Russell Crowe almost unrecognisable after shaving for first time in five years
Russell Crowe fans can't believe how totally different he looks after shaving off his signature silver beard for the first time since 2019.
The Oscar-winning Gladiator actor now sports an extremely clean shave and has shown off his baby face on social media. Followers don't quite know what to think after the Hollywood star picked up the razor and shaving foam after five long years.
Uploading a picture to X, formally Twitter, Russell announced his new look, writing: "The actor prepares #20. First shave since 2019." Replying to the post, one fan joked: "who is that.., I think its Russell Crowe, ... 'back from, where am i now...'." (sic)
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"Age has made you far more interesting. And you shouldn’t hide your handsome face," added another. Someone else said: "Wow, you look 20 years younger! Looks good! It's nice to change it up and shave. You have a nice face it was hiding behind all that hair."
Peter Andre's son debuts bald head and full busy beard in transformation photoA fourth penned: "20 years younger instantly! I want to know what movie you are about to make, clean shaven is good." While a fifth said: "It doesn't feel like 2019 was 5 years ago! Smart look." The upload's had almost 30,000 likes in just over 24 hours.
It comes after Australian actor Crowe's latest film was slammed for its "unreliability" and branded "splatter cinema" for its depiction of exorcisms. The movie, titled The Pope's Exorcist, claims to be "inspired by actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican", but has been condemned by The International Association of Exorcists (IAE).
Hollywood star Russell takes on the role of Father Gabriele Amorth as he investigates a young boy's terrifying possession. "There is actually a real job called the Chief Exorcist in the Vatican," the 59-year-old explains in the film's production notes.
"Father Gabriele Amorth was a real man who held that office for 36 years, and was involved in tens of thousands of exorcisms." However, the IAE has released a statement on the film, which they claim is "contrary to historical reality".
They have claimed that the film, which focuses on a Vatican conspiracy, poses "unacceptable doubt" as to who "the real enemy is, the devil or ecclesiastical power." In the statement, which was released on their website, the IAE said: "Watching the film's trailer confirms, if anything were needed, not only its splatter cinema quality, but its unreliability on such a delicate and relevant topic."
They added: "This way of narrating Amorth's exorcistic experience, in addition to being contrary to historical reality, distorts and falsifies what is truly lived and experienced during the exorcism of truly possessed people." Finishing their statement, the IAE wrote: "The end result is to instil the conviction that exorcism is an abnormal, monstrous and frightening phenomenon, whose only protagonist is the devil, whose violent reactions can be faced with great difficulty.
"This is the exact opposite of what occurs in the context of exorcism celebrated in the Catholic Church in obedience to the directives imparted by it." The statement was made in response to the trailer, with the group saying they will release a further statement after watching the film.