Russell Crowe as very cool Robin Hood - no tights!
Academy Award winning actor, Russell Crowe, is manna from heaven for the celebrity pages in newspapers and magazines, but as with most stories written about him, it pays to check with the source to see what’s right and wrong.
Earlier this week it was reported in News Ltd papers that Crowe left a $1200 tip for staff in a remote pub in Wales near where he’s filming his latest movie with Sir Ridley Scott. It also claimed the Robin Hood star was dining with nine colleagues and then whipped out his guitar for a few songs. It’s a good story, but not quite right.
I pinged Rusty an email to ask if his generosity was in the Kerry Packer league. Here’s what he sent back within a few hours.
“Around half of what I gave them was to pay for dinner for 12. So the figure is inflated. There were around 10 staff to be divided amongst. So it’s not that flash really. Not in the KP league at all. The staff didn’t fuss or fawn, they just made us all feel welcome. When The Merry Men (Alan Doyle, Kevin Durand, Scott Grimes) decided to sing some songs the husband and wife management team let the staff join in. It was a comfy wee pub out in the fields, conveniently located in the shadow of ancient Carew castle. I recommend it if you find yourself in the area.”
So there you have it, direct from the actor himself, who has bedded down in the UK with his wife, Danielle, and two sons, Charlie and Tennyson, for the duration of the shoot.
Incidentally, Alan Doyle, Kevin Durand and Scott Grimes have been cast as The Merry Men in the Ridley Scott epic.
Crowe and Doyle are old mates. Doyle (playing Alan a’ Dayle) is the Canadian musician from the folk band, Great Big Sea, who toured with Crowe when he released his record, My Hand, My Heart, a few years back.
Grimes (ER) has landed the role of Will Scarlet and Durand (Lost) gets to frock up as Little John. And then of course, there’s Cate Blanchett as Marion – marking the first time she and Crowe have worked together on film.
