LA Confidential, A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, American Gangster, to name but a few of the films of Russell Crowe. My favourite by far, is Gladiator. I think because it’s a ‘big world’ story and on its release it was a cinema event.
I remember going to see it (again) as an open air performance in Queens Square, Bristol. Anything open air in Bristol is chancing it with the weather. Even in a drought, rain would find its way to the city.
But in this interview we get to hear that when Crowe started shooting, there was only 21 pages of agreed upon dialogue. Scary, eh. But we often say that filmmaking is a collaborative affair and this whole interview reveals the truth of it, of actors working with the director and writer to make a great film.
What is your takeaway from this? What is your favourite Russell Crowe film?
Enjoy…
1 person likes this
Very interesting! My favourite is 300 :)
3 people like this
He seems like a rather interesting and pleasant guy, Geoff Hall . I enjoyed listening to his stories.
2 people like this
Russell Crowe is an incredible actor, @Geoff Hall! He's one of my favorites. I saw "Gladiator" in theaters. It's my favorite Russell Crowe film. They might've had a lot of challenges starting production with a 21-page script.
2 people like this
I love Russell Crowe. But it always makes me take a step back when I hear an actor disparage a script. After all, Ridley Scott thought it was ok enough to go to full production on it.
3 people like this
From an actor standpoint @leonardo Ramirez I get what Crowe is saying. The script is what defines the character. So if it is incomplete or doesn't make sense you have no direction for your character. How can you play a character when you have no idea what that character wants?
1 person likes this
Suzanne Bronson I must have missed where he said it wasn’t complete. I remember where he said it was just a bad script and they brought it down to 21 pages that were acceptable to Crowe. But even if that we’re the case, I don’t know that I’d say it publicly.
2 people like this
Dear All, what stood out for me was that Gladiator was a collaborative process. We often talk about it, but this to me shows and incredible openness of the director and writers to make this thing better. I think the state of the script is probably why William (Bill) Nicholson was brought on board as a script doctor.
And yes, I too love Russell Crowe. I think he’s a much underrated actor, but what a joy it must’ve been to work alongside such wonderful acting talent. It’s a great ensemble production.
2 people like this
Btw, I think my favorite Crowe movies are LA Confidential and American Gangster
2 people like this
I guess it depends on your relationship with the director @leonardo Ramirez. I think it's long enough that ago that it doesn't matter, though when I am in a play that's a cluster---- we just act like it's supposed to happen. It's a compliment to all involved in Gladiator has become so successful.
Suzanne Bronson It is ok to look at the Director for guidance after all they "Direct" the sequence and action. This comes down to the Character's motivation. If it's missing then time to have a round table with the Director.
These questions can come up at the "Read Through." One thing I believe in is to "Serve the Script" and "Serve the Story." When we do this instead of what what we think the "Director" wants in their head then the Director winds up liking you anyway as a automatic byproduct of "Serving the Story."
Asking questions gets you good answers and asking a better quality question gets you a better quality answer.
Timing is everything! Ideally, you'd want to ask the director about your character's motivations during pre-production or early rehearsals.
This way, you can build a solid foundation for your performance and have a clear understanding of your character's journey. It shows that you're invested and ready to bring your A-game to the project.