tom cruise 1999 letterman

Tom Cruise's Biggest Controversies Over The Years

Tom Cruise is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. Cruise became a bona fide star in the 80s and 90s with films such as "Top Gun," "Cocktail," and "Risky Business," and continued his success with blockbusters such as "The Firm," "Interview with the Vampire," "Jerry Maguire," and "Mission Impossible." However, off-screen he's been one of the most controversial figures in the entertainment business.

Over the years, Cruise's acting has been praised, but he's been a bit polarizing when it comes to his personal life and public persona, especially when it comes to his relationships with former wives Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes, as well as his loyalty to Scientology. Cruise's involvement as a father to his three children has also made headlines in the past. The actor shares two adopted children, Isabella and Connor with Kidman, and a biological daughter, Suri, with Holmes. While Cruise appears to have relationships with his adult children, he's reportedly estranged from his teenage daughter, Suri, with some suggesting that Cruise's Scientology beliefs are a major reason why he doesn't have a strong relationship with Suri , who is being raised by Holmes.

Of course, Cruise has created a stir for more than his religious beliefs and parenting throughout his career, and he's stunned fans with some controversial moments during that time. Here are some of Tom Cruise's biggest controversies over the years.

Tom Cruise laughed over cutting off oxygen to a passenger on his plane in 1999

In 1999, Tom Cruise appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman," when he opened up about a flying experience. The actor revealed that he and his co-pilot were flying at high altitudes during a flight to Colorado, when they realized they didn't have enough oxygen to stay alert. Instead of coming up with a strategy to remedy the situation, Cruise revealed that he and the co-pilot simply shut off the oxygen for the plane's other passenger so that they had enough air to continue their flight.

Cruise laughed as he told the story to Letterman, later revealing that the passenger eventually fell asleep due to the lack of oxygen, claiming the situation was never dangerous. Cruise chuckled so hard during the story that he had trouble getting his words out, but viewers heard he ensured that the passenger woke up upon arrival. He also laughed about how the passenger complained of numb hands after the flight.

However, Letterman seemed to be taken aback and even called out the actor for his poor judgment. "But honestly, looking at it from another direction, isn't that attempted manslaughter? You just turned a guy's oxygen off," Letterman told Cruise. "You're lucky you're not doing time, for the love of God," the host added before joining in the laughter.

Tom Cruise publicly feuded with Brooke Shields over antidepressants

In 2005, Brooke Shields opened up about her postpartum depression and use of antidepressants in her memoir "Down Came the Rain." After Shields' comments and views on the medication were made public, Tom Cruise had plenty to say about the actor, calling her "irresponsible" for claiming that the medication helped cure her postpartum depression. Of course, Shields didn't take Cruise's words lightly, telling him to "stick to saving the world from aliens."

Later, Cruise was asked about his comments during an interview on the "Today Show," where he called Matt Lauer "glib," and revealed that vitamins and exercise were a better way to treat depression than prescription medication. However, Cruise eventually made a public apology to Shields, and the two buried the hatchet. The "Blue Lagoon" star even attended Cruise's wedding to Katie Holmes in 2006. "If you get invited to that wedding, you go," Shields said of attending the wedding (via Entertainment Tonight ). "There was no malice in my heart."

In 2023, Shields spoke out about Cruise again, revealing that she would previously be sent a card and a bundt cake from the actor for the holidays, but that she has seemingly fallen off the list of recipients, per People Magazine . "I want to get back on that cake list. It's the best cake," Shields joked. "Tom, I need to be back on the cake list."

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website .

Tom Cruise stuns fans with his behavior on The Oprah Show

In 2005, Tom Cruise was making headlines for his career while promoting the film "War of the Worlds." His relationship with Kate Holmes was also being heavily discussed in the media, and fans couldn't help but be curious about the actor's resurgence. That same year, Cruise appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" for an interview with the famed talk show host. However, the interview took a wild turn when Cruise veered off the subject from his career and leaned into his personal life, getting candid about his romance with Holmes.

During the interview , Cruise had the studio audience in fits of laughter and applause as he gushed over Holmes, posed excitedly, smiled from ear to ear, joked, and even jumped on the couch to prove how happy he was with his life and new love. Eventually, Winfrey convinced Cruise to head backstage and get Holmes, which he did. The actor brought Holmes out on stage, and the two embraced and kissed in front of the audience.

