Ah,
the lucky ones. These are the people who hit the lottery, who find suitcases
full of cash and the rightful owners give them half just for finding it. These
are the people who get the last seat at the Super Bowl, the people who catch
fly balls hit by Hall of Famers. Ah, well. In the Crowe Nation, the equivalent
to a lottery winner is someone who has actually met The Man, spoken to him,
t-t-t-touched him (shivers!)... These are The Few, The Happy Few. Here are
their stories. Read 'em and weep!
Sweetbiscuit's
Gift From the Heart
August 2000
GoreyGirl Meets A Beautiful
Mind
April 2001
CGee and Bestrcfan Luck Out: The ABM Q & A
December 2001
A
huge THANK YOU to those who have shared their
Russell moments with us!
Sweetbiscuit's
Gift From the Heart 
As
first seen on Murph's
site, Sweetbiscuit of the Outback Chat was the lucky woman who was recognized
at the August 11th (2000) concert by Russell Crowe for giving him as a gift
a beautiful reproduction of a Peruvian crucifix. While she didn't actually
meet Russell, this is as good as it gets short of an actual conversation!
Here is her story:
"
I gave him a cross in Austin before the Aug 11th concert. I have not posted
my experience before, so bear with me. He wore it for the concert and imagine
my shock when it popped out of his black shirt! I had no idea if he would
wear it. Then, later on in the show, he touched it a few times then kissed
it and raised it up to God in a very passionate movement! I got all teary
eyed to say the least. He later proceeded to thank me from the stage, searching
the audience till he found me..."Is the young lady who gave me the cross here
tonight?" ...we all screamed so he could find me, of course! LOL Then he looked
right at me and said "thank you"! Two little words, but I realized that I
touched his heart with the cross. Witnessing that private passion, opening
his heart and soul to us was very emotional for me. It meant a lot to him
cause he continued to wear it at the last show and the Aussie interviews from
Austin. It can also be seen in the Sydney pics of him on the docks with Meg.
I am so thrilled that I made a personal connection with him, and it gave him
comfort and strength during a very difficult time in his life. I adore him
more than ever! :)) So, yes I believe that he believes in God and finds strength
in the crosses that people have given him. In the traditional sense or not,
it really doesn't matter."
This
site administrator was a "witness" to this event
when Sweet called immediately after the concert to report that "RUSSELL WORE
MY CROSS!!! HE WORE THE CROSS I GAVE HIM!!!" The scream that was heard around
the world!
SweetBiscuit
/ Outback Chat Legion
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When
I met Russell, Wednesday, April 4th, 2001
(And a little itty bitty sighting on Thursday)
I
waited for almost four and a half hours and it was completely worth it. The
day was beautiful, but it (and I) was getting colder as the sun set. Around
9:30 I was sitting by a trailer and crew people were watching me suspiciously
but werent saying anything and then Adam Goldberg and Anthony Rapp come out
of the trailer they are sharing and walk over to some production people and
get in a white mini van and leave. I wander around the trailers and church
they shot in a while more, at first I thought the guy talking on his cell
phone down the block by the white mini van was Russ, it was someone else but
you could have fooled me. May have been his stand in.
Roo
C was talking to me on my cell phone and was calming me down as I felt the
hot fudge sundae I had just eaten earlier coming up my gullet. I had just
decided to check out the area one more time after the sundae on a whim because
people were saying the set wrapped for the day around 10 pm or so, but I didn't
think I'd have any luck at all, actually but I made my way back and am so
glad I did--
As
I said I saw Anthony Rapp (He was in Dazed and Confused, also the original
cast memeber for the show Rent) walk by shortly after Adam Goldberg (Saving
Private Ryan, Chandlers freaky roomate on Friends) and this inspired me to
go hunting for Russ! Its always when you think you should throw in the towel
that people show up, right? OK, so I wander back to the street facing the
seminary, on the side of Riverside Church, and this tall blonde chick keeps
looking at me odd but smiling friendly like at me, (turns out she was the
script girl or someone in that capacity later seen handing yellow dailies
script revisions to Russ when I first see him !) and then I notice the crew
and I guess bodyguards and whoever left from the FBI if at all are giving
me hard stares ...next to that a trailer JUST of gym equipment. It was a portable
gym in a truck!! I knew he was close then cause he has to have his workout
in peace, right? :) So I deduced that it was only a matter of time.
