Picture: Russell Crowe (as you've never seen him before) rescued after getting lost in kayak

Russell Crowe had to be rescued after he became lost during a kayaking trip with a friend in the waters off New York’s Long Island.

The Oscar-winning star of Gladiator, 48, was picked up by coastguards patrolling the area after they heard him calling from the shore at around 10pm on Saturday.

He and a friend were given a ride to nearby Huntington Harbour.

Crowe was almost unrecognisable as the Hollywood star who played the Gladiator, sporting a shaved head and grey beard, but this may have been as a result of his newest role - Noah in Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic.

They had become lost as it became dark and eventually headed for the shore, beaching their kayaks in Huntington Bay, the coastguard said.

US Coast Guard petty officer Robert Swieciki said both men were wearing life jackets and no one was injured.

Mr Swieciki, who said Crowe seemed like an experienced kayaker, added: “He just needed a little bit of help, he just got a little lost. It wasn’t really a rescue, really, more of just giving someone a lift.”

The Australian actor tweeted his thanks to the officers, saying he was out on the water for four and a half hours.

He wrote: “Thanks to Seth and the boys from the US Coast Guard for guiding the way”.

Crowe is on Long Island filming a biblical movie called Noah.