The one role Russell Crowe will always regret turning down: “The exact kind of movie I wanted to do”
Russell Crowe has starred in several iconic projects over the course of a truly illustrious career. Ranging from the neo-noir masterpiece L.A. Confidential to the popular historical epic Gladiator, Crowe has shown remarkable versatility, which has helped him become one of the biggest stars in the industry.
In recent years, his acting career has inevitably declined compared to his peak period, but he has managed to get roles in big productions like the recent Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder. According to the latest reports, Crowe is also set to portray the famous exorcist Gabriele Amorth in the upcoming film The Pope’s Exorcist.
While Crowe made several correct decisions that contributed to his fame and success, there are some things he still regrets to this day. During an interview, he revealed that he really regretted turning down one specific opportunity more than any other. “The only one I have a tinge of regret about, really, and possibly do regret, is turning down the Johnny Cash biopic,” he said.
The rise and fall of Johnny Cash is a musical tale that many would have been aware of when Walk the Line was released. But, as ever, new generations cotton on to the talent of Johnny Cash — and they always do — Cash’s story must be presented once more as a vital piece of pop culture and musical iconography. Director James Mangold tells that story with Hollywood glamour and country & western grit in equal measure.
Not only does the film perfectly describe the professional and then romantic partnership Cash shared with his wife, June Carter, but it also shows the struggles Cash suffered while with her. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon take on those central roles, while another key figure in his story is the singer’s spiralling drug addiction. However, in the most perfect of Hollywood stories, Carter becomes Cash’s crutch and helps him find himself once more and yet again become a musical powerhouse. Cinematic gold.
Crowe garnered a huge fan following due to his excellent performance in the John Nash – A Beautiful Mind biopic. However, the chance to play Johnny Cash slipped through his fingers and eventually went to the immensely talented Joaquin Phoenix. The latter received widespread praise for his performance in Walk the Line.
In the interview, Crowe revealed that he had always been a Johnny Cash fan which is why he was conflicted. He explained: “It was one of those things of internal morality. It was like, ‘This is a dream job for me!’ I’d been playing, singing Johnny Cash songs since I was a little boy, but I felt that I would be then getting stuff that I hadn’t earned.”
According to the actor, “Climbing on Johnny Cash’s back to get Grammy nominations… just felt wrong to me.” Walk the Line ended up earning several prestigious accolades, including a Best Actor nomination for Phoenix at the Oscars. It was also a huge commercial success and grossed over $180 million on a $28 million budget.
Crowe realised he had made a mistake when he went to see the film. “From the very first notes, when the camera is pushing through the prison, the knife jabs in the heart began,” he admitted. “Not only did I want to do the movie, but it was the exact kind of movie I wanted to do.”
To imagine Crowe in the role of Johnny Cash is to remove Joaquin Phoenix’s incredible performance. It speaks highly to that performance that such a task feels immeasurably difficult to pull off. But, if we were to get a taste of Maximus’ brutishness, and the delicate nature which Crowe has brought to many of his roles, we may have got a movie for the ages.
