Russell Crowe arrested for assaulting hotel employee

Actor Russell Crowe was arrested today for allegedly throwing a telephone at an employee of the Manhattan hotel where he was staying in New York, police said.

Crowe, 41, who plays a boxer in his latest film Cinderella Man, allegedly threw the phone at the Mercer Hotel employee, striking him in the face, during an argument at about 4.20am, said police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wysokowski.

The Australian movie star was arrested and charged by police with second-degree assault, Wysokowski said. Crowe was expected to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court later today.

An employee who answered the phone at the Mercer Hotel said he was unaware of the incident.

Crowe won the Academy Award for best actor for Gladiator in 2001.