Who needs Bruno Tonioli or Carrie Ann Inaba when you have Russell Crowe?
Robert Irwin recently revealed that his evaluation doesn’t end after the judges lodge their critiques of his technique each week on Dancing With the Stars. Because sooner or later, he knows a message is coming from his longtime family friend about whatever tango or foxtrot he gave his college try with pro partner Witney Carson.
“I’m incredibly grateful for his support on this dancing journey. It’s actually been really cool because Russell will message after [each] performance,” Robert told Access Hollywood on the red carpet at the premiere of Russell’s new film Nuremberg. But not mere notes of encouragement.
Instead of going, ‘this was a really great dance,’ he’ll really delve into the detail of, ‘Okay these steps were great, love the lines, love the clarity in the storytelling.’ To really get that very in-depth feedback is amazing, and it means a lot,” Robert gushed.
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Russell Crowe and Steve Irwin on ‘The Tonight Show With Jay Leno’ in 2003
The 21-year-old wildlife conservationist and son of famed zookeeper and television personality Steve Irwin further elaborated just why Russell’s constructive criticism means so much.
“What I’m doing — I’m not a dancer, I’m trying to tell my story through dance, I’m trying to spread my message of positivity and passion and enthusiasm through dance, and Russell being there to support that means a lot,” he said.
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Robert outlined the role Russell has played in his family’s lives to PEOPLE at that same premiere. “I’ve known him for as long as I’ve been alive,” he noted, recalling, “I have some very early memories, actually. Some of the earliest memories of me with my dad were also with Russell, which is really special.”
Robert’s mother and Steve’s widow, Terri Irwin, explained that “Russell was friends with Steve first, and then when Steve passed, he really took our family under his wing and looked after us, took care of us, and helped me with advice about my kids.” Robert beamed that Russell’s possession of “so many stories to share of him and Dad” has helped “build an even better picture of my dad” following his death in 2006.
Robert has brought his personal mission of keeping his dad’s memory alive to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom on more than one occasion already.
On the season 34 premiere in September, Robert and Witney sported specialty dance-tailored safari garb and danced the jive to the sounds of howler monkeys, earning them among the highest marks of the night. During week 5’s “Dedication Night,” Robert and Witney shifted gears to perform a somber tribute to Terri, for her enduring strength through Steve’s untimely death.
“I struggle a lot with losing Dad, a lot, and she always made sure my dad was present in our lives,” Robert shared during rehearsal. “I wanted to know how proud my dad would be of her.”
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