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The curse of the Gladiator: How Russell Crowe's Maximus role turned him into Hollywood's golden boy... before he fell on his own sword
Playing a brave, upstanding warrior and a moral hero with right on his side, Russell Crowe instantly won over audiences - and critics with Gladiators.
Yet suddenly success seemed instant and just a few months after the release of Gladiator came his next critically acclaimed role, portraying mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. in the biopic A Beautiful Mind. At the BAFTAs, where he scooped Best Actor, the following morning's headlines were dominated not by his win, but by his fracas with a BBC executive, who dared cut short his acceptance speech in the broadcast version of the event. As a result of the attack, the public mood towards Russell had undeniably shifted and there was even a South Park episode titled The New Terrance and Phillip Movie Trailer revolved around a lampooning of his aggressive tendencies.
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