In an interview taped for broadcast on Thursday, Russell Crowe told MSNBC's Chris Matthews that he was apologetic about the episode that led to his arrest on Monday in New York City.
The full interview between Matthews and Crowe will air on MSNBC"s 'Hardball with Chris Matthews' Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
The actor, who was charged with assaulting hotel clerk Nestor Estrada at the Mercer Hotel, allegedly threw a telephone at Estrada after being unable to successfully place a phone call to his wife in Australia from his room.
"It's a little frustration built up over a period of time. I was in the hotel for a week and the phones were just not reliable," Crowe said. "When you're this far away from, you know, your own family -- and, you know, I haven't been a husband and a father for that long, and I'm just only getting used to that abject loneliness of being on the road.
"But, you know, bottom line is, Chris, I'm sorry for the whole incident."
In the incident, Crowe was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon— the telephone. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted and has been ordered to appear in court in Manhattan on Sept. 14.
Crowe declined to say how he would plead.
"I'm not necessarily thinking of those things at the moment. I'm just thinking of what I've got to keep on my mind to do interviews like this and talk about the movie," Crowe said. "But you know, I understand that Nestor's family would be getting a lot of unwanted pressure and stuff at the moment, so I'm really sorry for that as well."
Crowe who is currently starring in the film 'Cinderella Man,' from Universal Pictures. (MSNBC is a joint venture between NBC Universal and Microsoft). In the interview with Matthews, he discussed his role as depression-era boxer Jim Braddock, who defeated heavyweight champ Max Baer in a 15-round bout in 1935 to win the title. Matthews and Crowe also discussed his political leanings and his thoughts on the relationship between Australia and the U.S., and Australia and Britain.
"Hardball with Chris Matthews" airs every weeknight at 7 p.m. ET on MSNBC TV.