Russell Crowe recently disclosed that he completed filming a movie “with two broken legs,” per usatoday.com. The seasoned actor, renowned for his roles in iconic films such as Gladiator, opened up about the harrowing experience in a candid interview with People magazine.
The incident dates back to the set of the 2010 movie Robin Hood, where Crowe sustained fractures in both legs during a particularly demanding scene. Recounting the moment, Crowe described a risky jump “off a castle portcullis onto rock-hard uneven ground,” without any protective padding beneath him. Despite the excruciating pain, Crowe soldiered on, attributing his determination to the demands of shooting a major motion picture.
Remarkably, Crowe never alerted the production team to his injury and continued to fulfill his duties without taking a single day off. It wasn’t until a decade later that he sought medical attention for persistent leg pain, only to discover evidence of previous fractures in his shin bones.
Russell Crowe in Rome, Italy. Image Credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto, Getty ImagesThis revelation sheds new light on the actor’s storied career, which has been marked by a series of on-set injuries. From a disintegrating hip sustained during the filming of Gladiator to tears in his Achilles tendons and a lack of cartilage in his toes, Crowe’s commitment to his craft has often come at a significant physical cost.
Despite the challenges, Crowe remains undeterred, reflecting on his experiences with a mixture of candour and resilience.
