Russell Crowe is an Oscar-winning actor, dad (as in actual father of two boys, not DAD) and the proud owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Now, he can add director to his impressive resume.

"The Water Diviner" marks the actor's directorial debut, and Crowe himself plays its central hero, Joshua Connor, an Aussie rancher who travels to Turkey in 1919 to bring home the remains of his three sons, who were presumably killed in the Battle of Gallipoli four years earlier. Yeah, it's a real downer, but one filled with heart, triumph and haunting images from the battlefield.

Speaking to MTV News during a recent press day for the film, Crowe opened up about directing his first feature film and how its kinda like being a dad.

"I am of this gypsy tribe," Crowe told MTV News. "I do speak this language. I know what to say to a crew first thing in the morning, to not only make my day run better but to make them feel like they're making a contribution. And I also know the level of intimacy that actors need."

Crowe credits his directorial know-how to his many years in front of the cameras. Although this made for a seamless transition from acting to directing, it's also something that Crowe admits came with age and experience.

"If I had taken on the responsibility of directing a feature film a little earlier, at a younger age, I'm not sure that I could say it would have gone with the same ease," he said.

But it wasn't just his experience as an actor that helped him step behind the cameras; it was his experience of being a father that proved to be his biggest coup.

"The major surprising thing that came into play quite often is that I've been a dad for the last 11 years," Crowe said. "There's a lot of things you learn with your kids when they're asking you a hundred questions at once and they both have such different personalities. There's a thing that you learn in terms of making that energy around you, making everybody feel that they're allowed to be at their very best."

"It's the privilege of being a director that you have to keep in mind," he added.

"The Water Diviner" hits theaters on April 24.