Russell Crowe has shared a heartwarming story about his long connection with actor Henry Cavill, revealing that their first meeting happened decades before they shared the screen in Man of Steel.
Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the Oscar-winning actor reflected on how life had come “full circle” as the two are now set to reunite for the upcoming Highlander reboot — nearly 12 years after playing father and son in the 2013 Superman film, with Crowe as Jor-El and Cavill as Clark Kent.
“I love Henry. I've known him for a long time—since he was a schoolboy,” Crowe said, recalling their very first encounter at Stowe School in England. At the time, Crowe was filming Proof of Life and noticed a talented young rugby player during a scene. “I’ve got my eye on the field, and there’s one kid out there who clearly has a great brain for the game. When we finished shooting, that same kid walked up to me to chat. He introduced himself and asked, ‘How do you get into acting?’”
The conversation was brief but left a lasting impression. A few days later, Crowe decided to leave a memento for the aspiring actor. “I was signing some photos from Gladiator—which hadn’t even been released then—and I wrote on one: ‘To Henry, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.—Russell,’” he recalled.
Years later, the two met again under extraordinary circumstances. “The next time I see Henry Cavill, I’m in a gym in Illinois, somewhere near Chicago,” Crowe shared. “I’m working out on one side, he’s on the other, and I’m thinking, ‘Well, I’m Superman’s dad… that must be Superman over there.’ We were in the same gym for about a week before talking.”
When Cavill finally approached him, the connection clicked. “He comes over, shakes my hand, and at one point, I ask, ‘Do I know you?’ He says, ‘Yes, sir, you do,’ and reminds me of that day. I just went, ‘Henry? That Henry?’ It was wild,” Crowe said, describing the serendipitous reunion.
The actor added that Cavill had kept that signed Gladiator photo with him all those years, a symbol of his determination to pursue acting, a dream that would eventually bring both of them together in Man of Steel, and now once again, in Highlander.