If you are ever on the internet searching for the best historical action movies, Gladiator and 300 are bound to be on the list.

As fans and critics have grouped these two movies, they have also shared their opinions about the two lead actors. The discussions have ranged from confusing the actors as one person to imagining them playing twin brothers in a movie.  

The Australian idol, Russell Crowe. played Maximus in Gladiator, whereas the Scottish actor, Gerard Butler, played Leonidas in 300.

Although they are two different actors, Crowe and Butler were confused as look-alikes by some of the innocent fans who saw both movies but didn't know they both existed. 

But now, the actors don't look similar.

Indeed, if we compare the characters from the two movies, they looked similar when portraying their distinct athletic warrior characters in the respective movies.  

Now, more than 15 years have passed since the release of the both movies. 

Crowe has gain significant weight and looks weighty. However, Butler remains slim and regular fit. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Coincidentally, they both are tall: Crowe stands at 1.82 m, whereas Butler's height is 1.82 m.

In addition, both the actors are in their fifties. Butler was born on 13 November 1969 (age 53 years), in Paisley, United Kingdom, whereas Crowe was born on 7 April 1964 (age 59 years), in Wellington, New Zealand.

If that's not enough, both actor has a high net worth according to Celebritynetworth. Butler has an estimated net worth of $80 million, whereas Crowe is somewhat richer with a $120 million valuation of his worth. 

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And in our quest to highlight the two actors' similarities, we would also like to note that both of them are currently unmarried but dating their respective partners. 

Crowe has been in a relationship with his American girlfriend Britney Theriot. On the other hand, Butler has been dating his girlfriend of almost nine years, Morgan Brown.

Read the article in full to understand how fans reacted to Crow and Buttler looking similar in the movies. 

Fans think Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler Are Look Alike  

In a 2016 interview with Esquire UK, the 300 actor said, “I always get confused with Clive Owen or Russell Crowe.”

“God if I have another person tell me how much they loved me in Gladiator...” Gerard expressed in exasperation.

However, Crowe, who played Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder, has never admitted to having similar encounters.

Other than the real-life occurrences that the actors might have faced, plenty of netizens get confused between the two actors. 

One Twitter user wrote, “Gerard Butler & Russell Crowe definitely look alike & I still get so confused sometimes trying to figure out who is who when I see any of them in a movie.”

Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler side-by-side look-alike comparison.

Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler side-by-side look-alike comparison. (Source: Twitter)

Along with a side by side photos of the two actors, the user added, “Do you see the resemblance?”

Another user tweeted, “Can we please discuss Gerard Butler and Russell Crowe! all dis time i thot its same person every movie.”

“Isn't it Father and Son?” a comment read.

Commenting on Bulter’s 2018 movie Den of Thieves, a fan jokingly wrote, “Gerard Butler’s transformation into Russell Crowe has been magnificent.”

Besides look-alike discussions, fans have also created movie plots for the actors to star together in. 

There’s also a subreddit titled, “Who else would go to see a movie with Gerard Butler & Russell Crowe as twin brothers? Awesomeness guaranteed!”

Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler’s Body Transformation

Both Crowe and Bulter have seen body transformations since they played their iconic roles.

Crowe sported a chiseled six-pack when he played Maximus in Gladiator(2000). However, the actor’s abs had given way to an expanding paunch when the actor was spotted in 2020.

He made headlines about his transformation. But it turns out the actor did not let off on his exercise regime. He gained weight to play a psychotic stalker in the thriller Unhinged.

The Oscar winner is no stranger to changing his figure depending on his role.

In his portrayal of the former chairman and CEO of Fox News, Roger Ailes, in the series The Loudest Voice, he was required to gain a significant amount of weight and wear a fat suit.

Crowe, 58, was reportedly trying to stay out of the spotlight until he got back in shape.

Butler as Leonidas sported not just a six-pack but an eight-pack ab. The London Has Fallen actor said, “That was the best shape I have ever been in my life.”

His 300 workout regime included — two hours of CrossFit-style training, two hours of bodybuilding, and two hours of fight choreography. 

“In some ways I was ruining my body, but I was looking amazing doing it,” he added.

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Almost two decades after the movie, the actor no longer has the chiseled abs. However, Butler, 52, still looks fit and slightly muscular.