'Raging' Russell Crowe Defends Himself After Tough Talk with Autograph Hunters Outside Paris Hotel Goes Viral — 'Don't F--king Push In On Me'
Russell Crowe has defended himself after a video of the star being tough with autograph hunters in Paris went viral.
May 26 2026, Published 7:40 p.m. ET
Russell Crowe has defended his behavior towards autograph hunters in a viral video, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Gladiator star's tough stance with fans outside of a Paris hotel was quickly shared on social media, with some users calling out his direct manner.
'As Soon As Somebody’s A D--k, I’m Going'
Crowe made his feelings clear to autograph hunters queuing to meet him.
The footage shows Crowe, 62, addressing some keen fans of the Ridley Scott classic, who stood with merchandise and pens outstretched.
He says in the clip: "Are you listening? Stay where you are. Don't f--king push in on me, I'll come to you.
"Give everybody space. As soon as somebody's a d--k, I'm going. You got me? Clear?"
Crowe then starts signing some autographs, and when asked if he can write "Maximus" – the name of his Roman general depicted in Gladiator – he curtly responds, "No."
Russell Crowe Responds to Backlash
Crowe believes he did nothing wrong.
Fans were split online, with some deeming the actor "quite rude" and "ungrateful," while others replied to the TMZ video: "You set boundaries for yourself to feel safe and for others as well. You have every right to do just that."
The noise on social media grew to such an extent that Crowe felt the need to respond.
Taking to his X account on Tuesday, he accused the outlet – where the video first appeared – of clickbait. "Everybody got their autograph and selfie, the passage to the hotel was kept free for guests, and I still got to the airport on time.
"One man, no security. Handled. What’s your problem?"
Russell Crowe is a 'Difficult Man'
The actor is well known for his up front manner.
Crowe’s reputation for no-nonsense has trailed him throughout his Hollywood career.
Only last year, at one of Edinburgh Film Festival’s keynote sessions, Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald reflected on filming 2009 political thriller State of Play, in which Crowe played a journalist investigating the suspicious death of the assistant and mistress of a Congressman.
"I don't think I'm saying anything out of turn to say that Russell Crowe is quite a difficult man," Macdonald laughed, "and he would intimidate the studio to such a degree that they wouldn’t actually want to come to set."
"My regrets are, in a way, badges of honor," he continued. "Having the ability to have that introspection and go, 'You know, the other day you were a f--king d--k, mate. Do your best not to be a f--king d--k like that again.'"
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The star recently lost nearly 60 pounds after his weight ballooned.
Meanwhile, Radar recently told how Crowe achieved a 60-pound weight loss after changing his habits, having previously feared he was "at death's door" after ballooning past 350 pounds.
For years, Crowe shunned diet or exercise, while close pals were too afraid to say anything.
"Russell has been in denial for years about his weight, even though he’s clearly a walking heart attack," an insider previously told Radar. "But any time it comes up in conversation, he flips out and has a strict 'three strikes and you’re out' rule for people who mention it."
A close friend of the actor told us: "Russell knew he was in trouble – his weight was putting him at serious risk. He was exhausted, constantly in pain, and struggling to move the way he used to. That's when he realized something had to change before it was too late."