The interview was one of the strangest and most unhinged that Cruise had ever given. That moment was also credited for helping the online entertainment blog industry take off. "This incident became one of the most critical chapters in the Origin Story of Internet Gossip," blogger Elaine Lui wrote on her site Lainey Gossip .

Cruise's involvement with Scientology has been controversial

Tom Cruise is famously known for his involvement with Scientology. Cruise, along with many other Hollywood stars such as John Travolta, Danny Masterson, Elizabeth Moss, Kirstie Alley, and Juliette Lewis, have also been involved with the church. However, Cruise is one of the most famous members and has achieved a top-level status within the church. Cruise joined the Church of Scientology in 1986 after being introduced to it by his first wife, Mimi Rogers. However, it wasn't until 1992 that he publicly confirmed his involvement with the religion.

TV star Leah Remini was also previously a member of the church, but has since left the religion. After leaving Scientology, Remini has been very open and outspoken about the inner workings of the church, and Cruise's involvement with the religion. In her memoir "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology," Remini spoke out about Cruise, even revealing that he once screamed at his assistants because he couldn't find pre-packaged cookie dough.

Over the years, Remini has opened up more about Cruise and Scientology. "He is very aware of the abuses that go on in Scientology. He's been part of it," she told The Daily Beast in 2018. "Scientologists are told that Cruise is saving the world single-handedly, so he is considered a deity within Scientology," she added.

Cruise screamed at a movie crew over COVID protocols in 2020

In 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tom Cruise was filming "Mission: Impossible 7." The movie was being filmed with many rules and regulations to help combat the spread of the virus, but some crew members were reportedly not following the protocols. This inflamed Cruise, who went on a long rant, using profanity and screaming at the crew. He even threatened to fire them if they stepped out of line any further. The rant was allegedly caused when Cruise saw crew members standing closer than 6 feet apart while looking at a computer.

"They're back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. We are creating thousands of jobs, you m-f—ers," Cruise can be heard yelling in the leaked audio. "I don't ever want to see it again! Ever!" he continues. "If I see you do it again, you're f—ing gone." Cruise later addressed the rant. "There was a lot at stake at that point. I said what I said," the actor told Empire Magazine .

How Christian Bale's American Psycho Performance Was Influenced By Tom Cruise

Now that it's been two whole decades since its release, it feels safe to say that Mary Harron's " American Psycho " is a bona fide horror classic. Based on the gripping Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name, Harron and co-screenwriter Guinevere Turner created a biting critique of corporate America and breathed new life into Ellis' satirical examination of toxic masculinity before we had a word for it. "American Psycho" tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a handsome, young, white-collar professional in 1987 New York City. By day, Bateman seems like a standard narcissistic greed-hound, but by night, he's a serial killer building up a hefty body count. His fiance (Reese Witherspoon) is none the wiser, but after killing his coworker Paul Allen (Jared Leto), a detective (Willem Dafoe) starts inching closer to Bateman's extra-curricular activities, causing his grasp on his double life to slip.

Christian Bale's performance as Patrick Bateman is considered one of the best, but he wasn't the original choice for the iconic role. Producer Edward R. Pressman bought the film rights to the novel in 1992, with Johnny Depp eyed for the lead role and "Re-Animator" director Stuart Gordon at the top of the list. The project went through a variety of hands, with Lionsgate pursuing Edward Norton, Ewan McGregor, and Leonardo DiCaprio for the lead. Harron, however, fought for Christian Bale, who turned down roles in the hopes that he would soon be playing the character. Fortunately, it all paid off, and Bale's performance helped catapult him into Hollywood superstardom. That performance, however, wouldn't have been the same if it wasn't for an unlikely hero ... Tom Cruise

'Intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes'

Christian Bale's performance as Patrick Bateman is especially haunting, considering how realistic it seems to so many people we witness in real life. In an interview regarding the film's 20th anniversary , Mary Harron confessed that one of the biggest inspirations for Bale's performance was Tom Cruise himself, not Cruise's portrayal of a specific movie character. Harron had challenged Bale to think of Bateman like an alien studying human nature, which inspired him to study the energy of Tom Cruise. Specifically, Tom Cruise during a 1999 interview on "Late Night with David Letterman." If you look up the interview on YouTube, the first result is labeled " Tom Cruise goes crazy live on Letterman ," so Bale was seemingly not alone in his assessment of this particular moment. Bale described his energy as "a very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes."

