Russell Crowe is one of the biggest movie stars in the world, owns several multi-million dollar properties scattered all over the globe and has a net worth of around $95 million.
But the 58-year-old Oscar winner says he is just like many other middle-aged, divorced Aussie blokes – desperate to spend as much time with his kids as possible.
Russell has two children with his ex-wife, Aussie singer and actress Danielle Spencer – Charles, 18, and Tennyson, 16, who live with their mother most of the time, but spend weekends and some holidays with their father when he is back home in Australia.
But there is one time of year that is sacred to the Gladiator actor – the period between Christmas and New Year – which he devotes to spending time with his two sons.
That means, he usually misses out on the awards show circuit in Hollywood, which kicks off in the first week of January.
During a 2016 interview, Russell explained how he and Danielle co-parented their two sons when they were younger.
“They live in Sydney with their mum and if I am in the city I get to have them on weekends,” he told Sunday Style.
Russell’s kids live with their mother Danielle Spencer for most of the year.
(Image: Instagram)Russell owns a property in Sydney’s Rose Bay, as well as a waterfront apartment in Woolloomoolo, and a huge farm in the small town of Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour in northern NSW, which was severely under threat during the catastrophic 2019/2020 bushfire disaster.
Yet most of the time, Russell and his kids stay in the city.
“The farm is not practical just for a weekend, you need to be there in the school holidays when you really have some time,” he said.
Russell Crowe pictured in 2010 with his then-wife, Danielle Spencer and their sons Tennyson Spencer Crowe and Charles Spencer Crowe.
(Image: Getty)The Master and Commander actor clearly relishes time spent with his sons, frequently gushing about his love for his kids.
“They are still young enough that even though we have our own bedrooms in the places where we live together, they choose to sleep in the same room as me,” Russell previously said.
“There is nothing cooler than being that close to your kids. One of my greatest fears is that over time they won’t want to spend all of their school holidays there with me. Because that is the best part of my year, when I have them to myself.”
“There is nothing cooler than being that close to your kids.”
(Image: Getty)But despite their father being one of the richest actors around, Russell says makes a point of not spoiling his children.
“You have to make sure they realise what a ‘normal’ experience is and things [like travel] they get to do aren’t because they are special, or because their dad is special, it is just a bit of luck,” he told Sunday Style.
“I will never, ever put them in a situation financially where they don’t have to [earn money] themselves. I’ve told them, ‘I don’t care what you do in your life, but if you do the thing you love, you are going to have much more fun’.”
And when Charlie and Tennyson were younger, they weren’t allowed to Google their dad – that’s a specific instruction that came from their mother, Danielle.
“My kids are old enough now to Google, and you somehow have to explain to them about other people’s interpretations of who you are, what you may have said, and why so much they read is absurd,” he said.
“You discover how impossible it is. I’ve been doing lead roles in feature films for 26 years, right from the beginning of the internet, so now they’re not allowed to Google me anymore! It’s a sensible thing.”
In July 2022, Russell shared a photo of himself and his kids at the Colosseum in Rome.
(Image: Twitter)In July 2022, Russell took to Twitter to share a photo of himself, his girlfriend Britney Theriot and his kids at the Colosseum in Rome.
“Taking the kids to see my old office,” he cheekily captioned the snap, referencing the location of his iconic film Gladiator.
Russell and Britney, 31, confirmed their long-rumoured relationship while being photographed kissing on a tennis court back in November 2020.
He is believed to have first met the former actress-turned real estate agent on the set of his 2013 film Broken City.
Russell and Danielle announced their split in 2012, but their divorce was only finalised in 2018.
Since then, Danielle has found love with a new beau, Adam Long.
Would he ever get married again?
“Nothing that has happened to me has changed my belief in the beauty of marriage, but would I elect to do it again? I’m not sure,” he said previously.
“I have what I feel is an obligation to my kids, to not confuse their lives too much. It’s already pretty tricky for them. There’s life itself, then there’s life as a famous person’s kids.”
