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<\/p>\nRussell Crowe and Terri Irwin were once inseparable friends, but according to a source close to the pair, that is sadly no longer the case.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The New Zealand-born Australian actor, 61, and the American-born Australian wildlife conservationist, also 61, first connected through Terri’s late husband, Steve Irwin.<\/p>\n
Steve and Russell struck up a friendship before the Crocodile Hunter’s tragic death in 2006, and afterwards, the Gladiator star became a source of strength for Terri and her two young children, Bindi and Robert.<\/p>\n
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For years, Crowe was a constant presence in their lives – and fans even speculated there was more than friendship between the pair.<\/p>\n
However, Terri and Russell consistently shut down the rumours, insisting their relationship was purely platonic.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Crowe described Terri as “one of the greatest women I’ve ever met in my life, without there being implication of intimacy or whatever”.<\/p>\n
Terri echoed the sentiment, telling Access Hollywood the same year: “In all honesty, he (Russell) and Steve became friends many years ago, and after Steve passed, you find out who your true friends are. And Russell has been very loyal as a great friend.”<\/p>\n
But now, things have sadly changed – and it’s understood the pair “haven’t really spoken in about five years”.<\/p>\n
“Terri and Russell used to be really close,” an insider told New Idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“They would talk on the phone and text all the time, and Terri even considered him to be a father figure to Bindi and Robert after Steve died \u2013 so losing contact with him has been pretty tough for her.”<\/p>\n
The friendship reportedly began to cool when Crowe’s relationship with American actress Britney Theriot, 33, became serious.<\/p>\n
The couple first crossed paths on the set of Broken City in 2013 but were linked romantically around 2020.<\/p>\n
They made their red carpet debut in October 2022 and appeared to confirm their engagement in July this year when Theriot was spotted wearing a dazzling diamond ring at Wimbledon.<\/p>\n
“Terri was happy for Russell when he met Britney. She could see how smitten he was. She certainly never thought it would impact on their friendship like it has,” the insider said.<\/p>\n
Despite the distance, the insider added that Terri is not bitter and knows that if she ever needed her friend, Russell would “be there in a heartbeat”.<\/p>\n