'I'd sung Johnny Cash songs for years': Russell Crowe reveals he knocked back the lead role in the Oscar award-winning film Walk The Line

He once shot bourbon out of Johnny Cash's 1986 Grammy Award with his famous pal, singer Ed Sheeran.

And on Friday, Russell Crowe revealed he knocked back an opportunity to play the country music legend in the Oscar-winning film, Walk The Line. 

Of course, Joaquin Phoenix ended up playing the lead role in the movie and was nominated to an Academy Award for his incredible portrayal. 

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'I'd sung Johnny Cash songs for years': Russell Crowe reveals he knocked back the lead role in the Oscar award-winning film Walk The Line 

'I'd sung Johnny Cash songs for years': Russell Crowe reveals he knocked back the lead role in the Oscar award-winning film Walk The Line 

 'Leading up to when they were doing Walk The Line... James Mangold (Director) was like really on me to do that because I'd sung Johnny Cash songs for years,' the Gladiator star explained during an interview with Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa.

'Mangold had actually come and sat in a studio with me when I was recording for a whole album and basically just spent time with me.'

After starring in a slate of biographical films, the actor said he turned down the offer because he didn't want to play another 'real' role.

'I just felt like... I wanna not be doing somebody real. There's a lot of pressure that comes with playing a real person, you've got to honour that person and really bring parts of who they really were to screen,' he added.

Earlier in the interview, Russell told how he was in fact pen pals with the country music legend.

'To get a letter from somebody like that...is pretty cool': Earlier in the interview, Russell told how he was in fact pen pals with the country music legend

'To get a letter from somebody like that...is pretty cool': Earlier in the interview, Russell told how he was in fact pen pals with the country music legend

He explained how the American singer-songwriter wrote him a 'signed' letter after he watched Gladiator three times during the opening weekend of the 2000 epic film.

'He just wanted to let me know how much it moved him and touched him. It was a pretty special moment... to get a letter from somebody like that...is pretty cool,' Russell told the radio hosts.  

Earlier this week, Russell spoke of the time he once did shots of bourbon with Ed Sheeran out of a Grammy won by the country music icon.

He made the admission on Wednesday's Project where he was promoting his $3.6 million divorce auction.

Raise a gong: Earlier this week, Russell spoke of the time he once did shots of bourbon with Ed Sheeran out of a Grammy won by the country music icon

Raise a gong: Earlier this week, Russell spoke of the time he once did shots of bourbon with Ed Sheeran out of a Grammy won by the country music icon

Taking the panel on a walking tour of the auction, Rusty soon came across the Grammy in question.

The actor revealed the award was won in 1986 by Johnny and fellow stars Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Phillips and Chips Moman.

He also said he owned another gong won by the Ring Of Fire singer. 

Selling up: The Gladiator star made the admission on Wednesday's Project where he was promoting his $3.6 million divorce auction

Selling up: The Gladiator star made the admission on Wednesday's Project where he was promoting his $3.6 million divorce auction

'Ed decided we should do, in order to honour Johnny Cash, bourbon shots from the cone of Johnny's Grammy,' he admitted. 

He said he believed Johnny would have approved, with the Beautiful mind actor hinting the legend communicated as such from beyond the grave.

Blame it on Ed: The actor said his good pal Ed suggested they do it  

Blame it on Ed: The actor said his good pal Ed suggested they do it  

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