Russell Crowe explains brawl with bodyguard

12.00pm

MELBOURNE - Russell Crowe has written a letter to a newspaper explaining why he bit his bodyguard and close friend Mark 'Spud' Caroll during a brawl on a Toronto movie set.

In the letter to the Sunday Herald Sun, Crowe explained the pair's brawl after a day's shooting on his latest movie, The Cinderella Man, was sparked by a misunderstanding and said they made up the next day.

New Zealand-born Crowe said he had been talking to a young woman, who was an extra on the film and a friend of both men, at post-shoot drinks.

Former Australian test rugby league player Caroll had come over and told him what he thought people might be imagining the pair's conversation was about.

"I thought he was accusing me specifically of something and I took offence to it," Crowe said in the letter."

Caroll also wrote to the newspaper about the brawl and denied reports Crowe had bitten his ear.

"That never happened, simple as that," he said.

"He did take a nip at my chest -- I was trying to smother him at the time, so I can understand the move."

Crowe said the pair had not hurt each other seriously but "wore badges of dishonour for a few days".

They had made up the next day, "called each other a few ripe names, had a hug and got on with the job," he said.

At the time of the incident it was reported Caroll had told Crowe to "go home to your wife and kids".

But in his letter, Crowe said his wife, Danielle Spencer, did not have a problem with him having a "drink and a chat with the people I'm working with at the end of the week".

- AAP