Roo
C kept my spirits up and distracted me from vomiting enough so I forgot my
nervousness and kept encouraging me to go up to him to go up to him TO GO
UP TO HIM when I finally see him, and I was convinced I couldn't, especially
with this really terrifying big guy hanging out by the SUV who looked for
all the world like the scariest brick wall Israeli army trained bodyguard
I had ever seen, who gave off the "keep away" vibe loud and clear, his back
alone was the size of a VW bug hood, I am NOT exaggerating. He was cute though.
Anyway I would find out just how cute when finally Russell himself popped
his head out of the trailer and looked around rubbing his eyes as if he (most
likely) had just risen from a nap. He looked tired and really worn out, but
also adorable and boyish, and it was clearly him, Oh Good God it was him.
I was mid sentence with Roo C on the phone when I just STOPPED and he looked
at me quizically but friendly and went back inside to gather some things while
an assistant went in and grabbed his bags and then he walked down the wooden
stairs of the trailer.
I
couldnt believe it. I really was convinced that he had left for the evening,
but it was definitely him. He had very coiffed 50s style hair, but a little
rumpled, like hed been sleeping, and a charcoal simple pullover V-neck wool
sweater and faded jeans (THUD) and I guess sneakers, Roo tells me I told her,
but I swear I can't remember! He waved at me and smiled and I think I said
"Guhhh...guhhh...uhhhh... [and then hissing into my phone], ITS HIM. THIS
IS NOT THE STAND IN THIS TIME!!!!! ITS HIM" in the phone to Chris, while he
took the sides for the next days script from the blonde I mentioned and I
was pretty sure the planet just tilted 60 solid degrees on its axis, cause
I got this feeling like the whole world was falling away and there was just
HIM suddenly WAVING AND SMILING AT ME. But instead of vomiting like I was
convinced I would, I got supernaturally calm. I guess shocked was more the
word, but I got this sweet little smile of encouragement from the formerly
scary as all get out bodyguard and instantly the FIVE people guarding him
became complete teddy bears. 
The
Israeli army dude type with the VW back smiling the sweet smile motioned for
me to come over and I said at first disbelieving, "Can I get an autograph?"
More as in a questioning tone of "Is this even happening?", and then more
quesitioningly to him in a rush again, and he smiled at me like, "Yes, silly!
You're walking over to me arent you?" clearly enjoying my stunned amazement
as he motions me over to the SUV with a grin. I have to imagine that this
look of complete deer in the headlights must get so trying for them all the
time but I think they were actually getting a kick out of it this evening
because I was completely alone. You heard me, not a SOUL with me. No other
fans at this point, amazing. New Yorkers really could care less! The address
for the shoot was posted several times on Murphsplace (Thank you thank you
a million times thank you for letting me know, MM1!!!) , but the days given
were not specific and I had to go back for a couple of nights before stumbling
upon the set. Of course when I finally saw the trailers Wednesday night, I
wasnt about to leave!
So
ANYWAY, I walk over to the passenger window side of the SUV and there's Russ,
sitting there waiting FOR ME. Let me say that again. HE WAS WAITING FOR ME.
I just like that thought. OK, so he leans his head forward a bit and out the
window sitting in his seat, and I'm just dumbfounded. I think I say "Hi."
He gives me this long cautious slow appraisal, looking me up top to bottom
for a second to see if Im not completely bonkers, and then (just when I think
hes going to scowl! He looked tired, the last thing I wanted to do was to
irritate him) he breaks out into a HUGE GRIN, and all I can see are those
round apple cheeks and his eyes crinkling in that WAY they do, and my mind
is running this mantra over and over again, "I'm meeting Russell Crowe. I'm
meeting Russell Crowe. I'm meeting Russell Crowe." Over and over.....its so
hyperreal it takes on this absolute surrealness.
