“As soon as somebody is a d–k, I’m gone. You got me?”
Some people in the crowd responded “Yes,” after which Crowe continued signing posters and other items. The exchange has since been shared widely, with viewers debating whether the actor was being too sharp or simply stating the obvious in a situation involving adults, pens, and a limited grasp of personal space.
Online reaction mostly backed his boundaries
The clip sparked the internet did what it always does: argue about a sidewalk interaction, because every celebrity sidewalk interaction apparently needs its own referendum now.
Several users on X defended Crowe’s approach, arguing that he made the rules clear and still stopped to sign.
“I don’t blame him. Those people are vultures with no regard for anyone but themselves. Good for him. Boundaries,” one X user wrote.
Another said the moment seemed reasonable: “This honestly seemed pretty fair from Russell? Set some boundaries, stayed and signed autographs. What’s the issue?”
A third person wrote: “He was setting clear boundaries with the crowd. People were pushing in pretty aggressively, and he still took time to sign for fans.”
The main distinction, and it is not a complicated one, is that Crowe did not refuse to sign. He warned the crowd that if anyone pushed in, he would leave. Celebrity access apparently now requires a safety briefing.
Why Crowe was in Paris
Crowe has been in Paris with his girlfriend, Britney Theriot, 42. The couple attended the opening day of the French Open tennis championships on Sunday.
For the outing, Crowe wore a navy suit with a gray waistcoat, a light blue tie, and sunglasses. Theriot wore a black blazer and white shirt, with minimal jewelry and a chunky watch.
Another video from the tournament also made the rounds online, showing Crowe attempting to catch a tennis ball during match point in Alexander Zverev’s match against Benjamin Bonzi.
Crowe caught the ball, stood up, and received applause from nearby fans. He then shouted, “Are you not entertained,” quoting one of the most famous lines from Gladiator, in which his character Maximus addresses the Colosseum crowd.
He was also seen applauding during the match and taking photos of the stadium on his phone.
His relationship with Britney Theriot has drawn attention before
Crowe and Theriot have been dating for around five and a half years. They first prompted romance rumors in November 2020, when they were photographed kissing during a tennis outing.
In February 2021, they were seen playing tennis together again in Australia, suggesting the relationship was still going. Tennis, it seems, has been doing a surprising amount of administrative work in this couple’s public timeline.
Their age gap has also been the subject of online chatter. Some speculation incorrectly claimed Theriot was 30 years younger than Crowe, prompting him to correct the record on X last November.
“It is so ungentlemanly to do this, however, my lovely Britney is 42 years of age. I am 61,” Crowe wrote at the time.
Crowe was previously married to actress Danielle Spencer. The former couple share two sons: Charles, 22, and Tennyson, 19. Crowe and Spencer married in 2003 and separated in 2012.
Last year, Crowe told Australia’s 60 Minutes that he did not plan to marry again.
“Why would I go through… I’ve been married once,” he said. “I know how it can go and where it can go. So I don’t need to go to that place.”
