Russell Crowe's latest movie outing, American Gangster, sees him playing a hard-bitten police detective. But despite his reputation as one of the silver screen's toughest customers, the Aussie actor was showing a more tender side in Sydney this week.
The 42-year-old was snapped soaking up the sunshine with his wife Danielle and their two sons Charles and Tennyson on Monday afternoon. The Oscar-winner accompanied his family to an open air pantomime performance of The Wind In The Willows in the city's picturesque Botanic Gardens.
Tinseltown must have seemed a million miles away as he kicked back on the grass with three-year-old Charles, whose eyes were glued to the stage, seated on his knee. Little Tennyson, who will celebrate his first birthday in July, meanwhile dozed in his pram at his mother's side.
One person who would not be surprised to see Russell enjoying some quality time with his family is his American Gangster co-star Denzel Washington. The New York native says that, despite his hard-man image, the Antipodean hunk is really very different in real life. "He's a good guy," affirmed the 52-year-old star. "He's intense, but he's a sweetheart - he's a softy."