I
try to maintain eye contact the whole time. I know how much he hates people
who dont make eye contact. :) THEN...(be still my heart) he sticks his hand
out to me and stunned I accept the handshake and he says, "How ya doin'. I'm
Russ." DUH? AS IF? LOL! ALSO: PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT A FETISH I HAVE FOR DA
MANS HANDS..... THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL A DREAM COME TRUE. His hands are warm,
dry and calloused and for some reason have the lightness, texture and weight
of balsa wood despite a fairly firm but not overbearing considered handshake,
odd. Poor Russ, he really looked so tired-- I have to say the street lamps
were not the most attractive lighting, but that GRIN brought out the sparkly
Russ we know and love, he kind of worked it for me a little, I think, you
know the movie star bit a little. But he was soooo cordial and polite, and
really really really sweet, especially due to the fact that he had been shooting
this really intense emotionally draining film all day. His tone was very motherly
almost, very considerate and soothing without a hint of patronizing, it was
remarkable, that VOICE, ohhhh man.....
Anyway,
he asks me right away after introducing himself, as IF I dont know who he
is!!!, --"Are you a student?" Cause this is the truth, although I am on the
faaaar latter side of 22, I still look really young, still get carded (now
this isn't as great a blessing as it seems- try having people take you seriously!
Right, 'swat I thought), and also it was being shot right across the street
from Barnard College and right down the street from Columbia U. I have to
say, Russ was guilty of thinking I was no more than 22 as well, and his tone
suggested as such. Not a judgement, God, he was nice as could be, but anyway,
he wasn't talking to me as if I were Speilberg or Katzenberg or, well, you
get the idea.
OK,
here's the tense moment of my meeting. I babble on an answer about how I went
to school in Brooklyn but I've lived here for a while and so on, but my words
get all stumbled and I'm caught correcting myself and it gets drawn out a
bit, and then I'm trying to find the limited edition interview CD sleeve (THANK
YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MISHI!!!! HE SIGNED IT!!!), and going through my bag
and of course I'm caught off guard so I drop the phone (Roo is still on with
me!:)) and to my knees frantically try to find the damned sleeve and a Sharpie.
Its kind of dark, and I could swear I hear Russ say to the Israeli army guy
type, "Oi, help 'er out, mate" (!!!) and within a NANOSECOND the guard has
this Klieg level flashlight on my bag, it was stunning how quick the response,
so of course then I find it right away. But while nerves getting the better
of me made me crawl for the sleeve, I was also unfortunately babbling to him
about "Where is that thing? I had it," etc etc, MAN it was awkward! He asks
me as I look if I liked the CD, and of course I'm all over that with a stream
of words, "Yeah, I really liked it, I especially liked "Somebody EIse's Princess",
it had a kind of glam rock thing going on" and he grins this sidelong self
deprecating grin as I stand and he looks straight ahead and softly (and kind
of bashful even!) says, "Yeah, well, we were just fooling around in the studio."
Like DUH, you don't completely suck, Russ, ok? I was shocked at how self deprecating
he was, it was so disarming and of course, really cute.
So
I finally find and hand him the pen and sleeve and I'm going "Sorry, I'm nervous."
He smiles a little Mona Lisa smile there at the admission, he and the rest
of the guys in the SUV are still clearly getting a kick out of my shock. He
asks me if I was in Austin for the shows and I said No, unfortunately, and
very softly I guess he has asked my name but I didn't hear him, I'm just motor
mouthing along as I do (LOL! You guys know me! ) so by now I'm standing again
next to his window and he does the LOOK and slowly with a period at the end
of each word, firm, stern, cranking that Look-luv-you're-sweet-but-if-you-keep-babbling-we'll-get-nowhere-Terry-with-the-maid-freaking-out-scene--in-POL
look: "What. Is.Your.Name." (!!!) I immediately respond, as if in interrogation,
toute suite! :) It wasnt mean, it was just, Look, hon. Dont lose it. Come
back. OK, there you are. Even that was adorable. Im afraid I must have sounded
like I was on speed, though, it must have been very trying for him, he really
truly has this amazing way of controlling and commanding a situation so that
things don't fall apart, he really is a natural leader.
