Russell Crowe’s role as Maximus in 2000’s Gladiator him as a bonafide movie star — but it’s the fights he had behind-the-scenes that are now making headlines.

“The thing is, there was a daily fight on that set,” Crowe, 61, recalled of his 2000 box office hit while appearing on the Monday, December 8, episode of the Australia radio’s Triple J. “It was a daily fight to keep that moral core of the character. The amount of times that they suggested sex scenes and stuff like that for Maximus — it’s like, you’re taking away his power.”

For Crowe, the idea that Maximus would be a scoundrel amid his hero’s journey was a non-starter.

“So, you’re saying, at the same time he had this relationship with his wife, he was f***ing this other girl? What are you talking about? It’s crazy,” he quipped.

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