Crowe warns media to steer clear of exploits

Russell Crowe and his wife Danielle Spencer arrive at the Cinema Palace in Venice for the premiere of Crowe's latest movie 'Cinderella Man'. Picture / Reuters

Russell Crowe launched his boxing film Cinderella Man at the Venice Film Festival, with the media warned to stay away from his off-screen exploits.

They were told the microphone would be cut off at the film's press conference if they asked about Crowe allegedly hitting a hotel worker with a telephone.

Asked whether preparing for the role of a boxer influenced him, he said: "I work between action and cut."