Russell Crowe interview

A career to Crow(e) about

"I have to try and keep a sense of humour about it all," he reasons. "Some of the things you read you get an immediate reaction to so I've stopped reading things now. I do worry about my family though. Some people do try some nasty things to get at them and try and get a reaction from them. The important thing to me is that I'm not driven by people's praise and I'm not slowed down by people's criticism. I'm just trying to work at the highest level I can."

That work has so far earned him two Oscar nominations, for last year's The Insider and for this summer's blockbuster hit Gladiator.

He's rapidly gained a reputation as an actor who's prepared to go the extra mile for a role. In The Insider he piled on the pounds with a diet of Bourbon and burgers while for Gladiator he toned his body to perfection - his latest movie is no exception.

In Proof Of Life he plays a former SAS man, hired by Ryan whose husband has been kidnapped by a Latin American rebel army.

During the gruelling shoot, Crowe not only met with former SAS members but insisted on doing his own stunts and opted to camp out in the rainforest of Ecuador rather than return to a comfortable hotel at night.

"I made a barbecue out of an oil can and stole food off the caterer," he grins. "I'd wave as everybody drove off in the evening and wave as they drove back in the morning and people were like, 'Are you crazy? There's wild cats in the jungle'. Quite frankly I will take the wild cats over the Ecuadorian drivers any day," he laughs.

It's this rough-edged charm which has led to comparisons with old-fashioned film stars such as Richard Burton and Richard Harris. Anthony Hopkins has also been quoted as saying Crowe reminds him of himself in his younger days, but the star shrugs off such accolades with typical down-to-earth humour.

"When I heard what Anthony Hopkins said I was flattered, but then somebody put forward that it may be I remind him of his younger self when he was an alcoholic, so I think he meant it as a warning," he laughs.

However, there's no getting away from the fact that Crowe is one of the hottest new stars around and all eyes will be on him at the forthcoming Oscar ceremony where he's up for the Best Actor award.

But, refreshingly, the in-demand star says he was equally thrilled to attend the BAFTA awards where he lost out to Jamie Bell for the Best Actor award.

"I think it was such a smart idea to put the BAFTA's on before the Oscars," he smiles. "It's a great move. I'm from the antipodes, from a commonwealth country. Getting a nomination from the British Academy was as important as from the American Academy, absolutely."

And just to confirm that he's not bedazzled by Hollywood, the star says he could never leave his beloved Australian farm to live there.