Russell Crowe feels guilty for not spending time with his sons because he was working overseas

Russell Crowe has revealed his guilt over his years spent working overseas on major Hollywood films when his children were growing up.

Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday, the Oscar-winning actor admitted it ‘worried him greatly’ that he didn’t spend enough time with his sons, Charles, 16, and Tennyson, 14, when they were younger.

The 56-year-old also explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had given him a fresh perspective on fatherhood, after travel bans gave him the opportunity to spend more time at home with his kids.

Russell, who is on the promotional trail for his new movie, Unhinged, spoke candidly about his work-life balance.

‘I look back, and I think I should have given more time [to my children]. It’s tricky. I have this big job, and my entire work life takes place overseas,’ he said.

‘It worries me greatly that I didn’t spend enough time with them.’

Russell explained that even working in Australia didn’t solve the problem because he ‘would leave before they got up’ and ‘they would already be in bed’ when he’d get home.

‘If you’re on a big movie like Robin Hood [2010] and you’re physically getting the cr** beaten out of you every week, you come to the weekend, and all they [his sons] see of you is this lump on the couch.’

The star admitted that the recent global pandemic has also given him ‘perspective.’

‘I know a lot of people have had hard times during this period, and I feel deeply for them, but my perspective, simply being able to stay at home, is such a privilege.’

Speaking about his relationship with his teenage sons going forward, the Gladiator star said: ‘I cant cover the holes I made then, but I can certainly work on having less distance in the future.’

‘They’re in a good place now, but going forward, I really feel like I got to start working in Australia.’

In an interview earlier this month, Russell’s ex-wife, Danielle Spencer admitted that she gave up her career to raise their children as the actor’s star status skyrocketed.

She told the Stellar magazine: ‘It was difficult because I always felt that to keep our family together both of us couldn’t be working and there came a point where I had to prioritise the kids.

‘Obviously Russell’s career was going gangbusters and I just felt like, “This is not my time.” I absolutely love being a mother and I wouldn’t change a thing, but I didn’t feel I could prioritise my career for a while there.’

‘The kids needed a parent who was present,’ the former Home and Away actress, who lives in Sydney with her children, added.

Russell’s new movie Unhinged will be released in Australia on July 30, and July 31 in the UK and US