Tom Cruise is one of those actors who exists in the constant state of "movie star," even when off set, which makes for a perfect inspiration for someone like Patrick Bateman who thrives off of his ability to convince those around him that he's the right guy for any circumstance. In order for Bateman to ward off suspicion of his true nature, he must constantly be playing the long game, presenting a charming demeanor as a cover for the rage within. Tom Cruise is obviously not secretly a serial killer, but given his heavily curated public persona, he's the kind of guy Patrick Bateman could totally pick up some pointers from.

Miles Fisher marries the worlds of Tom Cruise and Patrick Bateman

Ironically enough, musician and actor Miles Fisher is proof positive that Tom Cruise and Patrick Bateman are two sides of the same coin. The "Final Destination 5" star has gone viral on multiple occasions for his videos imitating Tom Cruise, in particular, " Tom Cruise: 2020 Presidential Announcement ." Fisher first parodied the actor in the 2008 "Superhero Movie," but has continued his impersonations of the movie star well into 2022. The year following "Superhero Movie," Fisher released a music video for his cover of The Talking Heads' "This Must Be The Place," but as a recreation of "American Psycho." All of Bateman's most memorable moments are on display, with Fisher impersonating the performance with uncanny accuracy. Watching the two videos back to back is genuinely uncomfortable, because while the characters of Tom Cruise and Patrick Bateman are obviously very different, there's still an unsettling level of similarity that now has us dying for a Tom Cruise horror movie.

Christian Bale's American Psycho Inspiration Wasn't a Slasher - It Was Tom Cruise

Christian Bale's portrayal of American Psycho's Patrick Bateman wasn't inspired by a serial killer but by a Tom Cruise interview.

• Christian Bale based his portrayal of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho on Tom Cruise's intense friendliness and unnatural behavior in an interview with David Letterman.
• Bale's decision to model Bateman after Cruise added authenticity to his performance, as Bateman's forced happiness and exaggerated movements mirrored Cruise's onscreen and offscreen persona.
• While Nicolas Cage also served as an inspiration for Bateman, elements of Tom Cruise's mannerisms and energy can still be seen throughout the character's personality.

Christian Bale's portrayal of the psychopathic murderer Patrick Bateman has become iconic over the years--and for good reason. In American Psycho , a film based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel of the same name, Bateman's off-putting personality and over-the-top reactions in his head are disturbing and yet somewhat believable. However, as a result of his memorably exaggerated performance, Christian Bale decided to model Bateman after a real person to give him some authenticity. Surprisingly, Bale's portrayal wasn't modeled off of a serial killer, but rather fellow movie star Tom Cruise.

When American Psycho 's Patrick Bateman isn't being serious or villainous, he often wears a big grin and speaks in a forcibly happy manner. It almost feels like he's not human but instead someone observing humans and figuring out how they should behave in situations. Bale clearly put much thought into how he wanted Bateman to behave and drew inspiration from one of the most famous movie stars.

Updated on February 18, 2024 by Jordan Iacobucci: More than twenty years after its release, American Psycho continues to be a culturally significant film. This is due in large part to Christian Bale's chilling portrayal of Patrick Bateman, which has itself become iconic over the years. While many fans of the film may recognize that Bale based part of his character on Tom Cruise, that isn't the entire story. In the years since the film's release, Bale and those close to him have added to the history of how he crafted the character. As it turns out, there were multiple influences outside of Tom Cruise who helped inspire the creation of Patrick Bateman, adding to the mythos surrounding one of the best films from the early 2000s.

Tom Cruise's Interviews Inspired Christian Bale in American Psycho

American psycho's ending, explained: is paul allen really dead.

In an interview with director Mary Harron , the inspiration for Christian Bale's American Psycho inspiration was revealed to be action film superstar Tom Cruise. Harron recalled that, one day, Bale had phoned her with the news that he had found inspiration for American Psycho . Having watched Tom Cruise doing an interview with late-nate commentator David Letterman, Bale saw the exact qualities he wanted to portray in Bateman. Harron described Cruise as having this "very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes" and that Bale was really taken aback by his energy. He thought it would naturally fit into the unnatural business world of American Psycho , which it certainly did.

