Some of Hollywood's most famous stars are members of the Church of Scientology, but Russell Crowe recently revealed that he chose not to join the popular religion after some initial interest.
The "Gladiator" actor explored Scientology after spending time with one of the denomination's biggest supporters over 14 years ago.
"When I met Tom Cruise when he was married to Nicole [Kidman]; we were spending a bit of time together so I thought I'd find out a little bit about what he was into," Crowe told PEOPLE on Wednesday.
Cruise and Kidman were married from 1990 to 2001, and both Kidman and Crowe are Australian. Crowe's curiosity and friendship with the couple led him to explore the religion more.
"I found a video in the video store about Scientology and I watched it," the 51-year-old continued. "It wasn't that informative. But I brought it up with Tom and I thought he was really cool.
"He just said, 'If it's something that interests you, you'll pursue it.' And I think that happens with any kind of religion if you come to it by your own discovery."
Crowe said that he has been interested in religion since he was a child, and that his parents never baptised him because they wanted him to choose his own religion.
In 2007, the actor said he would be baptised in a Byzantine chapel he built on his ranch in Australia. "It is consecrated and everything," he told Men's Journal.
His 11-year-old son, Charlie, was baptised in the chapel, and Crowe planned to be baptized there with his younger son, eight-year-old Tennyson.
"I do believe there are more important things than what is in the mind of a man," he admitted. "There is something much bigger that drives us all. I'm willing to take that leap of faith."
However, his latest comments to People magazine suggest he has remained non-committal towards religions.
"I never ended up putting my two cents down on anybody's table," says Crowe. "I've never graced [Scientology's] doorway."
