Russell Crowe shares thoughts on Dakota Johnson's struggles with 'Madame Web'

Russell Crowe believes actors shouldn't criticize superhero movies if they choose to be in them. The 60-year-old Oscar-winning actor recently responded to Dakota Johnson’s comments about her tough experience making . Dakota had shared her thoughts with Bustle, expressing frustration over how big movies, including , are often made by committees, which can stifle creativity.She noted that this trend is even affecting smaller films, which worries her.
In an interview with British GQ, Russell Crowe was asked about Dakota Johnson’s struggles with the film and her view that big-studio superhero movies feel like art “made by committee.” Russell laughed and said he didn’t want to directly comment on someone else’s experience, but he hinted at finding humor in the situation.
He remarked, "You’re telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f--king universe for cartoon characters… and you didn’t get enough pathos? Not quite sure how I can make this better for you. It’s a gigantic machine, and they make movies at a certain size. I’ve experienced that on the DC side with , and on the Marvel side with . I’ve also worked on the Sony-produced Marvel dark universe with . These are jobs. You know: here’s your role, play the role. If you’re expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you’re here for the wrong reasons."
Russell added that working in a blue-screen environment can be challenging because actors have to imagine a lot more than just their character’s emotions. He acknowledged that it’s possible to have a bad experience on any film set, but he didn’t think this was specific to the Marvel process. Sharing his own experience, he said, "I haven’t had a bad experience. On , it’s a Marvel movie, but it’s Taika Waititi’s world, and it was just a gas every day, being silly."
Russell Crowe’s comments highlight the different perspectives actors can have on working in big-budget superhero movies. While Dakota Johnson found the committee-driven process difficult, Crowe seemed to view these projects as just another job, bringing a sense of humor and practicality to his approach.