‘You will never hear from me again’: Russell Crowe considers retiring from acting

The Hollywood star has spent the last four decades as a working actor, but now that he’s pushing 60, he’s wondering if it’s time to call it quits.

Russell Crowe delivers a speech at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on June 30 in the Czech Republic. Picture: Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images

Russell Crowe is currently considering retiring from acting.

The New Zealand-born star has spent the last four decades as a working actor, but now that he’s pushing 60, he’s wondering if it’s time for the next chapter in his life, Variety reports.

“You are standing in front of the mirror, and go: ‘Who the f**k is that?’” he recently said of ageing while at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czech Republic. “I am in that period now.”

The actor used 85-year-old Hollywood director Ridley Scott as an example of growing old in the business while continuing to work on major projects.

Russell Crowe delivers a speech at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on June 30 in the Czech Republic. Picture: Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images

The actor received the Crystal Globe award during the opening ceremony. Picture: Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images

“I will take Ridley Scott as my role model: he is still discovering new things in his work. Or I will just stop and you will never hear from me again,” he said. “I haven’t decided what it’s going to be. These are two very valid choices.”

Scott directed Crowe in the blockbuster film Gladiator, which won Best Picture in 2001 as well as a Best Actor gong for Crowe.

Scott is now currently working on the new Gladiator sequel and has no plans to retire soon.

Crowe with girlfriend Britney Theriot.

Russell Crowe in a scene from the film Gladiator in 2000. Picture: Universal

He has 20 projects in the pipeline, according to IMDB, with Crowe also having eight movies in the works.

While none of those movies include the Gladiator sequel – Crowe’s protagonist character dies in the original – he does not doubt the film will be epic with Scott once again at the helm.

“I can’t think of this movie being anything other than spectacular,” Crowe said.

As he considers his future, Crowe hinted at other projects he wants to bring to life.

Acting roles aside, he has also made a few documentaries to be released when the time is right.

“In order to release them, I have to make them legally comfortable. And to me, that destroys the point,” he said.

“So I just have to wait longer, wait for some people to die, and then I can put them out.”