Today actor Russell Crowe turns 51!
The Academy Award winning-actor has enjoyed a diverse career including several memorable performances in Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, his breakout performance in Romper Stomper and his most recent directorial debut of WWI epic, The Water Diviner.
Here we take a look back at Russell through the years and watch him go from a budding Aussie actor to a fully-fledged Hollywood heavyweight.
Today actor Russell Crowe turns 51! Last year in an EXCLUSIVE interview with The Weekly the star said: “You have to accept there are stages in life. You can’t be the Gladiator forever.”
Fresh face: A youthful Russell Crowe attends the 72nd Annual Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in March 2000.
Russell Crowe with his acting contemporaries Nicole Kidman and Geoffrey Rush.
Russell nabbed the Best Actor nod for Gladiator at the Academy Awards in 2001. Here he is with fellow winners Benicio Del Toro, Marcia Gay Harden and Julia Roberts.
Russell with Al Pacino at the Golden Globes in 2001.
Russell Crowe takes Jodie Foster as his date to the Golden Globes in 2000.
Russell with his Gladiator castmates Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen and Djimon Hounsou.
Russell Crowe performs live on stage with his band, Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunt.
Russell with Cinderella Man co-star Renee Zellweger.
Hanging in the Hollywood crowd: Russell with Harvey Weinstein and Renee Zellweger at the Venice Film Festival.
Russell Crowe and his wife Danielle Spencer, with their children Charles Spencer Crowe, and Tennyson Spencer Crowe pose while Russell is honoured on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in April 2010.
Danielle Spencer, Russell Crowe and Olivia Newton-John arrive at the opening of The Star in Sydney.
The infamous phone throw: Russell and his wife Danielle are hounded by paparazzi in 2005 as they arrive for Russell’s plea hearing for an assault charge to which he plead guilty.
Russell rocking a ponytail in 2008 while filming period film Master and Commander.
Russell Crowe takes Oprah for a sail in Sydney Harbour during her visit to Australia.
Russell Crowe and Danielle Spencer attend the Cannes Film Festival in 2010.
Russell Crowe with Cate Blanchett at Cannes.
Rusty with Terri Irwin and Naomi Watts at the G’Day USA event in 2007.
Russell Crowe with his Les Miserables castmates Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Amanda Seyfried.
Rusty and the folks from Les Miserables perform at the Academy Awards in 2013.
Last year Russell got the best present of all when his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs won the NRL grand final.