Tom Cruise is known for being very intense, both onscreen and behind the scenes. Moreover, the actor always comes across as incredibly happy due to his big grin and exaggerated movements. Though Cruise's co-stars typically praise the actor , some viewers have labeled his energy as being forced, like Patrick Bateman's. Even so, others see Cruise's mannerisms as being nothing more than a genuine enthusiasm for the art of cinema. Either way, there is certainly no denying an unnaturalness to the actor's behavior, explaining why Christian Bale thought it would be perfect to adapt for American Psycho .

Christian Bale Used Tom Cruise's Mannerisms for Patrick Bateman

An american psycho theory turns patrick bateman's exercise regimen sinister.

Although Patrick Bateman is obviously a lot more aggressive than Tom Cruise, there are hints of his personality in American Psycho . For example, when Bateman brings a drunk colleague home and is gearing up to murder him, his big grin and wide eyes are eerily reminiscent of Cruise. And, much like in Cruise's Letterman interview, everything Patrick Bateman talks about -- especially music -- is with a deep passion, walking the line between genuine and forceful.

Despite the resemblance, it's safe to assume that Christian Bale's performance in American Psycho wasn't purposefully targeting Tom Cruise by relating him to a serial killer. It would appear that Christian Bale has nothing personal against Cruise, but rather leapt at the chance to craft a believable character. But still, some audiences dislike Cruise due to his involvement in the Scientology movement, whereas many who have worked with him insist he's one of the nicest and most professional people they've ever met. Even so, his connection to the group has generated a different public image for Cruise than that of the 80s and 90s, resulting in various caricatures, including Bale's iconic performance as Patrick Bateman.

Who Else Inspired Patrick Bateman In American Psycho

Sigma or killer the truth behind american psycho's patrick bateman.

Twenty-three years after its initial release, American Psycho is still considered to be a masterpiece of filmmaking and has managed to remain surprisingly culturally relevant, even for a new generation of viewers. With over two decades in hindsight, some of the widely reported stories about Christian Bale's performance in the classic 2000s film can be put in order. Over the years, the stories about Bateman being directly based on Tom Cruise have become very well known, but it isn't quite as simple as some people may have previously thought. While it is true that the actor based parts of the character of Patrick Bateman on Tom Cruise, there was more than one person who inspired the creation of the iconic serial killer.

One of the major inspirations for Patrick Bateman outside of Tom Cruise was none other than Nicolas Cage . According to Christian Bale: The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman by Harrison Cheung, Bale partially based his performance on that of Nicolas Cage in Vampire's Kiss . The film in question sees Cage, known for his overacting and boisterous roles, portray a literary agent who slowly creeps toward madness--not unlike Patrick Bateman in American Psycho . Vampire's Kiss has become a cult classic, with Cage's performance remaining one of the most memorable parts of the film. It would appear that the more unhinged side of Patrick Bateman stems from Cage's performance, though elements of Tom Cruise still remain sprinkled throughout the character's personality.

An actor often draws many inspirations from the real world for each individual character he portrays. Especially in a role as complex and deep as that of Patrick Bateman, it isn't surprising that Christian Bale sought to ground his character in real influences. Likely an amalgamation of many different people, including Tom Cruise and Nicolas Cage, Patrick Bateman is a character who speaks to generations because of just how real a character he is.

American Psycho

A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.

The 9 most controversial moments in Tom Cruise's career

• Tom Cruise has been in Hollywood for over 40 years.
• Recently, his former manager said that he had a "terrible temper."
• The actor made headlines for making a "Mission: Impossible" co-star uncomfortable as well.

1999: Tom Cruise laughed while recounting a story where he restricted oxygen for a passenger on a plane.

During an appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman" in 1999 , Tom Cruise recalled a moment where he restricted oxygen for a passenger when flying to Colorado. According to Cruise, he and his co-pilot as well as a passenger were using oxygen masks because they were flying at high altitudes. However, Cruise said that he soon realized that he did not have enough oxygen to stay alert at that altitude.

Cruise then said he and the co-pilot decided to turn off the oxygen mask for the passenger so that they could continue their journey.

This caused the audience and Cruise to laugh. As he continued telling the story of how the passenger passed out due to the lack of oxygen, Cruise kept laughing, making Letterman appear uncomfortable.

At first, Letterman was confused and asked: "But honestly, looking at it from another direction isn't that attempted manslaughter? You just turned a guy's oxygen off. You're lucky you're not doing time, for the love of God."