This
little interruption seemed to be no biggie for him apparently (a major thing
that he's had far worse nervous wrecks in his presence I'm sure and has learned
a thing or two about how to handle it! Thank God, right? Whew...) and I have
an unusual name and he spelled it out right and I just looked at him stunned
and without thinking said (I hope not rudely), "How'd ya figure THAT out?"
Cause really, no one EVER spells my name right EVER it's a bit unusual like
I said, so I was really more stunned that he didnt have a prob with it, and
He just looks at me with this "Of course luv. Im a great speller" tired but
VERY typical Russ look ;) , so then he hands back the stuff and I mention
that "I saw Adam Goldberg, did you work with him today?" And he says Yeah,
and I just gush all over again and wax on about how much I love Adam, and
he says, "Yeah, hes really great" and then I'm finally at a loss for words
(incredible!) and just finally raise my eyebrows and kind of picking up on
how incredibly draining the film is for him (It was really evident, poor Russ!)
say a little sardonically, "Well, good luck on the rest of the shoot" and
he gives me this knowing tired smile and little laugh and says kind of sarcastically
"Yeah", (but not meanly! Again, just knowing and tired, cause I also somewhere
in there mentioned that I work for a production company now, so we sort of
just shared a moment because he knew that I knew how draining working for
a film can be) cause hes just tuckered out, completely. And then I thank him
about three times (babbling once again)and tell him a little too enthusiastically
how GREAT it was to meet him and then he says thanks again, GREAT TO MEET
YOU TOO (I think??? Maybe its just wish fulfillment or something? I have swiss
cheese brain now, forgive me) and waves goodbye with a sweet tired smile and
I just about fall on the ground from it and I wait for him to leave and the
SUV gently takes off in the night and then I fall on the ground and resume
my convo with Roo, all of a sudden remembering to have a nervous breakdown
and I'm shaking and soooooo still not even believing whats just happened.
It really all happened so fast, I havent been this shocked, literally, since
I lost my vrginity!
But
the luck of it is is that Roo C was NOT gonna let me not come back the next
night without trying to at least get him on the phone with her, which I was
angling for too, but was feeling really awkward about the prospect of him
thinking I was overkilling the situation or just being plain weird stalker
fan (how EVER could you tell, Russ? Hee hee), but the situation was made less
weird by the fact that our friend Erik was in town, a sort of willing surrogate
Roo C for the evening, and promised he would do his best to help out, so we
met at the school gates of Columbia about 4 blocks away from the seminary
and walk to the shoot. I have already scoped out the place, having noted from
before to Erik that among other amenities, Oscar caliber stars get their own
personal gyms in trucks. Then as we walk up to the godhead that was Russ's
ever lovin' trailer, I very mock-tour guide say in a low murmur as I point
it out, "And...that's his trailer."
NO
SOONER do I finish my sentence than like a scene in a damned movie does he
KICK the door open a la Officer Bud White, and bounce down the stairs in a
very devil may care way---it was him, in character, completely and totally.
He was leaving the trailer to begin a shot at 9:30 at night and he was compltely
refreshed looking and adorable, practically raw from the well-scrubbed but
still plain weird energy he was giving off, pure, for lack of a better term,
John Nash the younger. It wasn't even the man I spoke with the night before,
it really was apparent in that 30 seconds or a minute of watching him why
they pay this guy the big bucks, really impressive. He even kind of added
this nerdy flat footed wide kind of Jeffrey Wigand-esque waddle, even though,
I have to tell you, he looked good but his legs (ah, alas and sadly, his thighs,
sigh) were so SKINNY! He has dropped a ton of weight, I mean, hes always gonna
have that lovely barrel chest I admire so, but his legs were terribly thin,
it was interesting, or maybe it was the street light and night and me feeling
like I'm on amphetamine all day again (!), kind of hard to say what kind of
optical illusion my brain may have created. :) OH, I forgot to say also !
