Movie star vs Gossip Girl – Now looks who’s Rusty
By Annette Sharp – The Daily Telegraph – September 04, 2009
IT IS an accepted view that if one lives by the sword, so might one expect to die by it.
This week this columnist tasted the tip of her own sword – as thrust by the Gladiator himself, Russell Crowe – after an item in Sydney Confidential raised the actor’s ire.
The story took a shot at Crowe’s fitness after he was photographed puffing on a fag [Australian for cigarette] while cycling in Sydney. After the bike ride he tucked into a plate of tacos.
The next day the phone rang. It was Crowe’s man in the city. Crowe was laying down a challenge.
“Get on your bike. Russell wants you to go riding with him,” the spokesman said, adding: “Are you ready to die?”
When you make a living throwing stones you expect that one day someone is going to lob one back. This was that day.
A 20km ride from Crowe’s home at Woolloomooloo to Bondi was proposed. We were to meet at dawn. Crowe’s weapon of choice, the bike.
Having spent the past nine months honing his form to play Robin Hood in director Ridley Scott’s latest romp, Crowe was in good condition. Not so this mother of three.
Crowe was waiting at the end of the wharf wearing a South Sydney vest. He offered me one before asking: “You can ride a bike, right?”
We were joined by Crowe’s assistant – biochemist turned businessman turned PA – Texan Keith Rodger.
Within moments the actor had launched himself from the footpath and into the early morning traffic. By the time I’d waited for the traffic to clear, Crowe was out of sight. The game was to be cat and mouse and it seemed we’d be jumping kerbs.
“You’ll soon realise that from Woolloomooloo, everything is uphill,” he called over his shoulder after we’d found him.
He was right. We climbed up Bourke St and into Surry Hills, then turning our bikes left to the new Redfern Park.
Crowe, the South Sydney team owner, is rightly proud of the transformation here. At this point my duelling opponent had become a tour guide. “This is actually not a workout. This is just something I love doing in Sydney,” he explained, “and LA.”
Gallery: See Rusty and our Annette in action
On through Bondi Junction, up to Bellevue Hill to admire the outstanding view north and east from the summit and then we headed into Cooper Park – off road.
I was sliding exuberantly down the track when, with a thump, I came off the seat and landed painfully on the crossbar. Soon I was on the ground.
This was surely it. His victory moment, with me sprawled in the dirt. Yet he was gracious, concerned – the perfect gentleman as he rolled up my trousers to check my knee.
We got back on our bikes and rode on. Everyone should see Sydney like this.
When we emerged from the gully we were in Double Bay and Crowe decided I’d had enough – 20.3km covered at a speed of 15km/h. Not bad for a first-timer.
“Better than Baz Luhrmann,” he offered. “You’re twice the man Baz is.”