Russell Crowe, an Oscar-winning actor who is also a musician and promotes this side of himself through a documentary, stated: "I'm not a slave to the audience." The New Zealand actor presented at the Venice Film Festival the documentary 'What Love Builds', which he himself directed and produced, dedicated to his musical career as a blues rock singer and songwriter.
In 1982, when he was only 18 years old, Crowe published the rockabilly anthem 'I Just Wanna Be Like Marlon Brando' under the pseudonym Russ Le Roq, publicly revealing his admiration for the iconic actor. This ambition to become like Marlon Brando ended up coming true in a certain way, given that Crowe developed throughout his career an irascible and pugnacious personality, specializing in portraying frequently tragic and brutal masculinities.
While becoming one of the great stars of Hollywood, Crowe never abandoned music, continuing to play and write while building and then striving to maintain his status in the film world. The documentary celebrates this lesser-known musical side to the public, presenting it as an essential part of his artistic identity.
