Gladiator star Russell Crowe has been slammed online after a video of him shouting at fans waiting for autographs outside a hotel in Paris went viral.

The Hollywood A-lister, 62, was swarmed by fans as he exited his hotel during his trip to France to attend the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros Stadium.

Since it was revealed in August last year that a third Gladiator movie will be made, many fans of the original movie, released in 2000, have speculated whether Crowe will appear in it and have hounded him in public to ask.

However, the heroic image they have of the actor may have been shattered after he unleashed a tirade on them in Paris this weekend.

In the video obtained by TMZ, which has since gone viral, the star is seen approaching the crowd of fans that had gathered outside his hotel, raising his arms in frustration as he approaches them and warns the group to watch their behaviour.

He can be heard abruptly saying: “Guys. Are you listening?”

“Stay where you are. Don’t f**king push in on me, I’ll come to you. Just give everybody space, and as soon as somebody’s a d**k, I’m gone. You got me? Clear?”

Begrudgingly, he began signing autographs for fans, but when one person asked him to sign as his character from the original Gladiator, Maximus, he brusquely replied “no”, then immediately moved on to the next fan.

Crowe played protagonist Maximus in Gladiator. Credit: Universal/Getty

Crowe's outburst sparked controversy online

After the footage went viral, Crowe's fans and critics flocked to the comments to share their disappointment in the actor’s behaviour, with many agreeing that he should express more gratitude towards the people who helped make him famous.

One person wrote on X: “Without the fans, he just a guy most likely working @ Ace Hardware.”

Another X user said: “Jeesh, talk about ‘Never meet your heroes.’”

A third person quipped “Why would you want an autograph of someone who is such a d**k to his fans?”

Crowe is no stranger to criticism over his behaviour

This is not the first time that Crowe has been at the centre of widely publicized altercations. Over the years, he has had several scraps with fans, directors, and producers.

In 2005, he was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon in New York after struggling to make an international call from his hotel room.

Although the 62-year-old star has a somewhat brutish reputation for being rude to fans and colleagues, supporters rushed to defend Crowe’s latest scandal.

One X user said: “Support what? He did nothing wrong. They were coming at him. He said he would come to them and he did.”

Another chimed in with: “I don’t think he is wrong for giving the rules and behavior he expects before doing something he doesn’t have to do.”

Featured image credit: Universal / Getty Images

At the age of 55, Russell Crowe is widely considered Hollywood royalty. The actor has won the hearts of legions of fans following his portrayals of characters like Maximus Decimus Meridius, Robin Hood, Inspector Javert, John Forbes Nash Jr., and Noah.

In fact, it was his captivating role in 2000's Gladiator that earned the Australian actor his first and only Oscar, as he cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats and delivered one of the most badass monologues in movie history: "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius..."

Check out the incredible moment Crowe was honored with an Oscar:

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Crowe doesn't have anything left to prove, which is why a recent article posted by PageSix has drawn the ire of many of his fans.

Publishing recent pictures of the actor taken at Sydney airport in Australia on Thursday, show the star with his assistant. However, several times throughout the article, many jibes are made towards Crowe's apparent weight gain.

The article opens with the line, "Gone are Russell Crowe‘s 'Gladiator' days", and then proceeds to describe the star looking "a tad worse for wear". The pictures show Crowe in a dark blue polo shirt, black track pants, and sporting a long beard.

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However, several Twitter users have hit out at the publication for publishing the images.

Twitter user Brian Reynolds replied to the post, saying: "Don't body shame men unless you are willing to body shame women. [...] Total double standard."

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And a Twitter user by the name of Karen typed: "Trashy to post this picture and try to shame him. Everyone ages FFS. There’s bigger issues in the world that folks should be concerned about."

Whereas several users stood by Crowe for his appearance, complimenting the actor on his new physique:

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Glenn Garner commented: "Idk why they didn't make this the lead image. He's lookin thicc af and I'm down.#daddy [sic]"

Twitter handle @Brendelbored commented: "Looks better than ever, not sure what the issue here is"

And a Twitter user by the name of Bertrand Russell Terrier commented: "This is the ideal male body. You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like."

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Despite the fact PageSix were unable to retrieve a comment from Crowe's management and they also could not confirm whether or not the actor's weight gain was for an upcoming movie role, @ThePocketJacks tweeted: "Besides training for a Guillermo Del Torro biopic who cares? He’ll get paid millions for another role and drop the weight with supplements and trainers."

This isn't the first time PageSix faced backlash this week, as many Matthew Perry fans hit out against the publications after showing pictures of the 'Friends' star looking "disheveled".

Russell Crowe was granted something that few other people in the world have ever experienced: a private tour of the Sistine Chapel.

The 58-year-old actor shared on social media that he was allowed to walk through the halls of the Vatican Museum and immersed himself in its every detail.

Crowe uploaded photos of his experience to Twitter, where he expressed his gratitude that he had the chance to have an intimate excursion inside the iconic Chapel.

"I’m not sure there’s a more special privilege in the world than to hold the key for the Sistine Chapel and to experience its glory in silence. So grateful. Sono al servicio di Roma." he wrote.

