Russell Crowe is bowing out -- but for a good reason.

The "A Beautiful Mind" star, who last year was named best actor at the Orange British Academy Film Awards -- otherwise known as the BAFTAs -- has reluctantly backed out of this year's Feb. 23 ceremony, reports Australia's Associated Press.

His reason? A "prior engagement." He's getting ready to marry.

Crowe responded to press reports speculating how he might be received at next month's BAFTAs, since last year he manhandled a producer who edited Crowe's acceptance speech for TV.

Traditionally, last year's winners act as this year's presenters.

"I am flattered to hear of the invitation to attend BAFTA through the press," Crowe, 38, said in a statement issued through his Australian publicist, Wendy Day.

"Unfortunately I have a prior engagement, so to speak, " he went on to say. "Danielle and I have a lot of things to do at the moment and that is all we are focusing on -- what a bride needs and where she needs to be."

Danielle is his longtime girlfriend, singer Danielle Spencer, 32. The wedding is expected to take place sometime later this year.

As for how the 2003 BAFTAs will fare without him, Crowe did some speculation of his own -- though somehow the cheery words sound suspiciously more like his publicist's than like the usually gruff Crowe's.

"I am sure it will be a spine-tingling show," he said. "The best actress race will be the one to watch. It will be a close decision; nearly all of my favorite actresses have been nominated at the same time."

Those would be Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Renee Zellweger.