George Clooney tells all on Russell Crowe 'sell out' spat

George Clooney at the New York premiere of Gravity. Photo / AP

Russell Crowe once apologised to George Clooney for calling the American actor a "sell-out" and a "Frank Sinatra wannabe" by sending him a book of poetry, Clooney has revealed.

In an interview with Esquire magazine in the United States, published in the December issue, Clooney speaks out about the long-running feud between the actors.

The Gravity star says the quarrel began when Crowe called him a sell-out for appearing in commercials. Crowe's spray also extended to Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford.

Clooney retorted with a tongue-in-cheek jibe at Crowe's band, 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts.

"I put out a statement saying, 'He's probably right. And I'm glad he told us, 'cause Bob and Harrison and I were also thinking about starting a band, which would also fall under the heading of bad use of celebrity'," Clooney tells Esquire.

"And that's when he really went off on me. 'Who the f*** does this guy think he is? He's a Frank Sinatra wannabe.'

"He really went after me."

Clooney says he sent Crowe a note chastising the New Zealand-born actor.

Then Crowe, knowing he would bump into Clooney at the Golden Globe Awards, apologised by sending the older actor a "disc of his music and a thing of his poetry", Clooney said.

"The truth is that [Crowe] did send me a book of poems to apologise for insulting the shit out of me, which he did. He picked a fight with me. He started it for no reason at all."

Clooney described Crowe's apology: "I think he said, 'I was misquoted', and I was like, 'Yeah, yeah. Whatever."'

- AAP