Exclusive Video: ‘Gladiator’ Hardman Russell Crowe Flees Brutal Bust-Up Between his Team and Fans: ‘It Was Chaos’
Russell Crowe fled the scene after getting into a tiff with a group of eager fans.
Russell Crowe might play a tough guy in most of his films, but that didn’t stop the Gladiator star from running away when a fight broke out between his team and a group of rabid fans.
The 60-year-old was caught on camera arguing with dozens of his followers who came out to see his band The Gentlemen Barbers play the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in West London before the chaos erupted.
An onlooker exclusively told RadarOnline.com: “It was absolute carnage.”
Photos and video footage of the chaotic scene obtained exclusively by RadarOnline.com – which you can view below – show an exhausted Crowe with a cigarette in hand walking over to sign autographs for a bunch of his devotees.
Crowe and a man believed to be his tour promoter approach a group of fans outside the Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
The Cinderella Man actor is then seen shouting at the angry mob before a member of his team – believed to be his tour promoter – clashed with the group and snatched a cell phone from a furious fan who was taping the face-off.
Russell holding a cigarette just before the bust-up erupted.
Our source said: “A guy we think was the tour promoter who got the biggest beating – and it was a horrific beating.
Russell brushed his hand near the side of one woman's face before things turned really ugly.
“He and Russell came out after Russell’s gig and there was a mob of fans and they were obviously in no mood to deal with them.
“Russell just brushed them off, but the tour promoter grabbed one guy’s phone who was filming them and that’s when it kicked off.
“He got chased down by the phone owner and a few other fans, then got a real kicking when he tumbled on the ground.”
Crowe argued with his rabid fans while trying to sign autographs after his band’s gig.
The onlooker added police were called to the scene in the early hours of Thursday after Crowe’s Wednesday night gig, saying: “Russell had to flee, and cops were called – there was absolutely no need for it and the whole thing was mayhem.”
Crowe's “tour promoter” was knocked to the ground and kicked during the flare-up.
Our clip shows the middle of the mayhem on Wednesday night as dozens of Oscar-winner Crowe’s fans shouted abuse including “a--hole”, “wanker”, “prick”, and “c---” at the man believed to be the actor’s gig organizer.
Dressed in a baseball cap and green shirt, he’s seen threatening: “Come to me again mate and I’ll f------ break your phone.”
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A security guard helps Crowe's pal off the ground after he took a beating.
Moments later, he is chased down the sidewalk by at least three men trying to recover the fan’s phone he snatched.
While part of the clip is unclear, it appears the men knock the 40-something man to the ground behind a red telephone booth while beating and kicking him.
Our insider said: “It was the guy we think was the tour promoter who got the biggest beating – and it was a horrific beating.”
The clip ends with the man thought to be Crowe’s promoter standing with a cane while recovering from what our insider described as “absolute carnage”.
Crowe – who has a history of violent outbursts and run-ins with the law – was said to be “horrified” by the incident and quickly fled into the Shepherd’s Bush Empire as the mayhem rumbled on.
Crowe was said to be "horrified" by the incident and fled inside once the crowd of fans got out of control.
Another onlooker said: “Russell looked absolutely horrified at what was happening and made a quick U-turn back inside the venue.
“He never came back outside again. He must have been pretty embarrassed by the whole thing. It was a proper commotion.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed cops were phoned to respond to the incident.
They said: “Police were called at 00:20hrs on Thursday, 25 July to reports of a fight on Shepherds Bush Green, W12. Officers attended. There were no arrests.”
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Crowe’s team for comment.
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