Russel Crowe

Russell Ira Crowe was born on April 7, 1964 in Wellington, New Zealand. When he was four years old, his family moved to Australia, where his parents pursued a career in filmset catering. When he was 14, however, Crowe's family moved back to New Zealand, where he attended Auckland Grammar School. He did not complete secondary school, leaving early to help his family financially.

At 21, he moved back to Australia to pursue further schooling, concentrating on his acting. He was discouraged by friends who said he already had the talents to make a career out of his skills.

After initial success in Australia in minor films and bit parts, Crowe began acting in American films. He went on to become a three-time Oscar nominee, winning the Academy Award as Best Actor in 2001 for Gladiator. Crowe wore his grandfather Stan Wemyss's Member of the Order of the British Empire medal to the ceremony.

Crowe received three consecutive best actor Oscar nominations for The Insider, Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. All three films were also nominated for best picture. Within the six year stretch from 1997-2003, he also starred in two other best picture nominees, LA Confidential and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, though he was nominated for neither.

Crowe has been involved in a number of altercations in recent years which have given him a reputation for having a bad temper. He won the Best Actor in the 2002 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards for his portrayal of John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. During the presentation for his award, he planned to read a piece of poetry called Sanctity by Patrick Kavanagh but was cut short to fit in the BBC's tape-delayed broadcast. At the awards after party, he accosted producer Malcolm Gerrie. Crowe later apologised for his actions, but many believe this incident was responsible for depriving Crowe of the Oscar for Best Actor that year. A Beautiful Mind won four of the eight awards for which it was nominated, with the most conspicuous exception being Crowe's nomination for Best Actor.

On April 7, 2003, his 39th birthday, Crowe married Australian singer and actress Danielle Spencer. Crowe and Spencer's first son, Charles Spencer Crowe, was born on December 21, 2003. In January 2006, Crowe announced they were expecting their second child, and in March, Crowe announced on The Tonight Show that they were expecting a boy. Their second son, Tennyson Spencer Crowe, was born on July 7, 2006.