Russell Crowe splits with wife of nine years beacuse of 'hellish work load'
Monday 15 October 2012
Russell Crowe has split from his wife of nine years, Danielle Spencer, it emerged this weekend.
The Gladiator actor is said to have blamed his huge work load on the breakdown of his marriage, but the pair are said to have separated on ‘friendly terms.’
The split reportedly came after the 48-year-old actor found it increasingly difficult to get home to his family in Australia, after being cast in six films this year: Man With The Iron Fists, Les Miserables,‘Broken City, Man of Steel, Noah and Winter’s Tale.
Russell met actress and singer-songwriter Danielle 22 years ago on the set of the movie The Crossing. The pair were married in a chapel on Crowe's farm in the hamlet of Nana Glen, in New South Wales, in 2003 and have two children together, Charles and Tennyson, aged eight and six.
It was only two years ago that Russell hinted that he would walk away from Hollywood completely in a bid to put more time in with the family.
He said at the time: ‘I want to take a step back and put a normal rhythm back into the kids’ lives. I don’t want to get on a plane again this year.’
Before meeting actress Danielle, Crowe had a much-publicised romance with Meg Ryan after the pair starred opposite one another in the Hollywood crime thriller, Proof of Life.
The children have remained with Miss Spencer while Crowe continues filming the biblical epic Noah in the US, it has been reported.
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