Bad boys in the Hood: Russell Crowe, Scott 'clash on film set'

Growly 'Gladiator' star Russell Crowe and film director pal Ridley Scott are rumoured to have clashed on the set of new men in tights flick, 'Robin Hood'. Photo / AP

Growly

Gladiator

star

Russell Crowe

and film director pal

Ridley Scott

are rumoured to have clashed on the set of new men in tights flick

Robin Hood

, according to online reports.

The big-budget project has been dogged by rumours of on-set strife - reportedly catalysed by location difficulties, the

departure of leading damsel Sienna Miller

(she quit, or rather was rumoured to have been "let go", because her diminutive frame made portly co-star Crowe look like an earthly

Jabba the Hutt

), and most importantly, rumours of a lingering and long running feud between Crowe and Scott.

Robin and his not so merry men...

Miller was subsequently replaced by Aussie actress

Cate Blanchet

and the medieval saga went into production earlier this year. But not before Crowe was reportedly told by producers to go on a crash diet to drop 35 pounds, because, "we can't have Robin Hood looking more like

Friar Tuck

," according to a production snitch.

Just before production started,

another snitch imparted with this insightful, if somewhat scathing take on events: "It is a mess. Russell never lost the weight he put on for

Body of Lies

- and so the love scenes between him and Sienna would have been laughable. He's so old and fat and she's so young and gorgeous. It's just . . . gross."

Hug it out, boys

Wicked whispers say that relations between Crowe, probably the moodiest man in movies, and Scott have recently reached an all-time low - they allegedly stopped talking to each other and opted for the silent treatment. Which probably complicated things somewhat, what with directing involving an element of tongue wagging and communicating with talent. We digress.

First look: Russell Crowe as Robin Hood - photo

Video: Crowe talks Hood

The apparent rows, which have previously been vehemently denied by Crowe's reps, have reportedly got so out of hand, producers had to "fly to London because Russell and Ridley won't talk to each other," a snitch told the

New York Post

"Every time they stop filming, it costs the production millions of dollars," the snitch adds.

Crowe's publicist

Alan Nierob

has yet again denied talk of any conflict between the pair, saying: "It's a good scene down there. Everything is on schedule."

And Universal chairman

Marc Shmuger

told the

Post

: "Ridley and Russell asked us to visit...to see more than an hour of footage they've already shot, which was nothing short of spectacular...We couldn't be more excited by what we saw. Russell and Ridley are working on their fifth film together and have one of the strongest and most collaborative working relationships. When it's news that a studio chairman and a film's producer [Brian Grazer] visit a production, it must be a very slow gossip day."

Well they would say that wouldn't they.

Clash of the thespian divas or not, Crowe has confirmed that movie bosses have tinkered with the film's title. Originally pegged as simply

Nottingham

, the film is going by the name

Untitled Robin Hood Project

during production.

He explains, "I think it's just going to be

Robin Hood

. There were lots of other ways of calling it and some different ideas. Prior to Christmas, the studio were talking about

Nottingham

as a title being well-known now, having been discussed for 18 months at the highest levels of press and marketing and stuff like that and it was a good - what they called a solid gold - name.

"And the question came up: But is it better than

Robin Hood

? And everybody just shook their head and said: No, it's not."

Finished? Good.

D.I.V.A

This latest gum flapping about Crowe and his diva-like ways reminds us of an anecdote we heard about the burly star when he graced the Empire awards in London this year.

Crowe was invited to attend the movie awards bash, to pick up his Actor of Our Lifetime gong, but was reportedly in no mood to be harangued by mere mortals. He allegedly forced organisers to halt the ceremony midway through - so he could pick up his award at the exact moment he arrived at the venue.

His driver was under strict instructions to park outside the London Grosvenor House hotel and wait for him as he ducked inside and bagged his prize - without being disturbed by other guests.

"He should have been handed a diva prize instead," a snitch said. "He had organisers clear the foyer of staff before he made his flash-in-the pan appearance.

"His blacked out waited outside. Russell was a nightmare for the event."

Then there's that

legendary phone-tossing caper

. Don't even get us started on that one.

Here's a quick recap:

Blogger's briefs

*

Matriarch, the lady's not for turning,

Madonna

has reportedly managed to persuade three appeal judges to allow her to adopt three-year-old orphan

Mercy James

after all.

A snitch tells

The Sun

newspaper: "The paperwork is being typed up now. All recommendations are in favour of the adoption taking place. Mercy should start packing her bags. She's off to America."

And Madge is off to Africa,

dressed a bit like this

*

Purple pain. Eccentric warbler

Prince

is said to be in crippling pain because his hips are knackered - both of them. "He's in a lot of pain," a snitch told

The Hollywood Reporter

. "He's popping pain killers and hoping it will all go away." A hip op would solve the problem, but seeing as the star became a Jehovah's Witness in 2001 (a religion which bars blood transfusion), he's unlikely to go under the knife anytime soon.

* Splitsville. Rumours are rife that on-again, off-again lovebirds

Leonardo DiCaprio

and

Bar Refaeli

have called it quits...again. According to

Pople.com

, a snitch says the pair are "taking time off for the time being, they've split," before adding, "It could just end up as a break but for now they're doing their own thing."

* Cobblers.

Whitney Houston

has trashed reports that she had banned journalists from asking about her well documented drug problems during promotion of her new album. Snitches revealed last week that Houston's people had vetoed any interviews with journos who said nay nay to not asking her about her substance abuse. Her rep now says, "(The reports are) premature. Nothing has been set."

Love my love handles

Human dolphin

Mariah Carey

has reportedly gained 15lbs after pigging out in the studio during recording of her new album.

A snitch tells the

New York Post

: "Mariah loves food. Right now she's making an album and eating everything and anything she wants.

"She has put on about 15lbs, but she loves the curves.”

But Carey, who's fuller-figure has set tongues wagging that she might have a ciabatta in the oven, is said to be loving her curves.

"She'll definitely tone up again when she releases her album, but as of now, she's stuffing her face," the snitch added.

She can always joint Fat Fighters when the time comes to checking in the excess baggage...

Blogger Bites Back

Pictured: Russell 'The Muscle' Crowe and, inset, Ridley Scott.

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