Russell Crowe‘s hunt to track down his family lineage finally took him to the undiscovered parts of Italy. The famed ‘Gladiator‘ star revealed an unexpected tie to the Tower of London’s last executed lord, Simon Fraser.
Crowe, who was born in New Zealand, discussed the fascinating aspects of his genealogical research. He took the newfound facts about him to social media, breaking down his parentage.
Unveiling The Ancestral Drama Of Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe, the charismatic ‘Gladiator‘ star, is on a quest through the annals of his family history, uncovering a remarkable tie to Simon Fraser, the 11th Lord Lovat, who met his fate as the final soul to be beheaded at the Tower of London in 1747.
The actor shared his enthralling genealogical journey on X/Twitter, revealing connections traced back to John ‘Jock’ Fraser, a relative on his paternal grandmother’s side. She came to New Zealand in 1841, a direct descendant of the intriguing Lord Lovat. This revelation opens a captivating chapter, intertwining Crowe’s lineage with the historical echoes of beheading, adding a personal touch to the etymology of the phrase “laughing his head off.“
The actor explained, “His death even coined a phrase. Apparently, they set up temporary stands for the gentry to watch him die. One of these stands collapsed, which resulted in the deaths of nine onlookers. Being told this just before he was put to death made him laugh. He was still laughing when the blade struck his neck, thereby ‘laughing his head off.” Fascinating.”
In case you missed: Russell Crowe Filmed All Of His Zeus Scenes In ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’ Twice Because Taika Waititi Couldn’t Decide On The Accent
Crowe’s Italian Roots
As Russell Crowe peels back layers of his family tree, the plot thickens with an Italian subplot. Unraveling folkloric tales and navigating through misspelled leads, Crowe discovered the story of Luigi Ghezzi, his great-great-great-grandfather from his mother’s lineage. “It’s so cool to finally find out the Italian connection,” he wrote.
Luigi’s adventurous spirit led him from Argentina to India, where he survived shipwrecks and eventually arrived in Capetown. A love story from there brought his maternal great-great-great-great grandparents to New Zealand. Crowe expressed his excitement at the newly discovered Italian connection, saying, “As much of Italy as I’ve seen, it’s to places I’ve never been. It looks like there’s an adventure ahead.”
You might also like to read: Did Russell Crowe And Johnny Depp Push Director Peter Weir Into Retirement? Ethan Hawke Claims They “Broke Him”
