The Secret Behind Russell Crowe's Massive Weight Loss Transformation

Shedding pounds is no easy feat, especially in a society that tends to get things wrong about weight loss. But despite all the fame, glory, and access to some of the best personal trainers in the world, even celebrities can struggle with the scale. This includes Oscar winner Russell Crowe. The "Gladiator" star stopped by "The Joe Rogan Experience" in November 2025 to promote his movie "Nuremberg," and spoke about his impressive weight loss.

By the end of filming the historical drama, Crowe admitted he weighed 126 kilos (which roughly equates to about 277 lbs.). He had since slimmed down to about 100.9 kilos, or 222 lbs., which adds up to a 50-lb. weight loss. After Joe Rogan complimented Crowe on his appearance, the actor revealed that part of his weight loss was thanks to Rogan's friend, Brigham Buhler from Ways2Well. Crowe revealed that he met with the health company and credited the injections he got in his shoulders and knees for past injuries, as well as IVs, for helping with his weight issues.

"It's calmed down my body's inflammation," the actor explained. Crowe, father of two sons, is in his early 60s, and suffered from arthritis, which would make it difficult to work out regularly. "It's taken a bunch of pain away, you know, so I can go and work out and not have to suffer for two or three hours afterwards," he shared.

Another factor that helped with Russell Crowe's weight loss journey was cutting back on alcohol. Alcoholic drinks can have a high calorie count, depending on a person's drink of choice, and they also offer zero nutritional value. Basically, they act as empty calories, which can make a big difference in someone's diet for those watching their caloric intake. "I'm a big proponent of having a drink," Crowe shared with Joe Rogan. However, "The Next Three Days" star now only drinks during special occasions, eliminating casual drinking from his diet. 

But something that wasn't new for the actor was exercise. Crowe has always been an active person — which makes all the injuries he's endured over the years make more sense — and one exercise he was known for doing was bicycling. Except, his regime also included smoking and eating tacos, which seemed counterproductive to reaching his fitness goals. Hilariously, he challenged an Australian journalist to a 12-mile bike race in 2009 after she made fun of his bizarre exercising combo, and he ended up beating her.