A cinema in Wrexham has launched a search to find the long lost relatives of film superstar Russell Crowe.
The Aussie superstar can trace his family roots to the town where grandfather, John Crowe, ran the grocers, Crofruit, before emigrating to New Zealand in the mid-1920s.
Oscar-winning Crowe’s latest film, Les Misérables, the first major movie blockbuster of the New Year, will be coming to the Odeon cinema at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre on Friday (January 11).
Cinema manager Andy Elvis wants to track down relatives who would like to come to see the screen adaptation of Les Misérables, the hit 1980s musical based on Victor Hugo’s classic 19th-century novel.
Andy said: “It’s amazing that Russell Crowe’s family can be traced right back to Wrexham. It seems his great grandparents, Fred and Kezia, emigrated to Canada in June1925 along with 12 of their 13 children.
“Russell‘s grandfather, John, stayed behind to run Crofruit. He was also a member of Grove Park School’s water polo team. His older brother, Frank, returned from Canada in 1927 to help John run the business.
“It seems that John decided to emigrate himself, to New Zealand where he married and had two children, David and Alex, Russell’s father. The family later moved to Australia when Russell was still a child.”
“However, Frank stayed put in Wrexham and had a family of his own. And it seems that many of his descendants still live in the Wrexham area today.”
Andy Elvis says he wants to hear from anyone who can claim a connection with Russell Crowe and the first five descendants who come forward and can prove a family connection will each receive a pair of tickets for a screening of Les Misérables after January 24.
He said: “Les Misérables is going to be huge. Advanced booking ahead of the January 11 release date have gone extremely well and we are already making plans to have more screens showing the epic film.
“Les Misérables is the cinema adaptation of the stage sensation that has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe. The theatre show is still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year.
“Directed by Tom Hopper, who won the Academy Award for Best Director for The King’s Speech, it stars Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks. Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen alongside Russelll Crowe.”
He added: “Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit.
“Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.”
If you believe you have a connection to Russell Crowe, email [email protected] and put Russell Crowe in the subject box, explaining your family connection and why you deserve one of the five pairs of tickets, or ring Ceidiog Hughes on 07958 497592.
