Happy birthday Russel Crowe: An on-screen 'Gladiator' and owner of 'A beautiful mind'

Russell Ire Crowe was born on April 7, 1964 in Wellington in a family with acting legacy. The Oscar-winning actor, best known for playing Gen. Maximus Decimus Meridius in 'Gladiator' and Sgt. Wendell "Bud" White in 'LA Confidential', is one of the finest actors alive. Here are nine little known facts about the New Zealander that you might be unaware of.

Russell Ire Crowe was born on April 7, 1964 in Wellington in a family with acting legacy. The Oscar-winning actor, best known for playing Gen. Maximus Decimus Meridius in 'Gladiator' and Sgt. Wendell 'Bud' White in 'LA Confidential', is one of the finest  

Russel lost a front tooth while playing rugby at the age of ten and never had it replaced. In 1990, 'The Crossing' director George Ogilvie asked him to get it fixed and even paid for the dentist. (Photo | Facebook)

Crowe was offered a seat at the famous National Institute for Dramatic Art in Australia. He decided to take every acting job he could get to save enough money for the institution. However, he finally decided against joining as the hard work to find the fee had got the best out of him already and the youngster was already on his way to stardom. (Photo | successstory.com)

Clark Gable and Walter Pidgeon are the only two actors other than Russel Crowe to have featured in back to back Best Picture Oscar-winning films. (Photo | AP)

Crowe was married to Australian singer-actor Danielle Spencer, who he met at the set of 'The Crossing'. She is the daughter of prominent Australian television anchor Don Spencer. They got officially separated in 2018 after having two sons. (Photo | AFP)

In 2010 Russel revealed that he smoked around 60 cigarettes a day! It is said that the actor had his first puff when he was just ten and is unable to quit despite multiple attempts. (Photo | AFP)

At the age of 45, Crowe became the oldest actor ever to play Robin Hood. (Photo | Facebook)

Remember Tom Cruise's Vincent from 2004 Neo-Noir flick 'Collateral'? Or Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn in 'Lord of the Rings' (2001)? Both these roles were turned down by Crowe, along with Sgt. Hoot in 'Black Hawk Down'' (2001) which was then played by Eric Bana. Despite a successful career, he turned down a handful of promising roles, it seems. (Photos | YouTube, Facebook)

He isn't the only famous Crowe in New Zealand. You guessed it right, Russel is a relative of former Kiwi cricketers Jeff and Martin Crowe!

Insurance salesman, DJ, bartender, hotel waiter, resort staff, bingo caller... Not the list of future roles lined up for Crowe but the jobs he did before his acting career took off. Hard work always pays off... (Photo | AP)