Actor Russell Crowe portrayed the character of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 Ridley Scott-directed epic historical drama movie Gladiator. The movie also starred actors Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, and more. The story follows Maximus Decimus Meridius being reduced to slavery after the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, kills his father and seizes the throne.
Maximus becomes a gladiator, and what follows is his journey from ashes to the ranks of the arena, with the thought of avenging the deaths of his family and the Emperor. The movie was a huge success upon its release and became the second-highest-grossing movie in 2000. Russell Crowe, who was highly lauded for the portrayal, shares an incident of being treated like a royal in real life.
Russell Crowe recalls his ‘private visit’ to the Sistine Chapel
Actor Russell Crowe appeared in 2023’s supernatural horror movie The Pope’s Exorcist, directed by Julius Avery. The movie is based on two books: 1990’s An Exorcist Tells His Story and 1992’s An Exorcist: More Stories by Father Gabriele Amorth. Upon its release, the movie opened to mixed reviews from critics and the audience.
Ahead of the release, the actor had spoken to Kevin McCarthy and shared an interesting story about his private visit to the Sistine Chapel. He shared that he was at the Sistine Chapel with his kids and mom and added that usually it’s a tour that is shared with hundreds of tourists, but they were lucky to be there by themselves. Crowe added that the one who was taking them around said to him,
‘Mr. Crowe, for you, we will turn on the Pope’s lights’. I asked him, ‘What he was talking about, and he explained, ‘In the Sistine Chapel, there is usually only natural light to not ruin the paintings. But when the Holy Father comes for contemplation, they turn the lights on.’ So he pressed the switch on, and the Sistine Chapel was fully lit.
The actor continued that the entire chapel was lit, which meant that the blue of the sky changed completely and one could see all the details, including the facial expressions. He described the experience as incredible. Russell Crowe, however, did ask the young fellow about why he turned the Pope lights on for him, to which he said,
Maximus! You’re the eighth king of Rome!
I’m not sure there’s a more special privilege in the world than to hold the key for the Sistine Chapel and to experience it’s glory in silence. So grateful.
Sono al servicio di Roma. pic.twitter.com/BjPfPAvoIO— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) July 19, 2022
The actor not only played a royal in the movie Gladiator but was also treated like one off-screen. The actor later took to her social media to share a couple of pictures from the chapel, writing that he is not sure if there is anything more privilege in the world than to hold the key to the Sistine Chapel and experience its glory.
Crowe, however, received backlash for sharing the pictures, as the website for the chapel clearly states that photography is not allowed. But Metro.co.uk stated that the actor had permission to click pictures during his visit.
Russell Crowe talks about his experience being a part of superhero movies
Crowe, who has portrayed the character of Jor-El in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and later Zeus in the MCU’s Thor: Love and Thunder, will now appear in Sony’s Kraven the Hunter’s Father. The actor, during an interview with British GQ, was asked about his experience working in a superhero movie in regards to Dakota Johnson’s comment stating that Madame Web felt like art made by a committee. He said,
I don’t want to make any comments about what anybody else might have said or what their experience is, but… you’re bringing out the impish quality of my humor. You’re telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie and some f***ing universe for cartoon characters. And you didn’t get enough pathos?
He explained that it’s a gigantic machine, and the studios make movies at a certain size, adding that these are jobs. He pointed out that it’s like, ‘Here’s your role; play the role’, but if an individual goes into this thinking that it’s going to be a life-changing event, then maybe they are in for the wrong reasons.
The actor noted that superhero movies are challenging as they require the actors to work opposite the green screen, where they have to convince themselves that they are more than just the internal machinations of the character. He added that he did not have a bad experience while working on Thor but noted that it’s Taika Waititi’s world, which meant being silly every day.
Thor: Love and Thunder is streaming on Disney+.
Frequently asked questions
What happened during Russell Crowe’s private visit to the Sistine Chapel?
Crowe has recounted visiting the Sistine Chapel privately with his mother and children, when a guide switched on the special lighting normally reserved for when the Pope visits for contemplation. Crowe said the chapel is usually lit only by natural light to protect the paintings, so seeing it fully illuminated let him see details and colors he had never noticed before.
Why did the guide call Russell Crowe ‘the eighth king of Rome’?
According to Crowe, he asked the guide why he had turned on the special lighting just for him, and the guide referenced his role as Maximus in Gladiator, joking about his standing as a Roman ruler in the film. Crowe later said he considered the experience one of the greatest privileges of his life.
What has Russell Crowe said about acting in Marvel superhero movies?
Crowe, who has played Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder, told British GQ that big studio franchise films are essentially large-scale jobs where actors are given a defined role to play, and that treating them as life-changing artistic experiences can set actors up for disappointment. He added that his own experience on Thor was positive, largely due to director Taika Waititi’s playful approach on set.
