Russell Crowe has been compared to Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn, Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart. He demonstrates a versatility as an actor rarely seen among today's generation of Hollywood stars. His cast of memorable characters ranges from the raw physicality of the Roman general Maximus in Gladiator or the skinhead Hando in Romper Stomper to the psychological complexity of the brilliant but mentally ill mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Crowe's climb to the top of Hollywood's A-list has been a tough one, made all the more difficult by his feisty temperament and a cocky--some say arrogant--self-confidence. His off-screen brawls and romantic dalliances have made headlines as often as his Oscar-winning performances. This biography reveals the larger-than-life personality that fuels both the fiercely dedicated actor and the Australian bad boy--a personality that has taken Russell Crowe from a one-time rock 'n roll wannabe Down Under to his status today as a true Hollywood superstar.