Once Letterman was assured of the passenger's safety, the host joined in with Cruise's laughter.

2005: Tom Cruise shocked everyone by jumping on a couch on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

The couch jump on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in May 2005 is one of the most memorable moments in Cruise's career.

The actor was talking to Oprah about his new relationship with Katie Holmes, whom he eventually married a year later. Cruise made his excitement clear throughout the show by getting up and doing victory poses.

At one point, he jumped on the couch in the middle of the conversation right next to Oprah. While the moment seemed slightly over-the-top at the time, and was clearly loved by the live audience, further inspection of the clip changed Cruise's perception by the public forever .

2005: Tom Cruise got into a feud with Brooke Shields over prescription medication.

Towards the end of May 2005, Cruise criticized actress Brooke Shields for using antidepressants, which caused a rift between the two stars.

Cruise told Access Hollywood (via People ) that Shields was "irresponsible" for saying in her memoir "Down Came the Rain" that antidepressants helped cure her of postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter Rowan in 2003. Shields responded to People by saying Cruise should "stick to saving the world from aliens."

Cruise was later asked about his views in an interview on the "Today Show" and got into a heated discussion with journalist Matt Lauer about taking antidepressants.

He said there is "no such thing as a chemical imbalance" and antidepressants mask the problem rather than cure it. He also insisted that vitamins and exercise were better ways to "cure" depression and accused Lauer of being "glib."

Shields wrote an op-ed in The New York Times saying that Cruise's comments were a "disservice to mothers everywhere."

Shields later revealed on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" that Cruise came to her house and apologized to her. The relationship seemed to have recovered because Shields attended his wedding to Katie Holmes in 2006.

2005: Cruise said an Australian TV reporter crossed a line by asking him about his relationship with ex-wife Nicole Kidman.

In June 2005, Cruise was interviewed by "60 Minutes Australia" to talk about his Scientology beliefs and Hollywood stardom. During the interview, journalist Peter Overton asked a series of questions about Nicole Kidman, Cruise's ex-wife. The pair divorced in 2001 and have two kids.

Eventually, Cruise felt the questions had gone too far, prompting the "Mission: Impossible" actor to say: "You're stepping over the line now. You're stepping over the line. You know you are."

When Overton said he was asking questions that the public wanted to know, Cruise replied: "Peter, you want to know. Take responsibility for what you want to know. Don't say what other people. This is a conversation that I'm having with you right?"

Cruise continued: "I'm just telling you right now, OK. Just put your manners back in."

Overton apologized but in 2020 said on " The Kyle and Jackie O Show " that he didn't regret asking the question.

2005: Tom Cruise called a prankster who threw water at him a "jerk."

At the London premiere of "War of the Worlds" in June 2005, a prankster sprayed water on Cruise's face using a fake microphone. The practical joke was part of the British Channel 4 prank series "Balls of Steel" where comedians compete in dangerous challenges in the real world.

However, Cruise did not find the prank funny and told the prankster off before he could walk away.

"Do you like thinking less of people, is that it?" Cruise said. "That's incredibly rude. I'm here giving you an interview and you do that ... it's incredibly rude."

Cruise then said: "You're a jerk ... jerk ... you're a jerk."

The prankster and his three camera crew members were then escorted into the cinema and arrested by the police. The Guardian reported that Channel 4 later apologized to Cruise in a statement but said the stunt was "intended to be light-hearted rather than malicious."

2015: In her memoir, former Scientologist Leah Remini said the actor shouted at assistants while baking cookies.

In November 2015, Leah Remini published her memoir "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" after leaving Scientology. In the memoir, the actress mentioned her multiple interactions with Cruise — who is a Scientologist — and his family.

On one occasion, Remini wrote, according to Vulture , Cruise allegedly shouted at his assistants because he wanted to make cookies but he couldn't find the prepackaged cookie dough.

"'Guys, where's the cookie stuff?'" Remini recalled. "Goddamn it! Can I just get the stuff for the cookies, guys? Get in the fucking present time, is what you need to do.'"

A spokesperson for Scientology denied the claims in Remini's book at the time of publishing in a public statement. In a recent email to Insider about this story, a Scientology spokesperson called Remini's account "lies and malicious false claims."

2020: Thandiwe Newton said it was "a nightmare" working on "Mission: Impossible 2" with Tom Cruise.

