Russell Crowe and his girlfriend Britney Theriot were denied service at a Melbourne restaurant.
As reported by Daily Mail Australia, the 58-year-old Gladiator star and his partner wanted to dine at the Japanese restaurant Mr. Miyagi in Windsor after playing tennis.
The couple reportedly arrived in their sportswear for a post-game lunch but this alarmed staff members who quickly stopped them, and turned them toward the exit doors.
According to the establishment’s website, the restaurant is "casual and fancy" but it does not allow people to show up in "work gear, activewear, singlets, and thongs," as it is strictly prohibited, per 7News.
The Unhinged star's manager, Grant Vandenberg, addressed the incident in a statement to the outlet, that read: "He (Russell) went there wearing a brand new Ralph Lauren polo having just played a game of tennis and was turned away."
Also to speak out was the restaurant owner Kristian Klein, who told Herald Sun: "We treat everyone the same. It doesn’t matter who you are or if you are Russell Crowe. We’ve got a dress code that we push across every level We are consistent with it and I don’t feel like it’s unreasonable."
Klein explained that the restaurant regularly rejects anyone donning beach attire and athleisure, including yoga pants, tank tops, and flip-flops.
"But I know personally if I’m in my thongs (flip-flops) and my boardies (shorts), I’m not going to try and go to a nice restaurant, because I wouldn’t be dressed appropriately," he added.
The manager also disclosed that the employee that forbade the couple did not know who Crowe was, and described it as "a very unfortunate situation for everyone".
Following the incident, the Poker Face star and the restaurant have been put in contact to smooth things over.
Nevertheless, the restaurant seemed to have some fun with the awkward situation by taking to their Instagram page to share a plaque that reads: "Dress smart casual ... unless you’re Russell Crowe, then wear whatevs."
They also addressed the Robin Hood actor, writing: "Dear Russell, during your last visit it seems we got off on the wrong foot. After much reflection on what occurred, we have made a permanent change to our dress code.
"We would love to see you again in the future, you’re always welcome at Mr. Miyagi," they added. Well, it looks like Crowe and Theriot - who have been together since 2020 - can dine in with their athleisure outfits after all.
The couple first met on the film set for Broken City in 2013 and confirmed their relationship after being spotted playing tennis in November 2020, per Daily Mail.
The actor was previously married to Danielle Spencer from 2003 to 2012 and the pair share two sons, Charles, 19, and Tennyson, 16.