Russell Crowe Shaves His Beard for the First Time Since 2019: See the Transformation

It’s been years since the actor was beardless — read what he has to say about the major clean-up

Russell Crowe shaves his beard
Russell Crowe reveals he shaved his beard for the first time since 2019. Photo:

Russell Crowe/X; Pool Insabato Rovaris/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty

Russell Crowe’s beard era has come to an end. 

The Gladiator star, 59, has been among the celebrities committed to growing out their facial hair (Travis Kelce, Jack Black, LeBron James included), but now he's ready for a fresh start.

On Feb. 19, the Oscar nominee shared a selfie on X (formerly Twitter) of his freshly shaved face (without beard and mustache) — and he looks strikingly different.

He didn’t share what inspired the transformation. Instead, he captioned the photo: “The actor prepares #20. First shave since 2019.” 

Russell Crowe shaves his beard
Russell Crowe shares selfie of his freshly shaved face on X.

Russell Crowe/X

There is still a hint of stubble to go with his salt-and-pepper hair, so it’s possible that Crowe may have simply wanted to start anew or is preparing for his role in Nuremberg, which is slated to film in Hungary soon.

Fans in Crowe’s comment section were happy with the change, throwing compliments left and right, with many concurring that the Australian was "looking good."

Russell Crowe in the Press Room of the 74 Sanremo Music Festival. Sanremo, February 7th, 2024
Russell Crowe attends the 74 Sanremo Music Festival on Feb. 7.

Pool Insabato Rovaris/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty

Crowe has rocked many red carpets with his gray beard, which was inches long when he appeared at the Sanremo Italian Song Festival earlier this month.

And although he has shot a few movies with a smooth smooth complexion, such as American Gangster, he’s always been dedicated to some sort of facial hair, whether a five o'clock shadow or a full-on beard covering the entire bottom half of his face. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Crowe isn’t the only one who’s decided to say goodbye to the beard recently. 

Earlier in the week, The Bachelor alum Matt James revealed that he too had razored off his overgrown scruff with the help of his girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell.

The reality TV star shared a TikTok video showing Kirkconnell playfully holding up a razor to his face as he captures the moment on video with his phone. "This is my real Valentine's Day gift," Kirkconnell told James.

Related Articles