Russell Crowe Clashes with Autograph Seekers in Paris: “Don’t Push Me!”

Russell Crowe issued a stern admonition to fans congregating outside his hotel in Paris, eager for his autograph.

The 62-year-old star of “Gladiator” laid down some ground rules for the crowd of autograph seekers, cautioning that he would leave the spontaneous gathering if anyone behaved poorly.

“Are you listening?” Crowe demanded. “Stay put, don’t crowd me. I’ll come to you. Let’s give each other some space.”

“The moment someone acts up, I’m out. Understand?” he added.

A few fans, eager to comply, responded with a “Yes” as Crowe, dressed casually, began to sign their posters.

The incident quickly spread across the internet, sparking discussions about whether the celebrity’s actions were excessive. However, many social media users defended Crowe.

“I don’t blame him at all. Those people can be relentless, only caring about themselves. It’s good that he set boundaries,” commented one social media user.

“It seems totally reasonable from Russell. He established clear boundaries and still stayed to sign autographs. What’s the problem?” another user questioned, confused by the controversy.

“He clearly set boundaries with the crowd. People were being quite pushy, yet he made time to sign for his fans,” another supporter noted, siding with Crowe.

Crowe has been spending time in Paris with his 42-year-old girlfriend, Britney Theriot. The couple was seen at the French Open’s opening day on Sunday.

For the event, Crowe chose a navy suit paired with a gray waistcoat, a light blue tie, and sunglasses.

Theriot wore a black blazer and white shirt, accessorizing minimally with a substantial watch.

A viral video captured Crowe catching a tennis ball during the final point of a match between Alexander Zverev and Benjamin Bonzi.

Crowe caught the ball and stood up triumphantly, earning applause from nearby spectators.

“Are you not entertained?” Crowe exclaimed, referencing the iconic line from “Gladiator” spoken by his character Maximus in the Colosseum.

The actor was also seen clapping and taking photos in the stadium with his smartphone.

The Academy Award-winning actor has been in a relationship with Theriot for about five-and-a-half years. They first sparked romance rumors in November 2020 when they were seen kissing during a tennis match.

In February 2021, the couple appeared to be going strong, playing tennis together again in Australia.

Online discussions about their age difference emerged, with some speculating that Theriot was 30 years Crowe’s junior. Crowe addressed these rumors in a social media post last November.

“It is quite ungentlemanly to discuss this, however, my dear Britney is 42 years old. I am 61,” he clarified in a post last November.

Crowe was previously married to Danielle Spencer, and they have two sons: Charles, 22, and Tennyson, 19.

Crowe and Spencer, also an actress, tied the knot in 2003 but parted ways in 2012.

Last year, during an interview with Australia’s “60 Minutes,” Crowe expressed that he had no intentions of marrying again.

“Why would I go through that again? I’ve been married once,” he explained.

“I know how it can end up. So, there’s no need for me to revisit that situation.”