Actor Russell Crowe at an American football game in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (AP)

Ann Arbor (Michigan), Sept. 17 (AP): Australian actor Russell Crowe attended the University of Michigan American football team’s 38-0 victory over the University of Notre Dame to support his friend, the coach of the Michigan team.

Michigan, usually one of the top American football teams, started the season with embarrassing losses to lesser-ranked schools. “I could sense through TV that my friend was in a bit of pain,” Crowe said. “So I thought I’d just sort of take his mind off things and gave him a call. I started teasing about it and he said: ‘Get up here.’”

Crowe was in the Baltimore-Washington area filming scenes for a new movie, Body of Lies. The movie is Crowe’s fourth with director Ridley Scott. Crowe won the 2001 Academy Award for best actor for his performance in Scott’s Gladiator.

Carr and Crowe became friends when the actor found out Carr was using Crowe’s movie Cinderella Man to motivate his players last year. Crowe portrayed Depression-era boxer Jim Braddock in the film. “I was really touched that he was using it,” Crowe said. “So I called his office and said: ‘G’day, mate.’” Crowe then invited Carr to visit him and his National Rugby League team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Carr took him up on the offer in May. Carr spoke to Crowe’s team, and the favour was returned before Saturday’s game.