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Russell Crowe became one of the most sought-after action stars in Hollywood after his Oscar-winning role inGladiator. One of his post-Gladiatorroles was Captain Jack Aubrey in the epic war film,Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. While the film received widespread critical acclaim, little was known about Crowe’s extraordinary commitment. Crowe refused to use a harness to climb atop a ship in one of the dangerous scenes in the film.
TheRobin Hoodactor’s brave stunt was revealed by his co-star and English actor, James D’Arcy. His revelation was in response to Hayley Atwell’s stories about Tom Cruise on theMission: Impossibleset.
Also Read:Ridley Scott Landed on Gladiator’s Most Iconic Scene While Stopping Russell Crowe’s Stunt Double from Lighting a Field on Fire
Russell Crowe’s Brave Stunt In This War Film Will Earn Him Tom Cruise’s Respect
Hayley AtwellandJames D’Arcyshared their set stories in a chat for Interview Magazine. Coming fresh from theMission: Impossible 7set, Atwell had a lot of stories to share aboutTom Cruise, especially about his daring stunts. D’Arcy reminisced about his experience with another fearless actor in the 2003 war film,Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
TheBroadchurchactor recalledRussell Crowe’s superhuman stunt on a ship forMaster and Commander. In one of the scenes, Crowe and D’Arcy had to climb to the top of the ship and both actors were initially harnessed. However, theThor: Love and Thunderactor, looking up at D’Arcy, asked him whether he could see the harness.
When D’Arcy replied yes, Crowe wanted to take off his harness to make the scene more authentic. But he couldn’t do it himself and asked D’Arcy to help him. TheAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.actor tried to convince him otherwise, but Crowe refused to climb the ship with a harness. D’Arcy revealed that he was worried about becoming an accomplice in Crowe’s death if he were to fall. D’Arcy shared with Atwell in theInterview Magazine:
“I’m taking his harness off at the top of this ship and I’m, by the way, harnessed in twice. He refused to climb it with a harness, so then he clipped in when he got there, was unable to take it off himself, and insisted that I took his harness off. And as I was doing it, I was thinking, if Russell falls off and dies, am I an accomplice in his death? Anyway, he didn’t.”
While Crowe’s stunt may have been unnecessary and potentially dangerous, it underscores Crowe’s commitment to his role. Despite its critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination, the film achieved only moderate success, grossing $211 million against a budget of $150 million.
Also Read:Russell Crowe Defending Man of Steel From Critics Makes DC Fans Nostalgic After 10 Years: “I actually see this as having more hope”
The War Film Came During A Golden Period In Russell Crowe’s Career
The six-year stretch from 1997 to 2003 was a golden period for Russell Crowe. He earned three consecutive Oscar nominations for Best Actor for his roles inThe Insider,Gladiator, andA Beautiful Mind.Crowe won the award forGladiatorin 2000 but lost toKevin Spaceyin 1999 andDenzel Washingtonin 2001.
Five of his films during this period earned the Best Picture nominations, out of which two won the Oscars. Crowe’s films,GladiatorandA Beautiful Mind, won Best Picture Oscars in consecutive years, earning him a record. His other nominated films includedL.A. Confidential(1997),The Insider(1999), andMaster and Commander: The Far Side of the World(2003).
Despite losing out on the Best Picture category,Master and Commanderwon the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing. The film is now available for streaming on Prime Video.
Also Read:“It just doesn’t feel right”: Russell Crowe Was Unjustly Blamed After Anna Torv Was Rejected From His Controversial Movie Eucalyptus
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
