Russell Crowe opens up about lifelong love of music at Venice

Russell Crowe said acting and music are driven by the same creative instinct as he unveiled a deeply personal documentary about his life as a musician at ‌the Venice Film Festival on Friday.

“What Love Builds" traces the Oscar-winning actor’s long relationship with music through performances, archive footage and personal musings.

The documentary seeks to answer a question he says he is repeatedly asked, whether he prefers music or acting.

Speaking to reporters, the actor said, "As I think the film attempts to explain, the two things are just completely intertwined for me. There is no difference. Everything comes from the same creative source," Crowe told reporters.”

Crowe said he first conceived the project 15 years ago and initially thought ⁠it would take a year to complete. Instead, he continued filming as new musical projects emerged, eventually accumulating what he says was an "excessive" 18 million feet (5.5 million metres) of footage.

The New Zealand-born actor won an Academy Award for "Gladiator" in 2001 and became one of Hollywood's biggest stars through films including "A Beautiful Mind", "Master and Commander" and "Cinderella Man".