Russell Crowe exits BBC interview in latest tantrum

[HMG] – In what may be bad behavior or more free press for the film, ‘Robin Hood’ star, Russell Crowe has now deepened his ‘bad-boy’ reputation by walking out on an interview at Cannes.

Attending the legendary French film gala to promote his new epic the 46-year old actor was being interviewed by the BBC”s Mark Lawson for a radio show called ‘Front Row’ when he just got up and left.

It began when Mark mentioned that he’d heard a hint of Irish in the New Zealand actor’s accent on screen.

“You’ve got dead ears, mate,” said Russell. “You’ve seriously got dead ears if you think that’s an Irish accent…I’m dumbfounded that you could possibly find any Irish in that character. That’s kind of ridiculous…but then it’s your show.”

Russ then tried to explain his character’s roots, but Mark drew their talk back to accents and asked if Russell had tried to make Robin sound more ‘Northern English’? Irritated that the reporter had clearly not listened, Crowe snapped;

“No I was going for an Italian, yeah. Missed it?…Anyway.”

But the final straw came when Lawson asked Russell about a recent story that, while filming Gladiator he’d refused to say the now famous line, “I will have my vengeance…in this life or the next.”

Russell promptly stood up, unclipped his microphone and walked out, saying; “I don’t get the Irish thing by the way.”

A recent poll of Hollywood film-makers named Russell ‘The most difficult actor to work with,’ and after acres of bad press caused by his antics even Russell admits he can be seen as a pain;

“I’ve been sold as an angry person and that’s just not true,” he recently told reporters. “I put a lot of effort into what I do and that comes with a certain amount of energy; Especially when you’re weary. I have a temper that can flare up, but that’s completely different from being an angry person.”

When Russell won the Oscar for Gladiator in 2001 and a nomination for ‘A Beautiful Mind’ the following year he was widely seen as on course to become the greatest actor of his generation. But he threw that away through bad behavior and some really poor roles

So is this yet more ill-advised conduct, or just a stunt to get the film noticed? Let’s hear your views…