Carew starred with Jolie, struck up royal friendship, and takes stunning photos in new life

John Carew is certainly someone who falls into the latter category.

The ex-striker was one of Europe's top marksmen during the late nineties and the noughties after enjoying a career at the highest level.

A Norway international who went on to make 91 appearances for his country, Carew started his career in his homeland before enjoying time with Valencia, Roma, Besiktas and Lyon before securing a lucrative move to the Premier League.

That move came as he made the switch to Aston Villa in a part-exchange deal that saw Milan Baros head the other way to Lyon.

Taking the no.10 jersey, it was clear that the 6ft 5in attacker was destined to be the main man at Villa Park.

Joining in January 2007, Carew went on to score 48 goals for the club over four years, making quite an impression on his teammates.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Gabby Agbonlahor explained: "John Carew - when he first came, I was starstruck because I just broke into the side and I remember watching him as a kid playing for Valencia.

"I used to remember watching and thinking 'how is this guy so big?'

"When he came, he was such a character - the biggest character in the changing room, everyone loved him.

"Everyone was always looking at him all the time - 'how can he be so tall? Until I saw John Carew, I have never seen someone so tall. Massive but not skinny - he was built: Muscly, tall, giant and still quick on the training pitch. He used to bully defenders in training, bully them.

"I loved playing with John and he was my favourite strike partner."

Asked if he was the best player he'd played with, Agbonlahor said: "1000 per cent - it's a shame that I didn't get to play with him for longer because he was at the end of his prime when he came to Villa.

"He was only at Villa for two or three years so I wished I could have played with him for longer when he was a bit younger."

As a player who had been around the block, Carew was someone who could take certain liberties around the training ground, something that Agbonlahor admits he would never have got away with.

"I remember a time when we used to have meetings sometimes at 9:45 or 10am to look at the opposition," explained Agbonlahor.

"He was meant to be in for 9.30 and he'd get in at 9.25 and he would go straight to the canteen before getting changed to get his poached eggs on toast.

"Once he was running a bit late so everyone says 'John, there's a meeting' so he brings his breakfast into the meeting. He always had his leg crossed and he's there eating his poached eggs while the gaffer is doing the meeting.

"As a young lad, I was only 19 and I'm thinking 'how's he getting away with this?'

"He was a big character and a big player and he got away with it. If I tried to do that, I would probably never play again but it was hilarious for the younger players to see that."

Carew was a big hit with Aston Villa's talented young players and that was partly down to his love of the Birmingham nightlife.

Agbonlahor explained: "It's actually funny because I was young and I loved partying when I broke into the first-team. I was a party boy so sometimes after a game, I'd go out and John would just be there."

"Sometimes we didn't even have a plan to meet, it would be outside the club and he was just there, waiting to get in and we'd be together all night.

"He will be outside the club and he's there - waiting for himself to get in and we'll be together all night.

"[He was] a proper party boy. He loved being the main man and always wearing a leather jacket. Everyone loved John."

Carew's social life would get him into trouble on more than one occasion during his time with Villa, most notably on the morning of the club's UEFA Cup clash with Ajax in October 2008.

The notable striker had been spotted near a famous Birmingham strip club, leading to then-Villa boss Martin O'Neill launching an inquiry into his antics, before Carew explained that the whole situation had been 'a misunderstanding'.

He explained: "I wasn't at the strip club but the bar which shares the same entrance," he protested. "The whole thing is a misunderstanding.

"I've had the flu and I was 100 per cent sure I wasn't going to play on Thursday. That's why I went out for dinner.

"I would never have taken a meal in town if I knew I was going to play the match.

"I had dinner in an Italian restaurant together with a female friend of mine. Afterwards, we went to a bar next to it.

"The bar has the same entrance as this club which is referred to in the newspapers. Instead of going to the Rocket Club, we went into the quiet bar next to it.

"There were three or four other people there. I had a Pepsi before we left."

Since hanging up his sizable boots in October 2013, Carew's life has been anything but low-key.

Carew has since moved into the world of film and photography after turning his hand to acting.

His first film role was in 'Dead of Winter' in 2014, while he was also the star of Norwegian television series 'Heimebane'.

Most notably, however, he appeared in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in 2019, a film that featured Hollywood icon Angelina Jolie.

Carew is used to rubbing shoulders with the biggest celebrities in the world, sharing his artistic photography with almost 60,000 followers on Instagram, however his most notable celebrity pal is Aston Villa's highest-profile supporter.

Carew was spotted sitting alongside none other than Prince William at Wembley Stadium during Aston Villa's play-off final victory over Derby County in 2019, much to the surprise of the watching football world.

"He's a big football enthusiast," explained Carew on Soccer AM. "We spoke about football a lot, mainly Villa because he's a huge Aston Villa fan."

"We decided to go and support our team before the end of the season. He invited me to join and it was a great honour.

"He's very enthusiastic and he really loves his football. I'm proud because I'm a Villan and so it was good to watch the game together."

The towering ex-Norway striker lived the dreams of so many when he enjoyed a playing career at the highest level of the European game.

While many former footballers consider their playing days as the best of their life, it's clear that Carew is doing everything that he can to ensure that his life after football is even more glamorous than the one he lived during his heyday.

Never change, John. Never change.