Crowe goes on wagon for his art

Russell Crowe has sworn off alcohol until March 1, when he begins filming Cinderella Man, the story of heavyweight boxing champion James Braddock.

“I’m not drinking because I’m in training for the movie – not for any other reason,” he told journalists in Los Angeles.

Crowe, who is soon to be seen in the seafaring epic Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, is currently learning boxing choreography for the Depression Era story, which co-stars Renee Zellweger as his wife.

Director Ron Howard, who previously worked with Crowe on the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind, said in an interview: “Russell has wanted to do this movie for years because of the family element.

"Braddock was completely driven and there finally came a point where every move he made was going to impact the survival of his family.”