Russell Crowe dropped 24kg after latest role

Russell Crowe has recently lost more weight than he did for his muscle-bound role in Gladiator, after piling on the kilos for his new movie The Nice Guys.

The actor shed an incredible 24 kilograms he had gained for his role alongside Ryan Gosling in the comedy crime film, more than he reportedly dropped to star in Ridley Scott's Roman epic.

Russell Crowe, before and after his 24kg weight loss. Photo / Getty Images

Crowe stars as the right-hand man to Gosling's private detective character in the 1970s-based movie and says he wanted his own physique to contrast with that of his co-star.

"I was 121.6 kilos in the first week of August last year and I did a movie called The Nice Guys where I wanted to be the physical juxtaposition of Ryan Gosling," he told Sydney breakfast radio show Fitzy & Wippa.

"I'm clawing my way back from that so I'm about 98 at the moment."

Although he was a naturally trim young actor when he starred in Gladiator in 2000, Crowe had to lose the weight he put on for his previous role as a tobacco company executive in The Insider.

Despite having to supersize his physique, Crowe says he enjoyed making the film in part due to his experience working with Gosling.

Actor Russell Crowe. Photo / Splashnews

"That kid (Ryan Gosling) is a comic genius," the actor says.

"He is great company, he is really smart, he loves what he does and he asks all the right questions. Working with him was such a treat."

- WENN