Crowe calls film career a 'privilege'

NEW YORK, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Australian actor Russell Crowe says film acting is a "great privilege" and a career that makes good use of his "strange personality."

"I've always seen it to be a privilege to make movies," Crowe told reporters Saturday while promoting his new movie "American Gangster" in New York.

"It's a really expansive creative medium and people allow me to do it. There's things I can do as an actor that I couldn't do in any other form of life. And I've got a strange personality but film acquires some strange people, so I've got a nice comfy home. That's what I do and I'm really happy with that," he explained. "To me, it's just a great privilege and every day I kind of look around and thank the Lord that it's still going on."

Crowe is best-known for his roles in "A Beautiful Mind," "The Insider" and "Cinderella Man."

The Oscar-winning actor previously worked with his "American Gangster" co-star Denzel Washington on the 1995 sci-fi flick "Virtuosity" and with "Gangster" director Ridley Scott on "Gladiator" and "A Good Year."