Leg surgery for “Gladiator” stuntman: Russell Crowe supports him with a donation

Russell Crowe (60) has donated 5,000 pounds (around 6,000 euros) for his long-time friend and “Gladiator” stuntman Charlie Allan (61). The stunt coordinator is currently battling to save his left leg after a serious injury last August resulted in “complete arterial thrombosis,” .

The situation is serious: Allan’s leg no longer receives sufficient blood flow and his condition is considered critical. A standard operation is out of the question because a previous injury to the right leg makes a vein transplant impossible. This would normally have been covered by the NHS.

But there is hope: “A specialist from abroad has suggested an innovative, minimally invasive method,” explain the organizers of the fundraising campaign. The so-called endovascular thrombectomy promises a 90 percent success rate and could enable Allan to recover quickly. The catch: The “life-saving operation” costs 25,000 euros – money that will now be raised through donations.

Russell Crowe didn’t just stop at the generous donation. He recalled his time with Allan: “If you ever saw the first ‘Gladiator,’ the barbarian leader who throws the severed head of a Roman emissary back towards the Roman line out of spite is Charlie Allan.” They also worked together on the filming of “Robin Hood” in 2010. “He’s a great guy and a good friend,” emphasized Crowe, sharing the link to the donation page.

The campaign proved to be a complete success: after just one week, the fundraising target was even exceeded at almost 25,800 pounds (approx. 31,000 euros). Crowe’s £5,000 marks the highest individual donation.