Russell Crowe reveals why he turned down huge Lord of the Rings role

Russell Crowe passed on the chance to play Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings franchise. The role went to Viggo Mortenson. Photos / Getty Images, New Line Cinema

Russell Crowe has opened up about why he turned down the chance to play Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Speaking to GQ, the New Zealand-born actor hinted the conversation with Jackson had to do with their shared heritage, which led Crowe to sense the director had someone else in mind for the role.

Asked if he regretted turning down the films, Crowe said, “I don’t, actually.

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in Lord of the Rings.

“I was a big Tolkien reader when I was a kid, so I got quite excited about the idea, but I very much felt the studio were making that decision, not the film director.”

Crowe said when he spoke to Jackson on the phone, the director “wasn’t saying the sorts of things that directors would say to you if they were really trying to attract you to a project”.

“And I just kind of got a sense that he already had something else in mind that he wanted to do, and me stepping forward saying yes was actually going to get in his way.”

Crowe explained he and Jackson had a similar way of speaking because they both came from New Zealand. “So there’s a nuance in that conversation that other people might not hear.

“We’re both New Zealanders. And I knew in his own way without him saying anything negative, he had another plan. So I just left it at that.”

Elsewhere in the profile, Crowe explained there’s “only one” film he regrets turning down during his career, and which he would not name, but simply referred to it as “a biopic of a musician that I love”.

Russell Crowe, seen here in The Pope's Exorcist, says as a child he was a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's books. Photo / Supplied

He added candidly that he was “in awe” of those who claim to have no regrets in life, explaining, “I’ve got a s*** ton of regrets. An angry word, an overreaction, a missed opportunity for friendship – lots of things like that.”

It comes after he admitted he’s “slightly uncomfortable” and even felt a “tinge of jealousy” over the upcoming sequel to his 2000 film Gladiator.

The New Zealand-born actor, 60, earned a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Ridley Scott’s original film, but won’t appear in Gladiator II, due to be released this year. Paul Mescal is set to star in the film.

Russell Crowe's performance in 2000's Gladiator earned him an Oscar.

Speaking on the podcast Kyle Meredith With ..., Crowe said: “I’m slightly uncomfortable, the fact that they’re making another one, you know? Because, of course, I’m dead, and I have no say in what gets done.

“A couple of things that I’ve heard, I’m like, ‘No, no, no. That’s not in the moral journey of that particular character’. But you know, I can’t say anything. That’s not my place. I’m 6 feet under. So we’ll see what that is like.”