Russell Crowe is in Budapest! – Here is where you can meet him
The world-famous Academy Award-winning Hollywood superstar, known for his roles in iconic films such as “Gladiator,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “State of Play,” Russell Crowe (59), is visiting the magnificent capital of Hungary, Budapest. Hungarian media have been abuzz with the places where one might chance upon seeing him.
As reported by Blikk, a Hungarian tabloid known for its insider insights into the activities of celebrities in Budapest, Russell Crowe has already arrived in Budapest.
Previously, we reported that the Hollywood star, along with Rami Malek, would be filming in Budapest alongside Michael Shannon. Their latest movie revolves around the Nuremberg trials, with James Vanderbilt directing.
In this production, Crowe plays Hermann Göring, Hitler’s right-hand man and the most prominent defendant of the Nuremberg trials. While the film’s portrayal of him remains undisclosed, history tells us that Göring committed suicide preceding his execution.
According to the Budapest Reporter, the production will explore a new aspect of the Nuremberg trial, remaining faithful to the events as documented in Kelley’s papers and medical notes.
Russell Crowe in the Benczúr House
As per Blikk, the filming crew has cordoned off Benczúr Street, stretching from Bajza to Munkácsy streets in Budapest’s Terézváros (6th district), for shooting downtown. The Academy Award-winning actors are filming at the Benczúr House, where the history flick’s most intense scenes will unfold.
The narrative centres on an American psychiatrist studying the minds of the defendants during the trials. Rami Malek portrays him (Douglas Kelly), who, after conducting lengthy conversations with Göring in 1956, took his own life. These pivotal conversations, central to the film, are being filmed at the Benczúr House in Budapest.
Access to the building is restricted, with a Hungarian set decorator company meticulously recreating the 1940s ambiance. The palace’s offices feature prominently in the film, serving as the backdrop for many crucial exchanges, a Blikk informant revealed.
Russell Crowe, counted among Hollywood’s “problematic” stars, is anticipated to navigate Budapest and its Hungarian workforce without incident. According to Blikk, the actor resides in a luxurious estate in the 16th district, where Johnny Depp stayed during the filming of Modi in Budapest in 2023, his multi-storey villa exudes Hollywood opulence, capable of hosting large gatherings. Recently, Hungarian fans caught glimpses of Crowe and Rami Malek at the Gresham Palace in Budapest’s 5th district.
Russell Crowe’s Budapest tennis ventures
According to Hungarian actress Éva Bátyai, Crowe not only works but also takes time off to enjoy the entertainment and sporting offerings of the Hungarian capital, every now and then.
Mrs Bátyai’s husband, a tennis coach, bumped into the Hollywood star on a tennis court. “They didn’t even recognise him at first. As they were leaving, the Hollywood star stopped them to ask for help with a net glitch. It was then that it struck them who he actually was,” added the actress. While she didn’t reveal the exact location, she mentioned that the tennis court lies “somewhere in Budapest’s Wekerle-telep,” in the 19th district.
As reported by Blikk, Crowe has been spotted in Zugló (14th district) and various other tennis clubs in Buda. Reportedly, he goes to different clubs on each visit in order to avoid being swamped by fans wherever he shows up. That’s what also prompted the closure of Benczúr Street to maintain privacy during filming. The heightened security and occasional sightings of people in Nazi attire lend an air of intrigue to the area.
Crowe also went out of his way to truthfully portray Göring, he has shed his beard, which he was sporting for five long years.
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