Crowe-ing It Alone

Has Oscar-winner Russell Crowe’s penchant for acting out hurt his prospects as an actor? Hollywood insiders say the roughneck thespian is so concerned about studios second-guessing his bankability in the wake of his phone-throwing imbroglio that he’s starting his own production company to ensure his leading man-hood. But it’s not just the blowback from the June 6 incident at the Mercer Hotel in New York that has him worried. Crowe’s antics—onset and off—have alienated his colleagues for years.

“Directors—other than Ron Howard—really dislike him, and no woman in her right mind wants to work with him,” says a prominent Hollywood insider. “Even Paul Bettany [Crowe’s two-time co-star] is scared to death of him.”

Crowe believes his own production house will help him avoid the indignity of supporting roles (or—crikey—Australian TV) if his public goodwill continues to decline. “He knows he’s getting older,” notes our source. “He doesn’t want to end up a character actor.” Meanwhile, Crowe is still doing damage control. Our source says he just shelled out $250,000 for a pear-shaped diamond ring for his wife Danielle as an apology for assaulting Mercer concierge Nestor Estrada. But perhaps he should have sent his alleged victim one as well.

In a statement released yesterday, Estrada’s headline-loving lawyer, Eric Franz, said, “Crowe is a man whose violent history demonstrates that he first responds to his rage and then responds to his ratings,” adding that a formal complaint against the actor will be filed in court next week. Crowe’s long-suffering publicist, Robin Baum, did not return calls or emails seeking comment by press time.

Previously: Legal Eagle Eats Crowe

Photo: NYDN