When Russell Crowe prompted a fight at the Bafta Awards
Third time marked the charm for Russell Crowe when he finally collected a Bafta Award, but his victory was quickly overshadowed by an altercation that became the awards show’s biggest talking point.
The biggest event on the British cinema calendar has never been completely in line with the Academy Awards when it comes to handing out trophies, as proven in 2002 when Crowe’s performance as John Forbes Nash Jr in A Beautiful Mind saw him rewarded with the prize for ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’.
While he was nominated in the corresponding category at the Oscars, Denzel Washington triumphed for Training Day instead. Furthering the differences between the two galas, whereas Ron Howard’s biographical drama would win ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’ the same year Crowe was shut out, the Baftas deemed Peter Jackson and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as worthier winners.
Crowe didn’t win a Bafta for Gladiator, either, but when he took to the stage after finally collecting the gong, he came prepared. Crowe was carrying a poem in his pocket that he read aloud while onstage, only to discover much later on that his eloquent speech had been removed entirely from the televised broadcast.
His frustrations were aimed at producer Malcolm Gerrie, who the star ended up pinning to a wall and lambasting for the decision to trim his verbal celebration for the sake of time. Initially, Crowe wasn’t in the mood to issue an apology and would even defend himself and his actions.
“If you know anything about me, you know I am going to stand up for myself if I believe I’ve been wronged,” he said, per BBC. “He’s not battered, he’s not bruised and he’s not bloodied. His ears will be ringing though. I have no regrets about what I said to him.”
It was Sting who randomly decided to warn Gerrie that “Russell wants blood” ahead of the expletive-laden rant, in which the Oscar winner got seriously worked up. “I don’t give a fuck who you are,” were his reported words. “Who on earth had the fucking audacity to take out the Best Actor’s poem? You fucking piece of shit, I’ll make sure you never work in Hollywood.”
Crowe would then allegedly kick over three chairs and storm away in a huff, although he eventually offered an olive branch to Gerrie after being – by his own admission – “abusive” and “behaving unreasonably”. The New Zealander has never been nominated for another Bafta ever since, but should that day eventually come, then the producer is probably much better off ensuring his acceptance speech makes it onto screens. Either that or Crowe’s notorious fiery temper could start flaring up all over again.
