Does Russell Crowe Practice What He Preaches?

In what will one day be known as a historic foot-in-mouth moment, film authority Russell Crowe told women the secret to surviving in Hollywood is to simply act their age. "To be honest, I think you'll find that the woman who is saying that [the roles have dried up] is the woman who at 40, 45, 48, still wants to play the ingénue, and can’t understand why she's not being cast as the 21-year-old," Crowe told Australian Women's Weekly, as ladies everywhere slammed their heads against the desk. What a lovely dismissal of the sexism that plagues the film industry, thx bb.

Needless to say, the problem isn't as easy as simply "acting our age." It is incredibly difficult to be an old ("old") woman with Hollywood, with the disparities between leading men and their female counterparts is huge. Look, not to shame Internet BFF Jennifer Lawrence, but people my age get to play hot suburban moms, and any woman make anyone over 45 who isn't Meryl Streep is forced to be someone's grandma. Ageism and sexism already go hand-in-hand in Hollywood, and the last thing we need is Russell "Fightin' 'Round the World" Crowe telling women of a certain age to get over it. Especially when he hardly practices what he preaches.

I did a bit of math here, which pained my mind, but I love you guys way too much not to try: here's 5 memorable times when Russell Crowe played someone who wasn't his age.

A Beautiful Mind

Crowe's character, based on real-life genius John Forbes Nash, Jr, starts the movie when he attends Princeton in 1947, although technically Nash started going there in 1948. Either way, the actual Nash was born in 1928, so let's round it up and say that the character is about 20-years-old at the start of the film.

Crowe's age at the time the film came out? 37. But you know, a YOUNG 37.

Age Difference: A casual 17 years.

Cinderella Man

Once again, Cinderella Man is based on the true story of Depression Era boxer and family man, James J. Braddock. Braddock was born in 1905, and the film takes place in 1935, so that pegs him at approximately 30 years old. Crowe's age at the time Cinderella Man hit theaters? He was freshly 41.

Age Difference: Give or take 11 years, whatever.

American Gangster

Let's see. Crowe plays the role of Newark detective Richie Roberts, who was born in 1937, and the film takes place in 1968. That would peg Crowe's character at 31, right? However, Crowe himself was pushing 43 at the time of the films release. I meeeeean...

Age Difference: Just a slight 12 years.

Robin Hood

I guess there could be creative liberties taken here, after all Robin Hood is a character of folklore instead of a real person. Fine, whatever. But for all intents and purposes, Robin Hood is typically supposed to be a strapping young man, save for maybe the roguishly handsome DILF on Once Upon a Time. But okay, even if we want to push this idea, said folklore marks his death at the ripe old age of 31. And so Crowe must've been in his 30's when he was playing Robin Hood, right?

Yeah, no. Crowe was 46 when the film came out. CLOSE, THOUGH.

Age Difference: Oh, something like 15 years.

Noah

Whether you credit the Bible as a guide to living a good Christian life, or a fun read, like Cat in the Hat, it still bodes well to be accurate. So how old was Noah when the flood hit? This was my greatest treasure of a find: when you search "How old was Noah when the flood began?" in Google it tells you, at least five times, straight-up, that Noah was 600-years-old.

LOLOLOLOL TIME TO RESIGN FROM ACTING.

Age Difference: 550 YEARS, GO HOME.