He doesnt smell bad AT ALL. What he smelled like Wednesday night- as I was
so near him--oh God, literally inches--sadly, I didnt detect any tea tree
oil at all like I was hoping, but rather he was just how a freshly opened
pack of Marlboros smells, not unpleasant at all. Under that was just clean.
He was really, uh, clean. Not very articulate, I know! :) But a lovely scent
none the less. Maybe it was just the pheremones mingling, adding to the complexity
of the bouquet, ha ha....
Anyway.
So he walk/waddles/bounces :) into the church library they are filming in,
and for the next hour or so Erik and I have the exact vantage point of Ron
Howard's directing position, and we see the top of Russ's head bobbing up
and down every now and then during a take as he walks, but eventually they
change positions for the shoot and he was no longer in view, and we rapidly
gave up on any hopes of seeing him any time soon as this looked to be an all
night shoot, and two nights in a row of standing in damp 45 degree weather,
even for the man, was really beginning to wear me down. Thats part of the
reason I've taken so long to post this; I've barely slept or eaten due to
nerves (damned Virgo constitution of mine! :)) because I was either hanging
out near the shoot or at work or trying to grab a few hours of sleep.
OK,
I hope no one in NYC is pissed at me for not posting the address and info,
because honestly, this was not me being stingy and selfish (I know, that seems
impossible to believe given the circumstances, but honest!), but I really
was very very concerned about the madhouse zoo that was Princeton, and I saw
up close and personal how drained he was on Wednesday, and just really didnt
want to be a contributor to more distractions and mayhem. I already was having
an extremely hard time justifying my presence there the second night, and
was even tempted to just give Erik the address and leave it at that, and as
it was, we wound up leaving after only a couple of hours.
When
he came out of the trailer the second night, he was still on the job (unlike
Wednesday) and only furtively waved and made eye contact with one woman who
I had noticed the night before briefly but she hadn't stayed long and then
Thursday she was seen hanging out with one of her firends, but really that
was it, and maybe a couple of curious people walking by at the time, but again,
nothing like Princeton, and I really felt for the sake of the film and his
well being, that I for one certainly wasn't going to contribute further to
any possible irritations. I want to add by stating that I would *NOT* consider
any of you femmedogs as a negative distraction! Rather, I just wouldn't want
it posted and then have not so savory types show up, it might have been problematic,
and I just would have felt terrible if that would have had a negative impact,
however small, on the shoot. OK, I hope you all can find it in your hearts
to forgive me, my mind isn't quite together this week! I hope you can understand!
:)
[GG
- we forgive you!]
GoreyGirl
/ Russell Crowe's Beautiful Minds MB
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CGee
and Bestrcfan Luck Out: The New York Q & A for 'A Beautiful Mind'
Tuesday, December 11, 2001
Bestrcfan
and I met in NYC today for some lunch, shopping, and to see what we could see
at TRL (MTV's "Total Request Live" show). In our case, not much. Stood
at the side of the building to see if we could catch Russell going in. Turns
out, he had gone in already from the garage. Talked with a man known as Radioman,
who apparently hangs around to talk with celebrities as they film in and around
NY. Met Pongo also!
Russell
ended his segment at MTV and walked across Times Square to listen to No Doubt
do a set at Tower Records. We followed to stand with the mob. Bestie and I
were going to take off to catch our respective trains home when the aforementioned
Radioman pulled us aside and told us that there was a special screening up
by Lincoln Center and Russell was going to do Q&A.
Skeptical,
but with nothing to lose except a long walk, we headed uptown and it turns
out Radioman (bless him!) was right. We pleaded our case for tickets, go in,
saw this wonderful movie and moving down the aisle in that form fitting long
black coat the tails flying because of the pace of his walk came Russell!!
In a word, stunning.
We were in the aisle seats, middle, second row. A good choice by bestie because
the only available lighting as next to us. So there he stood as you saw him
on MTV. I have to say that this man should never be permitted to cut his hair!
