Key Points
- Russell Crowe portrays Nazi leader Hermann Göring in the historical drama Nuremberg, which premiered at the Zurich Film Festival on January 9, 2026.
- Nuremberg has grossed $35 million, holds a 72% Rotten Tomatoes rating, and has received praise for Crowe’s performance and historical accuracy.
- The film explores the psychological conflict between Göring and U.S. psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, with mixed reviews on pacing and some subplots.
Russell Crowe is no stranger to the red carpet or the weighty expectations that come with an Oscar season. But as the 2026 awards approach, the New Zealand-born actor’s attitude toward Hollywood’s top honor is refreshingly nonchalant—even as his latest role in Nuremberg draws widespread acclaim and speculation about yet another nomination.
At the Zurich Film Festival on January 9, 2026, Crowe sat down with festival director Christian Jungen, who confidently predicted that Crowe’s portrayal of Nazi leader Hermann Göring in Nuremberg would land the actor his fourth Academy Award nomination. Crowe, ever the iconoclast, shrugged off the suggestion with a wry smile and a now-viral quip: “I have one [Oscar], who needs two?” according to The Tab. It was a moment that captured both the humility and the irreverence that have defined Crowe’s career since his breakout roles in Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind.
Directed by James Vanderbilt, Nuremberg is a sweeping historical drama that takes viewers back to the tumultuous aftermath of World War II. The film, based on Jack El-Hai’s book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, zeroes in on the psychological chess game between Göring and U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, played by Rami Malek. The story unfolds in the shadow of the infamous Nuremberg Trials of 1945-1946, where the world’s attention was riveted on the prosecution of high-ranking Nazi officials for crimes against humanity.
Since its cinematic release in November 2025, Nuremberg has made a significant impact. The film grossed $35 million at the box office—a robust showing for a historical drama—and has since found a new audience through streaming platforms Sky Cinema and NOW in the UK. As of January 9, 2026, the film boasted a 72% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 188 reviews, a testament to its critical resonance. According to Digital Spy, critics have singled out Crowe’s performance as a particular highlight, with Empire Magazine calling the film “well-paced, expertly performed, and an urgent call to stand up to fascism.”
The ensemble cast is nothing short of impressive, featuring not just Malek and Crowe, but also Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Wrenn Schmidt, Lydia Peckham, Richard E. Grant, and Michael Shannon. The drama’s meticulous attention to historical detail, including the use of actual Holocaust footage shown during the trials, has been widely praised. As RTE noted, Vanderbilt’s screenplay doesn’t shy away from the horrors of the era, instead using them to ground the film’s emotional and ethical stakes.
Yet, for all its epic scope, Nuremberg is anchored by the intimate, unsettling dynamic between Göring and Kelley. Crowe’s Göring is a study in contradictions: intelligent, vain, quick-witted, and utterly remorseless. The Irish Times observed that Crowe “captures many aspects of Göring’s personality: his intelligence, his enormous vanity, his quick-wittedness, his total insensitivity and lack of remorse, as well as occasional flashes of charm.” The Independent echoed this sentiment, describing Crowe as “a battering ram of an onscreen presence, mixed here with an unnerving sense of comfort in his surroundings.”
Malek’s Kelley, meanwhile, is portrayed as a man both fascinated and repulsed by his infamous patient. Their exchanges form the emotional heart of the film, raising uncomfortable questions about the nature of evil, responsibility, and justice. The Boston Globe lauded the “large scale, old school ensemble piece,” while also noting the “polished dialogue and meticulous staging.”
Of course, the film is not without its critics. Some reviewers felt that the first half could have been tighter, with RTE pointing out that certain subplots—like Kelley’s interactions with a female journalist—added little to the narrative. Others commented on the film’s somber visual palette, suggesting that the cinematography at times veered into the overly dark and dramatic. Still, these quibbles have done little to dampen the film’s overall impact.
One of the most striking elements of Nuremberg is its timeliness. As The Irish Times noted, the film arrives at a moment when public knowledge of World War II and its aftermath is fading, and when antisemitism is, alarmingly, on the rise again in some quarters. The film’s unflinching portrayal of the horrors of the Holocaust and the dogged pursuit of justice serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of forgetting history.
In the courtroom scenes, Michael Shannon’s portrayal of U.S. Supreme Court Justice and prosecutor Robert H. Jackson, and Richard E. Grant’s turn as British prosecutor David Maxwell Fyfe, add further gravitas. The film dramatizes not just the legal proceedings, but the very real human drama of holding the architects of atrocity to account. According to The Tab, the film’s closing quote from English philosopher R.G. Collingwood—“The only clue to what man can do is what man has done”—lingers long after the credits roll.
Despite all the Oscar buzz, Crowe remains unfazed. In a candid interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, he reflected on his past Oscar experiences: “I’ve got, over time, three in a row Oscar nominations, but I haven’t received one for 23 years, so I think I’m pretty outside of that mix these days. It’s a popularity contest now, it’s not really about quality. I don’t really seek anybody in Los Angeles’ approval, I couldn’t give a shit.” He went on to explain his reluctance to participate in the Academy’s traditional Q&A circuit, joking, “the last one you gave me kind of screwed up my life for a few years, so I don’t really [want it].”
Crowe’s Oscar history is itself a testament to his talent and versatility. His first nomination came in 1999 for The Insider, followed by his Best Actor win for Gladiator in 2000, and a third nod in 2001 for A Beautiful Mind. But as he told The Tab, his priorities have shifted: “Everything’s good at the moment, I’m employable, and I’m enjoying myself, so I don’t really need all of that extra palaver.”
With the next Oscars ceremony set for March 2, 2026, the world will soon see whether Crowe’s performance in Nuremberg is officially recognized by the Academy. Whether or not he takes home another statuette, one thing is clear: Crowe’s commitment to his craft—and his refusal to be defined by Hollywood’s approval—continues to set him apart in an industry obsessed with accolades.
In the end, Nuremberg stands as both a riveting courtroom drama and a sobering meditation on justice, memory, and the enduring challenge of confronting evil. For Crowe, the real reward seems to be the work itself—and the peace he’s found beyond the glare of the spotlight.