The Gladiator star then wrote a series of tweets about his experience and said that he was invited with his family. It was clear that he and his family got exclusive access that regular people would not get.

"Got to walk through the Vatican Museum by ourselves. Amazing," he wrote. "My mum had walked these corridors with my father 20+ years ago with the thousands of tourists that flock here daily and make it the third most popular museum globally."

"We were given access to rooms, perspectives, and parts of the collection you don’t get to see as a regular tourist," he added.  "As we squeezed into a tiny private elevator and ascended to a balcony few get to see, she squeezed my hand and said 'I wish your father was here'".

Crowe concluded his thread on a heartfelt note, urging people to appreciate their parents if they are still alive, writing:  "If you're lucky enough to have your parents around, look after them. Call, visit, show them love."

While the moment seemed like a memorable time for the Australian actor, users on the social media platform weren't very happy with Crowe getting special treatment.

They were also disappointed with the actor taking a photo of the well-known artwork on the ceiling of the Chapel, which is strictly prohibited.

One user wrote: "Great. Now somebody explain please to the other 99% of human beings in the world, even those who where born in Rome, why they JUST CAN'T experience the wonder of the Sistine Chapel in silence, while he can. What's the point of such beauty, into such a corrupted fabric?"

Another commented: "Did you get special permission to take photos at Sistine Chapel?"

A third chimed in and said: "So, the church gives privileges to rich and famous people why the plebs have to queue and swelter in the heat."

Meanwhile, other users believe that Crowe can document his experience inside the Vatican City because he starred in the hit film Gladiator, therefore he should be granted that opportunity.

One user wrote: "Russell Crowe, has given Rome more than they could ever pay him in a lifetime by making Rome a more, it already was, important holiday destination after Gladiator, my favorite movie."

Per Mental Floss, the reason why you can't take photos inside the Sistine Chapel is because of a long-standing copyright agreement with Japan's Nippon Television Network Corporation.

The agreement financed its extensive restoration project launched in 1980 and has been in place for decades. However, some of the terms have since expired but the ban on photography remains inconsistent.

Featured image credit: Abaca Press / Alamy

Tiger Woods has found himself in hot water this week after his ex-girlfriend has accused him of sexual harassment.

The 47-year-old professional US golfer hasn't had a particularly successful love life, with his ex-wife Elin Nordegren allegedly smashing up his car with golf clubs upon learning he was a serial cheater.

Now, it seems another former flame, Erica Herman, is taking legal repercussions after she argued that Woods sexually harassed her and subsequently pressured her into signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). She has filed a lawsuit against him.

On Friday last week (May 5) Herman stated that she had been sexually harassed by Woods while working at his restaurant, The Woods Jupiter, prior to having a relationship with him. According to TMZ, Herman claimed she only agreed to sign the NDA in 2017 after she was threatened with being fired from her job.

Transcripts of an email conversation between Herman and Chris Hubman, the restaurant's Chief Financial Officer, were recently released, and were reportedly sent mere days prior to Herman signing the NDA. In the email, Herman expressed her hesitancy in signing the document, as she believed it had the potential to affect her career if she and Woods broke up.

"My only concern is if by chance TW does something that brings our relationship to an end, do I automatically loose (sic) my job? I don't have any problems with what's in the document because I wouldn't go public or use anything I know to hurt him or the kids but with my whole life in his hands now I would want to have some kind of control over my future in the business," Herman wrote in the email, per Yahoo News. "If something happened 5-10 years down the road I don't want to be in my 40s heartbroken and jobless. Thoughts?"

Hubman's response evidently demonstrated that the NDA wouldn't have any adverse effects on Herman's future. "In my mind, your employment by The Woods Jupiter and your personal relationship with [Woods] are two separate items. I don't think the end of one automatically impacts the other…although I admit it could be complicated. It will most likely depend on the terms, condition or reason for the relationship ending," his response began.

"The NDA doesn't address the terms of your [Tiger Woods Jupiter] employment…only the dissemination and control of information that you become privy to as a result of your personal and professional relationship with [Woods]," it continued.

Herman has claimed in her lawsuit against Woods that the NDA she was strongly encouraged to sign contributed to the sexual harassment she says she was subjected to during their relationship, as she was under the threat of legal action if she disclosed any information regarding Woods and his private life.

In court documents, obtained by People, Herman says that Woods tricked her into leaving the home they shared for six years (telling her to pack for a vacation to the Bahamas) something she also claims is a form of sexual harassment. "When [Woods] became disgruntled with their sexual relationship, he tricked her into leaving her home, locked her out, took her cash, pets, and personal possessions, and tried to strong-arm her into signing a different NDA," Herman's attorney, Benjamin Hodas, wrote in the filing.

"Now, he wants to deny her access to the courts and put this case into secret arbitration, based on a highly redacted document that he claims is a contract between them," the documents stated.

Herman is seeking $30 million in damages from Woods in relation to her allegations of sexual harassment.

Featured image credit: ZUMA Press / Alamy