20 years ago as ‘a unique experience,’ partly because, according to the actor, ‘the [initial] script that they had was so bad.’ 

‘It was just so bad,’ Russell continued. ‘It was like, Okay, ummm. Yeah,’ he mused. 

Despite his hesitations, Russell finally agreed to take the role after a first meeting with director Ridley.  

The film went on to win Academy Awards not only for Russell, but also for Best Picture, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design. 

In his latest film Unhinged, Russell plays a man with extreme road rage who stalks a woman for beeping at him on the highway.