Name: Russell Crowe

Film: "Cinderella Man"

Born: April 7, 1964 (Wellington, North Island, New Zealand)

Bio:
The son of movie-set caterers, Russell Crowe was raised primarily in Australia, where he started his career as a child star on local TV. Crowe's breakout movie there was "Romper Stomper" (1992). Shortly after, Sharon Stone requested him for a role in "The Quick and the Dead" (1995). A quintessential tough guy (with a reputation for offscreen brawls), Crowe is also adroit at playing introspective characters like whistleblower Dr. Jeffrey Wigand in "The Insider" and tortured professor John Nash in "A Beautiful Mind." But it is steely performances like those in "L.A. Confidential," "Gladiator" and "Master and Commander" that continue to define Crowe as a leading man with bravura.

Credits:
"A Good Year" (2006) (pre-production)
"Cinderella Man" (2005)
"Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" (2003)
"A Beautiful Mind" (2001)
"Proof of Life" (2000)
"Gladiator" (2000)
"The Insider" (1999)
"Mystery, Alaska" (1999)
"Breaking Up" (1997)
"Heaven's Burning" (1997)
"L.A. Confidential" (1997)
"Rough Magic" (1995)
"Virtuosity" (1995)
"No Way Back" (1995)
"The Quick and the Dead" (1995)
"The Sum of Us" (1994)
"Hammers Over the Anvil" (1994)
"The Silver Brumby" (1993)
"Love in Limbo" (1993)
"For the Moment" (1993)
"Romper Stomper" (1992)
"Spotswood" (1992)
"Brides of Christ" (1991)
"Proof" (1991)
"The Crossing" (1990)
"Prisoners of the Sun" (1990)
"Living with the Law" (1988) (TV series)

Notable: Crowe earned best actor nominations from the Academy three years running (1999-2001), winning in 2000 for "Gladiator."