Koby Abberton, Russell Crowe and Sunny Abberton during Bra Boys Sydney Premiere. Photo / Getty Images
Koby Abberton, Russell Crowe and Sunny Abberton during Bra Boys Sydney Premiere. Photo / Getty Images
Of course Russell Crowe's entourage is a ragtag troupe of weirdos and misfits.
The best ones always are.
Rusty. Chris Hemsworth. James Packer. They're always hanging out with a gang of guys who look just like the Entourage bros — Johnny Drama, Turtle and that pizza delivery boy. And what exactly is the purpose of an entourage? Well, Ari Gold — the fictional Hollywood power agent on the HBO series — said it best: "We are gonna get drunk with Russell Crowe and we're gonna headbutt some goddamn kangaroos."
Russell's over in Thailand right now, working on what's thought to be the upcoming war flick The Greatest Beer Run Ever for Apple TV+, and he has brought with him the kind of right-hand man who's completely irreplaceable: embattled former footy player Sam Burgess.
It makes total sense while also being completely perplexing at the same time.
"I'm overseas with Rusty working on a movie which is so random but it's really cool," the former Rabbitohs star told Nova's Fitzy & Wippa this week.
"Russell's got another movie over here, he finished one in Sydney so now I'm working with Rusty over here. I worked on the previous one in Sydney which was a bit of fun and we had a good time."
What's he doing exactly? Hair and makeup? Maybe he scored an on-screen role as an extra. Sam would be great at playing Man In Deli or Drunk Reveller #7. The roles of a lifetime.
But no. His job exists on a higher plane. He's Rusty's spiritual adviser. (I couldn't even type that last sentence with a straight face).
"I'll make (Crowe's) coffee in the morning. What I like to say is that I'm like this spiritual guidance on set. Always good energy around, keeping everyone on track," Sam said.
Hmmm. Well. I don't wanna take away the good energy that Sam's lavishing on the world, but it sounds like he's more of a PA than a shaman to the stars.
Footballer-turned-PA Sam Burgess with his boss, Russell Crowe. Photo / Getty Images
Maybe being a Hollywood PA and professional entourage member is Sam Burgess' new calling — his "second life" or "career pivot" as those wellness podcasts call it. Booking Nicole Kidman's hair appointments and making sure she's got a copy of Liane Moriarty's latest book. Ferrying Cate Blanchett to a Giorgio Armani photoshoot before rushing home to collect her Hello Fresh delivery.
Taking a step back from the spotlight as an entourage member could just be part of his national redemption tour. The main act has been his appearance on Seven's SAS Australia, where we saw him make emotional revelations about his struggles with substance abuse and the affair that broke up his marriage. We also watched him lead a group prayer before eating his boiled oats.
Anyway, Russell knows all about the redemption tour — having whirled around the circuit himself — so Sam is learning from the best. The pair's relationship stretches back a decade to when the Oscar winner and Rabbitohs co-owner recruited the footy player from the UK to play on the Sydney team.
When news broke in 2019 of Sam's high profile split from ex-wife Phoebe, the footballer fled to the Hollywood star's sprawling compound in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast.
Hemsworth and his boys. Photo / Instagram
Russell has a fondness for surrounding himself with down-on-their-luck misfits. It's common in entourages. Like with Chris Hemsworth — his team is made up of old school friends, his PT and that older, less successful Hemsworth brother. Personally, I'd rather have an assistant who was competent in Microsoft Excel.
Chris and childhood friend-turned-PT Luke Zocchi. Photo / Instagram
In the past, Russell's also rolled with Bra Boy Koby Abberton — who, coincidentally, also stars on the latest series of SAS Australia (the takeaway here is that, if your past behaviour is scandalous enough to land you on SAS Australia, then you qualify for a position in Rusty's inner-circle).
Chris and childhood friend-turned-PA Aaron Grist. Photo / Instagram
The Bra Boy told a story on-air this week about a rager they enjoyed together after Russell agreed to narrate the 2007 doco about the surf gang.
"I went to his house and I took my manager there. My manager doesn't drink or smoke. Next thing, I look across and he's smoking joints and drinking beers," he said.
Koby Abberton, Russell Crowe and Sunny Abberton during Bra Boys Sydney Premiere. Photo / Getty Images
"Russell comes out (wearing) the Gladiator mask. I start goin', 'Where's the Gladiator mask!' and wrestling and sh*t. I had the best time ever. And my manager just starts laughing his head off and just starts projectile vomiting all over Russell's house, bro.
"Russell (was in) his room. I was wiping it up, trying to hide it. Russell walks out and goes, 'I got video cameras everywhere'. We had the best time."
Not quite on par with headbutting kangaroos, but still sufficiently outlandish entourage behaviour.
