The iconic speech heard in Ridley Scott's historical epic Gladiator was almost ruined by static electricity from Russell Crowe's helmet. The film, released in 2000, was a huge critical and financial success. The film grossed a colossal $460 million at the worldwide box office and $187 million domestically, becoming one of Scott's most profitable and revered films to date.
Gladiator follows a former Roman General, played by Russell Crowe, who sets out to seek revenge against the morally corrupt emperor responsible for the murder of his family and his enslavement. The film's supporting cast included Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris, Djimon Honsou, and Oliver Reed, who unfortunately passed away during production. The film was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning best picture, actor, and visual effects amongst others. This marked Crowe's first and only win for best actor, being nominated the previous year for The Insider and the following year for A Beautiful Mind.
In a new piece from Empire Magazine (via Today), Russell Crowe reveals his now-iconic speech as Maximus in Ridley Scott's Gladiator was almost ruined by static electricity. In the interview, Crowe divulges that the helmet he wore during the scene generated so much static electricity that it would affect his hair in disastrous ways. "That helmet was full of static electricity, and every time I took it off the hairs on the top of my head stood up. I tried doing it slowly, I tried doing it fast, but every time two hairs stand up like I'm a f***ing Teletubby," the actor explained. Crowe later reveals the problem was fixed with clever camera techniques, stating, "So, [director Ridley Scott] solves it by going into a massive close-up, when I turn to face Commodus — it's just forehead and chin out of frame so you can't see the Teletubby hair wiggling in the wind."
This isn't the only piece of behind the scenes trivia unveiled following the film's release. Joaquin Phoenix was reportedly extremely nervous at the start of filming, so Crowe downed several pints of Guinness with the actor to calm him down and talk about his character in the film. Additionally, during one of the film's most memorable action sequences, real tigers were used and kept 15 feet away with tranquilizers on standby to ensure the actor's safety. Given the film's success, the idea of a sequel was tossed around but didn't find its footing at first. Then, it was announced Scott was developing a follow-up with writer Peter Craig, who's next credit will be for his work on Top Gun: Maverick, now set to hit theaters this December. Gladiator producers Walter F. Parks and Laurie MacDonald later revealed the sequel would take place 25 years after the events of the first film.
Gladiator remains one of the best "swords and sandals" epics out there. The film's action sequences remain breathtaking and immersive, and the central performance from Crowe is nothing short of brilliant. Scott crafted a film that not only delivered countless thrills and an enveloping atmosphere but one that also contained a rich, emotionally engaging character arc for Maximus. Knowing the film's most iconic speech was almost tarnished by a helmet is an amusing piece of behind the scenes trivia. Fortunately, the crew was able to find a way around such a frustrating hindrance and create one of the film's very best scenes. Now fans can go back and watch Gladiator to spot Crowe's "Teletubby hair" when they revisit the beloved classic.
Source: Empire Magazine (via Today)
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