Crowe hopes ‘Cinderella’
charms audiences

Russell Crowe talked about everything from agony to ecstasy at Monday night's world premiere of the boxing drama "Cinderella Man."

From Russell's "A Beautiful Mind" director Ron Howard, the film portrays the story of Depression-era fighter Jim Braddock, a has-been who turned folk hero after defeating heavyweight champ Max Baer in a 15-round slugfest in 1935.

Russell took some real-life beatings in making the film — both in and out of the ring. In addition to training with some world-class boxers, the normally husky actor rigorously dieted and trained to look like the lanky Braddock.

"Aubrey (Crowe's "Master and Commander" character) was 228 pounds," Russell detailed. "Jim the boxer was 176. In reality, I'm a middleweight. But because Braddock was four inches taller than me, I had to get skinnier and skinnier to create his actual silhouette."

The still-lean Russell admitted he was a bit apprehensive about the premiere. "We'll see how it goes. I'm really nervous man, not just about tonight, I really just want this movie to find an audience."

"Cinderella Man," which opens June 3, is one of only a handful of mature, big-budget dramas slated to come out this summer movie season, which as usual is crammed with high concepts and heavy action.

Russell hopes Braddock's life will connect with ticket buyers.

"It made such a resonant story," he said. "Not just who he was as a champion but who he was before he was a champion, where he came from, to get to that place to begin with, and who he was after he was a champion and how he stayed engaged with society and watched his kids grow up, watched his grandchildren be born, and die in 1974 still be desperately in love with his wife."

She is played by Renee Zellweger, who also attended the premiere. So did director Howard, who talked about his second round with Russell following "A Beautiful Mind."

"Well he's a very intense, driven guy," Howard told AP Television News. "Interestingly, he's not that sort of method actor who never breaks character or anything like that, but definitely he (is) a different kind of a guy.

"The problem, the struggle," Howard continued, "was he was in serious pain because of this shoulder injury. He was struggling constantly to stay fit while acting in the film and creating a character. It was a huge mental and physical challenge for him."

Russell, who attended the premiere with wife Danielle Spencer, discussed his bright new perspective on life following the arrival of their first son, Charles, a year and a half ago.

"Being a dad is a fantastic experience," Russell gushed. "My life has changed for the better and in an immeasurable way. Every single day of my life I get 30 or 40 extra cuddles that I didn't get before and, quite frankly, I don't know how I survived the days without them."

In fact, Russell told Access Hollywood, he’s now ready for six to seven kids.

“Wow,” said his wife, Danielle, coughing intentionally after being informed of the plan by Nancy O'Dell.

“I mean, quite frankly I'd rather have like six children already,” said Russell, who playfully thanked Nancy for relaying the message to his wife. “No, really, Nancy, anytime you need a favor you just call me.”

Co-star Renee Zellweger added that she was very happy to be getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So happy, she doesn’t care where it will be located on the boulevard.

“You could put it in Los Feliz if you want to,” said Renee, laughing. “My God! You could put it on the border. I don’t care! Outside of California, I don’t care!”

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