It looked perfect, soft, no gel, that beautiful color highlighted by the small
spotlight shining down. Sorry, I digress.
The Q&A Session:
What was the relationship between Alicia and John? (this was bestie's question)
He said it was a very special relationship and when he saw them together they
were in their own little world. He said she saved his life by providing a
platform and shelter for him to live with his illness.
I
asked about TLGS. I know this topic is important to many of us so I will try
to get it as close to what he said as I can but I'm still 
paraphrasing.
He said that it was very difficult to translate the poetic writing of the
book into someting for the screen that would be true to the book. He said
something like he wanted it to be more than still pictures, which I take it
to mean he wants to give it dimention. This is as exact a quote as I can make
it, he said "it might be years."
My opinion of his demeanor was that he spoke like he was saddened but realistically
resigned because he wanted to do the soldier's story justice and do the movie
right. Best, please give your take on this when you read the thread.
Question:
Did you go to mental hospitals or talk to mental patients to prepare for the
roll? He said he drew on the many hours of existing video tape and interviews
about this illness. RH did a video interview with Nash that he used.
He specifically said he didn't feel it necessary to intrude on the privacy
personally of people who were ill. He said he didn't want to see someone and
tell them to "give me your best crazy". He found that disrespectful.
He talked at length about RH [Ron Howard]. He said that people seem to think
he's this simple guy but in truth he's very organized, in complete control
and comand of his picture and this organization gives his actors a gift to
do their work in a very structured manor. They were on a very tight schedule
with this movie because of the strike. He said in one scene, he did the takes
with a wig that when he saw the film was a little crooked but he saved the
production 20 minutes because it wasn't corrected. I guess he meant they didn't
retake the scene with the wig on straight. He spoke very warmly of RH.
Question: How did he dipict the physicallity of
Nash? He said, as we know, Nash wasn't a typical math geek. He was muscular
and tall. But as the illness progressed, he seemed to shrink. They tried to
capture this by making him sort of "desinegrate" as he aged.
The
Cinderella Man
He said it would be his next project. Didn't give a time frame. As before he
said it wasn't a boxing movie but a story about a relationship that survived
through hardship and not a boxing movie at all. Boxing was just a framework
of what the man did. Here's a quote "I was in Austin at a screening and I spent
10 minutes telling Braddock's story but this is New York and you people don't
have the time!" This got a big laugh.
Someone asked did anyone try to explain the math to him for the role. He said
many people had tried and more or less failed. He said he truly became aware
of the huge difference between what he knew and was capible of learning and
what they knew.
[A] Question about the film's preperation.
He said that the pre production time was difficult because he was flying from
coast to coast for "that Gladiator thingy". He said something about the ark
of creating a character but I'll have to talk to best to remember it properly.
And
last but certainly not least, he said goodbye and swooped up the aisle. We all
filed out and to our surprise, he was standing in the lobby willing
to talk to anyone who approched him. Since this was a fly by the seat of your
pants, totally unexpected adventure, I was struggling with thinking of something,
anything to say. It was also hard to put a thought together because, as I said
he was just looking so edible.
Anyway,
I went form the obvious to the absurd. I shook his hand and said I loved the
film and he was wonderful in it. He thanked me, (cute litttle half smile) and
than I said I loved his Panerai! Picutre a wider, smile with a confused look
thrown in! He showed me the watch and I moved on.
So that's what I remember. I'll let best fill you in with her views and personal
encounter and hopefully she will add to and correct my versions of events.
We had absolutly no expectations and by total luck, hit the jackpot! Sorry
this is so long and disjointed. It's now past 4:30am and I'm still wired!
FROM BESTRCFAN
"There was a lady who talked to him outside in the lobby. Looked like she
had osteoporosis and had a cane. CGee do you remember her? Red outfit I think.
She had a lot to say to him...and he bent over to listen to every word she
said. She was beaming as he continued to nod and be interested in her....
I love that about him. He didn't rush her..really listened."
CGee
(and Bestrcfan) /
Crowe's Perch
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