Nevertheless, Dominik got an audition tape and flew to Melbourne to meet with Bana. Though he came away sold on the actor, he had trouble convincing financiers to agree. Chopper says this famous actor was none other than Russell Crowe, whom Chopper thought was wrong for the part. In addition, he says Crowe didn't expect to have to audition for it. Chopper took a dim view of that.
Chopper says grimly.
Meanwhile, Bana, who by this time had his own television show, had to decide between making the show and making the movie. He quit the show, having been told that the production would begin in a month. That month stretched to two years as Dominik scrambled to find money. Bana had a wife and young child to support and says it was tough doing stand-up gigs on the road to keep from starving. Then, during production, he was given only a month to fatten up Robert De Niro-style to portray an aging, dissolute Chopper.