Russell Crowe denies Julia Roberts story told by My Best Friend’s Wedding director P.J. Hogan

Russell Crowe vehemently denied a claim by director PJ Hogan that he had a terrible table read with Julia Roberts for the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding.

The movie star, 58, insisted Friday that he had never even auditioned for the role of Roberts’ best friend in the cult classic romantic comedy.

Hogan, an award-winning director, said in his book From Hollywood With Love that Crowe reportedly wouldn’t look at Roberts, 54, during the audition and would “read every line monotonously.”

Russell Crowe (left), 58, vehemently denied director PJ Hogan’s claim that he had a terrible table read with Julia Roberts (right), 54, for the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding

“It was one of the worst table readings I’ve ever witnessed. Russell sat opposite Julia.

“He grabbed that script, and he stared at that script, and he didn’t look at her once,” Hogan wrote in the book, published in February.

“He read every line monotonously. At one point, Julia was literally leaning across the table, staring inches from Russell’s face, trying to make eye contact. And he wouldn’t look at her.’

The movie star vehemently denied director PJ Hogan, 59, (pictured) claim in his book From Hollywood With Love, that Crowe had a terrible table read for the film.

Hogan went on to say that Crowe approached him at the end of the audition and said he thought it was “going pretty well.”

The director knew at the time that he would not be casting the award-winning actor in the film.

Eight months later, Crowe has denied the claims, insisting that he never auditioned for the film in the first place.

Hogan, an award-winning director, revealed that the actor would reportedly not look at Roberts during the audition and would “read every line monotonously.” (Pictured: Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett during a scene in My Best Friend’s Wedding)

“Pure imagination on behalf of this director,” he tweeted.

“I didn’t audition for this movie. I have never done a table read with the said actress. Would be funny if it wasn’t so pointless.’

Ultimately, the role of Julia Roberts’ best friend in the film went to Dermot Mulroney.

The film opened on June 20, 1997 to $21 million and ended with a domestic gross of $127 million.

Hogan went on to say that Crowe approached him at the end of the audition and said he thought it was “going pretty well.” The director knew at the time that he would not be casting the award-winning actor in the film. (Pictured: Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, left, and Dermot Mulroney, center)

The classic film tells the story of two friends, Roberts and Dermot, who made a pact to get married when one of them was single by the time they were 28 years old.

When Roberts, who played food critic Julianne Potter, discovered that Dermot was engaged to a 20-year-old college student, she hatched a plan to call off the wedding and marry the man of her dreams.

Cameron Diaz played the part of the college girl, Kimberly Wallace, and it was her first major film.

Eight months later, Crowe has denied the claims, insisting he never auditioned for the film in the first place