Crowe bans photographs

Russell Crowe has banned fans from taking photographs of his first public appearance since last month's phone-flinging incident.

The Gladiator actor is set to promote material from his new album My Hand My Heart and wants to make sure that his music gets a fair hearing rather than being obscured by a media event.

The Mirror quotes his spokeman as saying: "Russell would like to keep the event low-key so as not to detract from the music."

Crowe's group Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts disbanded earlier this year.

His next movie, Cinderella Man, hits U.K. screens on September 9.