MEETING Crowe
REJECTED SUMMER 2001

The film crew called him "Russell's Kid." On the second day of shooting the Governor's mansion scene, they still didn't know much about him.

"Kid's named Justin, I think."

"Yeah, but did Bill get him wardrobe?"

"Hell, I don't even know if he's got a number."

"We'll make him 614..."

Meaning Justin would be the six hundred fourteenth background artist--or "extra"--used in Ron Howard's newest motion picture, A Beautiful Mind .

Word on the street is, people are "watching" this film. It stars Russell Crowe, who just won the Oscar for Best Actor, as well as Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Ed Harris, Judd Hirsch, Christopher Plummer, Jason Gray-Stanford, and Anthony Rapp. Ron Howard is directing. Bill Dance cast the film, hand-picking 613 faces to appear as background, as well as the known actors in the foreground. A Beautiful Mind has a spectacular script (based on Sylvia Nassar's acclaimed biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr. a Nobel Prize winner who battled with schizophrenia) that has been called the redemption of screenwriter Akiva Goldsman.

The film is blessed with a talented crew--and even the head hair-designer has won her own Academy Award. The movie is currently on location at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, where on April 26 th (Hug an Australian Day) Justin Wade was supposed to visit his twin brother, a freshman film student, for the weekend.

Justin himself is from Wooster, Massachusetts. He hasn't declared a major yet. He was just coming down for some fun. He got lost driving down and called his mom, who told him to go home. He tried to go home and got lost again, ending up nearer to the University. At last he found his brother, who was excited because Hollywood had taken over his campus. After being thwarted at the front gate, Justin and his twin decided to jump the fence and break into the set.

Break in they did. Twice the twins jumped the fence, the first time chased away by campus security. The second time they were more successful. Mr. Crowe was just walking into Jennifer Connelly's trailer--which they were hiding near.

"Hey Russell!" Justin shouted, much to his twin's dismay. "Put me in your movie! I'll do anything!"

Mr. Crowe stopped, A mischievous expression crossed his well-known face.

"Really?" he said. "You really want to?"

"Yeah," the kid said, undaunted. His twin covered his face in embarrassment.

Russell Crowe laughed. Everyone wants to be in the movies. He waved off his fans and vanished into his co-star's trailer.

Half an hour later, Mr. Crowe walked up to the Crowed gathered at the front gate. He signed several autographs. When Justin's face appeared among the others, Mr. Crowe smiled.

"So," the Oscar-winning star said, "you ready to work?"

"Yeah," Justin replied, starstruck. His hazel eyes grew wide.

"Gonna give me 100%?"

"Sure." Justin shrugged, but his voice betrayed his awe. He glanced at his nineteen-year old brother who was grinning madly.

"Because if you don't," the mega-star said, "I'm gonna kick your ass."

Justin ran a hand through the brown hair that the Oscar winning hairdresser would cut into a 1954 do. He drew himself up to his full five feet ten inches. He puffed out his thin frame, soon to be clad in black tie. He nodded soberly.

"I promise I won't let you down, Russell," he said. He was so sincere, so overwhelmed that the film-jaded crew member walking with Mr. Crowe had to cover his mouth with his hand; he would later tell his coworkers that Russell's kid was sweet as mama's marshmallow pie. The crew would adopt Justin. Learn his name. Fawn over his dedication and gravity. They would place him in shots where he could be seen, pair him with pretty actresses, coddle him. His twin brother would be allowed to watch the shoot, hover at Ron Howard's shoulder during playback.  

But first, Justin had to get the okay from his favorite movie star: "Come on then," Mr. Crowe said. And Justin Wade, out-of-town freshman from Wooster, Mass, became an actor. You can see him descend the long staircase of the Governor's mansion with a redhead in a blue dress as the camera pans from Mr. Crowe and Ms. Connolly up to the night sky and the romantic music swells.

– M.M. DE VOE