Source: Entertainment Weekly

Russell Crowe is proud of family friend Robert Irwin, and knows the wildlife conservationist’s legendary dad, Steve Irwin, would be too.

Robert is currently at the head of the pack of contenders vying for the Dancing With the Stars season 34 Mirrorball trophy. Since the season began in September, the younger Irwin has continually blown the judges’ and viewers’ expectations out of the water with his technical prowess and seemingly unlimited enthusiasm. And expectations were already high — Robert’s sister Bindi won the series’ 21st season back in 2015.

Russell Crowe, a longtime friend of the Irwin family, has been carefully tracking Robert’s journey from one of the hopeful 14 to the final five’s contender to beat. He told the New York Times in a Sunday profile of Robert that he thinks the famed “crocodile hunter” would be “so impressed” with his son’s performance so far.

‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin with his son, Robert Irwin, and a Koala at Australia Zoo.
Steve Irwin with Robert Irwin in 2005.
Newspix/Getty
“Although Steve could read the rhythms of the seasons and every living creature, he was absolutely not gifted with a sense of musical rhythm,” Crowe joked. “In his hands, a tambourine became a deadly weapon.”

The Nuremberg star added, “I think he would watch Robert dancing and how he uses his body, the strength and poise, and he would be in awe of his son.”

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Terri Irwin, Robert’s mother and Steve’s widow, recently explained the family’s connection to their famous Aussie countryman, which took on new life after Steve’s untimely death in 2006. “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,” she detailed.

Crowe has indeed remained the biggest supporter of the Irwin family’s various endeavors, from Robert’s management of the Australia Zoo to Terri, Bindi, and Robert’s Animal Planet series Crikey! It’s the Irwins.

Last month, as the competition heated to a boiling point on DWTS season 34, Robert shared how meaningful Crowe’s guidance and advice remains to him. “I’m incredibly grateful for his support on this dancing journey. It’s actually been really cool because Russell will message after [each] performance,” he explained. “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.”

The Dancing With the Stars finale airs on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, and streams the next day on Hulu.

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