Russell Crowe has been left utterly heartbroken after the death of his 16-month old puppy, who was brutally hit by a truck.
The Aussie actor shared the sad news on social media, revealing that the pup died in his arms.
It was a particularly tough blow for Crowe, since his furry friend's death fell on the same day as his late father's anniversary.
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The Gladiator star shared a gorgeous photo of Louis the Papillon to Twitter, melting fans' hearts with a close-up of his fluffy face and wide eyes.
"This is Louis the Papillon. 16 months old," his tweet began.
"Tiny, cheeky, brave. He won my heart.
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"Unfortunately today, on the second anniversary of my fathers passing, Louis was hit by a truck."
Crowe's dad, John Alexander Crowe, passed away in 2021 aged 85.
"We tried to get him to the vet, but he died in my arms while I was telling him how much we loved him," the actor added.
Crowe's tweet quickly went viral and before long, he was flooded with sweet messages of condolences from fans and famous faces.
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Animal rights organisation PETA wrote: "We are heartbroken for you and so deeply sorry for your loss. Louis will be in your heart forever. Sending all of our love, comfort, and strength."
Meanwhile, animal conservationist Bindi Irwin commented: "I’m so sorry. We’ve all been thinking of you today and sending our love and the biggest hugs."
Crowe recently addressed rumours that he might be appearing in Ridley Scott's Gladiator sequel - and it's not looking good, unfortunately.
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Obviously, since - spoiler alert - Maximus dies at the end of the original Gladiator, it'd be a little tricky to include Crowe's character in the storyline, but fans were holding out hope for a flashback scene.
In an appearance The Jonathan Ross Show this weekend, the actor said of the sequel: “I think when they’re shooting in the colosseum and stuff, I’ll be lying like 6ft underground.
"You won’t see me, but I’ll be there beneath the ground."
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And if that wasn't clear enough, he later added that he was definitely 'not involved' in the film.
"I’ve had a couple of dinners with Ridley since he embarked on this - we haven’t really talked about what he’s doing. But no, I’m not involved. Maximus has departed the world," Crowe said.
That being said... that interview is due to air on television this Saturday, which just so happens to be April Fool's Day.
Just saying...
Ali Condon