Crowe nets millions from ‘divorce auction’
SYDNEY (AFP) — Hollywood actor Russell Crowe’s unusual “divorce auction” of personal items and movie memorabilia, including “Gladiator” props and a leather jockstrap he wore in Cinderella Man, exceeded expectations and raked in millions of dollars for the Australian star.
The Sotheby’s sale of more than 200 items in Sydney, titled Russell Crowe: The Art of Divorce, was held late Saturday on his 54th birthday and brought in $2.8 million.
”Not a bad hourly rate for a five hour shift,” Crowe tweeted after the auction.
Sotheby’s Australia chief executive officer Gary Singer said the auction was “incredibly successful,” with the most popular items from Crow’s Oscar-winning film “Gladiator.”
”People just went mad. It was Crowe-mania,” he told television broadcaster Channel Seven Sunday.
Among the items that were fiercely contested was a fully functioning replica Roman chariot from Gladiator, which was estimated to fetch up to Aus$10,000 but went for Aus$65,000.