Russell Crowe Says the Last Time He Danced with His Girlfriend ‘Was Like a Scene from a Movie’ (Exclusive)

"People cheered," the actor, who stars in the new action-thriller 'Land of Bad', tells PEOPLE for One Last Thing

Russell Crowe is the first to admit, "as a general rule," that he's not a big dancer.

"I’m not sure why, it’s always been a part of my life," the Oscar winner, 59, tells PEOPLE for One Last Thing in this week's issue. "Even professionally in stage musicals like Grease and Rocky Horror."

Growing up, Crowe says his parents "would take any opportunity to dance together. The kind of couple that would stop a room. They were something to watch," he explained. "My mom had been a ballerina and a jazz dancer."

His parents actually met "when she was the featured act at my dad’s cousin's wedding in the early 1960’s," adds Crowe, who has been dating actress/realtor Britney Theriot since 2020. "My father had gone to the sort of school that prepared young men for polite society, which included regular dance instruction. My mother says it’s how they danced together that told her he was the one."

While his father did teach Crowe how to dance, he insists "it doesn’t come up much in my life now" —aside from one particular moment last year when his band was touring. "Our last show was at a festival in Czechia for 15,000 people," he recalls.

At the after-party in an underground nightclub, the actor "struggled through a packed bar to get to the restroom," he says.

"Trying to avoid the crowd on the way back, I took a shortcut across the dance floor," Crowe continues. "Halfway across it, I bumped into my girlfriend, Britney. Naturally, she thought I’d come there to find her."

Crowe adds: "So I took her into my arms and we danced. Using the type of moves my old man would, spinning her around and bringing her back. Her eyes were sparkling with the fun of it all."

"For a couple of minutes, [everyone] stopped and watched. It was like a scene from a movie," the star tells PEOPLE.

The actor credits Theriot for the attention — and moment of nostalgia. "It was like a scene from my childhood. Britney used to be a cheerleader for the [New Orleans] Saints, so she’s got rhythm," he says. "As the song ended, I spun her back into me and we kissed. The crowd cheered and the world around us flooded back in. It was just a perfect little moment."

As for the next time he'll hit the dance floor? "Don’t hold your breath," Crowe jokes.

Land of Bad is in theaters now.

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