Russell Crowe Packs on the Pounds to Play Disgraced Fox News Chief Roger Ailes

It appears as if Russell Crowe is doing great. The actor was recently at a charity screening of Gladiator, his Best Actor Oscar-winning role, at the Colosseum in Rome sporting a stout figure and an impossibly grey beard. Though I'm sad to report he doesn't look like this of his own free will, as apparently the actor is packing on the pounds to play the notoriously jowly piece of shit that was Roger Ailes.

According to Variety, Crowe is joining the upcoming Showtime miniseries based on Gabriel Sherman's book about Ailes' downfall at Fox following several harassment scandals, The Loudest Voice in the Room. Sherman and Spotlight director Tom McCarthy penned the first episode of the eight episode series which has been in development for over a year.

Crowe gives them the star power to finally get this thing made, and will mark the Aussie's first TV show since his acting debut on the soap "Neighbours" in his home country. Honestly, though, who's he fooling with that brown hair? Come on, Russell, give it a rest. Look at that beard. From the nose down you look like a homeless Santa Claus. No way you're still rocking that much color up top.

On a final note, this will mark Crowe's second time playing a right wing lunatic after appearing as Sebastian Gorka in last summer's The Mummy...