Why Tom Cruise is everywhere

It’s a far cry from jumping on Oprah’s couch. Taking his seat at Wimbledon and Wembley, the Hollywood actor is part of the English summer.

Mission Possible: Tom Cruise is reinventing himself during his stint in England, attending Wembley alongside mate David Beckham and Kate Moss (top left) and on the same weekend heading to the royal box Wimbledon where he saw Australia's Ash Barty take out the women's' singles final. Pictures: AFP/AFP/Supplied

It was one of the highlights of Sunday night’s game at Wembley. No, not Luke Shaw slamming in a half-volley after two minutes of play, but the reaction that goal provoked from a member of royalty in the stadium. Tom Cruise, Hollywood royal and blockbuster king, extended his arm out over an empty seat to receive a contented fist bump from a grinning, giggling David Beckham (who has previously admitted to naming his third child Cruz after his LA buddy and celebrity man-crush, Tom). It was quite the sight, with many commentators noting that Cruise had spent the morning at the Goodwood Festival of Speed before being flown by helicopter to the Wimbledon men’s final, and had been a guest of honour at the women’s final the previous day. He was living his best life, or at least a version of the best stag weekend ever.

The appearance of the Top Gun star at Wembley, however, was no freak sports-watching aberration. Cruise, who has been shooting Mission: Impossible 7 in the UK sporadically (Covid-permitting) since last summer, has become a bona fide football fanatic.

He turned 59 on July 3, and allegedly celebrated by hosting a Euros party in his mansion in Biggin Hill in Bromley. England captain Harry Kane revealed that Cruise had Facetimed the team the day before the final (the kiss of death?) to wish them luck, and had allowed them to watch a sneak preview of his upcoming sequel Top Gun: Maverick (on reflection, All the Right Moves might have been a better choice). “Yes, we were fortunate enough to have a watch of one of his films,” said Kane. “And he just dialled in and Facetimed us just to wish us the best as a group, so that was nice of him.”

Tom Cruise, left, fist bumps with his mate David Beckham at the football final at Wembley. Picture: Supplied

Cruise’s footy obsession doesn’t stop there. In May, when shooting in Bedfordshire, he learnt that local club Woburn & Wavendon FC were desperate to raise money for community initiatives and so the megastar, whose movies have grossed $AU 13.35 billion at the global box office and who is believed to be worth more than $AU741 million, signed several replica shirts to go towards the club’s $AU22,300 crowd-funding campaign.

Footy fanatic … with a focus

The Cruiser’s conspicuous football focus has been variously reported as the actions of someone who is currently based in the UK and getting swept away by national hysteria, and that of an actor finally getting in touch with his English heritage — though both of Cruise’s parents are from Kentucky, the family name Mapother (Cruise was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV) is from Devon. It was Kane, though, when asked about Cruise’s love of the England team, who seemed to offer the most perspicuous insight. “The majority of the world love football,” said Kane. He then zeroed in on Cruise and said: “Football is such a big part of the world, and it’s nice to have that support from all different types of business.”

Ah yes, business. Cruise is, without doubt, the last living movie star (seriously, and no, The Rock doesn’t count, and neither does Chris Pratt or Zendaya) and is thus someone who has an understanding of the global nature of the business. He is analogous to a Ronaldo-style footballing icon who translates worldwide, but one who has been winning the Ballon d’Or nearly every year since 1986 (when Top Gun was released).

Cruise is pictured during the filming of "Mission Impossible: Lybra" on October 6, 2020 in Rome. Picture: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

Unlike most movie stars, however, Cruise is becoming even more attuned to the demands of the worldwide market as he gets older. His most recent Mission: Impossible movie, Fallout, was his most successful film ever (it made $AU10055 million at the box office) and also the most successful film of the franchise. His Top Gun sequel, Maverick, has been hyped as one of the upcoming films of the year, with Netflix and Apple TV+ both allegedly trying to snap it up from producer Paramount Pictures for a rumoured $AU870 million, but to no avail (it’s still scheduled for a cinema release on November 21). And with Mission: Impossible 8 shooting back-to-back with No 7, it seems highly likely that Cruise will remain super-stratospheric for the foreseeable future.

Charm offensive

Off-screen too, he’s become a master of the charm offensive. Gone is the off-kilter persona pilloried for his couch-jumping antics on Oprah (in 2005, seemingly overcome with love for then girlfriend Katie Holmes he, well, let the side down). Gone is the interviewee who berated NBC News anchor Matt Lauer (since fired over sexual harassment allegations) about his ignorance on the subject of psychiatry.

Tom Cruise jumps on the couch during an appearance on Oprah in 2005, after proclaiming his love for actor Katie Holmes. Picture: Supplied

Gone is the talk show subject who lashed back at the interviewer, Peter Overton, for asking about ex-wife Nicole Kidman, with the terrifying: “Listen, here’s the thing, Peter, you’re stepping over a line now … and you know you are. I’m just telling you right now. Put your manners back in.”

Scientology seemingly sidelined

And gone too is the Scientology footage on YouTube, taken from a Church of Scientology video, showing Cruise discussing the nature of those people lucky enough to practise Scientology.

The new Cruise persona does all the right things. He’s a regular guest on The Graham Norton Show where he charmed the nation, in 2018, by revealing the shock footage, captured in the making of Mission Impossible: Fallout, during which he broke his ankle while attempting a London rooftop jump.

Back then he had said: “I am always thinking about the audience. I want to entertain them, and give them a new adventure every time.” The Mission: Impossible method has become embedded around that central idea. That Cruise will perform a death-defying stunt for our pleasure. And we will love him for it.

Mask rage

It’s a flawless formula, and was tested last December when Cruise indulged in a rant of career-wrecking potential, when he spotted crew members breaking Covid protocols (standing too close to each other) on the Mission: Impossible set.

At the time, in recorded audio, he screamed at “a select group” of crew members: “If I see you do it again you’re f***ing gone! We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf***ers. I don’t ever want to see it again. Ever!” Colleagues, fans and commentators, however, rallied around Cruise, and celebrated him as a hero in the face of the pandemic. “I get it,” said Whoopi Goldberg. “Some people don’t understand why he would get so angry. That’s his movie. If he goes down with Covid, the movie’s done.”

Fame is a fickle bedfellow and Cruise has watched it scarper out the window — his Oprah antics prefigured a string of duds including Valkyrie and Knight and Day. For now, though, he is someone who has an appreciation for what the audience needs, in whatever country he resides, be it an action, blockbusting spectacle — or football.

The Times