Russell Crowe, who made news recently for getting into a fight with his bodyguard at a party, says the scuffle was caused by a misunderstanding between the two.

The Oscar winner was shooting in Canada for The Cinderella Man.

In a letter to the Australian tabloid Sunday Herald Sun, Crowe clarified he was speaking to a woman extra when Mark Carroll, his bodyguard, told Crowe people might be conjuring what the couple were talking about.

He told the newspaper that he thought Carroll was accusing him specifically of something and took offense.

The actor agreed they called each other 'a few ripe names, had a hug and got on with the job.'

Crowe refuted the allegation that he had bitten Carroll's ear during the scuffle. His bodyguard also sent a letter to the newspaper clarifying that his ear had not been bitten.

By the way, Crowe plays a boxer in The Cinderella Man!