During an interview with Vulture in 2020 , Thandiwe Newton said she was "so scared" of Cruise when working on "Mission: Impossible 2." In the 2000 movie, she played Cruise's character Ethan Hunt's love interest Nyah Nordoff-Hall.

"He was a very dominant individual," the "Westworld" actress said. "He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done."

Newton recalled a moment when she and Cruise were "frustrated" with each other because they were not able to get a balcony scene down. Eventually, they tried to rehearse on camera and say each other's lines to try and get the scene right by Cruise's standards.

"I can't think of anything less revealing," Newton said. "It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity. It was a real shame. And bless him. And I really do mean bless him, because he was trying his damnedest."

She continued: "He wasn't horrible. It was just — he was really stressed."

However, Newton recalled phoning a friend, Jonathan Demme, after the first night they shot the scene and saying it was "a nightmare."

2020: Tom Cruise was recorded yelling at the crew of "Mission: Impossible 7" because they disobeyed COVID-19 safety rules.

In December 2020, The Sun published leaked audio of Cruise yelling at "Mission: Impossible 7" staffers after COVID-19 safety rules were broken on set .

The crew had already halted production at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, England, earlier that year because of coronavirus regulation. The Sun reported that Cruise "flew into a rage" after spotting two of the crew members standing within 2 meters of each other.

"And if you don't do it, you're fired," he said in the audio leaked by The Sun. "I see you do it again, you're fucking gone. No apologies. You can tell it to the people that are losing their fucking homes because our industry is shut down. It's not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education."

Fans and celebrities were divided in response to the news. George Clooney said Cruise didn't "overreact" in an interview on Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show . Meanwhile, former Scientologist Leah Remini called Cruise's audio "psychotic," in a letter published by the blog The Underground Bunker .

2022: Tom Cruise's former manager recalled the actor once refused to speak to a waitress because he was "still in character."

Cruise's former manager, Eileen Berlin, told the Daily Mail in a recent interview that the actor once refused to speak to a waitress when she recognized him because he was still in character .

Cruise had a role in the 1981 movie "Taps" filmed at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Pennsylvania where he met Berlin for lunch at a nearby restaurant, she said.

"The waitress asked him, 'Aren't you one of the actors?'" Berlin recalled, adding that Cruise was upset that she'd recognized him. "Tom said to us, 'Please tell her not to ask me any questions. I'm still in character.'"

During the interview, Berlin said Cruise had a "terrible temper." She recalled presenting Cruise with an album full of articles about himself from teen magazines for his 19th birthday, which the star didn't take kindly to.

"He screamed, 'I don't want to be in the teen mags,'" Berlin said. "He had told me he considered himself an adult, not a teen idol. He threw the album hard at me and it hit me on the cheek."

• Main content

Tom Cruise Came Across As A Completely Different Person During His First Ever Appearance With David Letterman

Tom Cruise always had fans talking after his interviews, however, he took a different approach in the late '80s with David Letterman.

At the age of 61, Tom Cruise continues to shine at the top of Hollywood thanks to his performances in Top Gun: Maverick and the latest Mission: Impossible installment. However, the road to the top took many twists and turns along the way. It seems as though Tom's interviews didn't do him any favors during the late '90s and into the early 2000s. We'll take a look back at candid moments that derailed his career, and how he felt about it.

In addition, we'll reveal the different extremes of Tom Cruise and his personality when appearing alongside David Letterman . During his first appearance, Tom Cruise seemed to be completely different. We'll reveal what went on during his first time alongside Dave, and how different Cruise was alongside the host in the later years.

RELATED - How Jeremy Renner Nearly Took Over For Tom Cruise In Mission Impossible

Tom Cruise Revealed He's Often Misunderstood By The Media

Throughout his career, it seems like interviews have done more harm than good for Tom Cruise. That was especially true during his interview alongside Oprah , during his memorable 'couch jumping' incident. Controversy continued to follow the actor alongside Matt Lauer on the Today show.

Nonetheless, despite the controversy, Cruise mentioned alongside Pop Sugar that he's largely misunderstood.

"Listen I, I feel like definitely things have been misunderstood, and there are things I could have done better. But then there's also that world where you go, 'Oh, it's been spun to such an extent that. That's a truth also."

Cruise continues, "Knowing when and where to communicate, I think that's important. A lot of times I was nervous giving interviews. Or I wasn't sometimes as comfortable about things. And I realized that it's okay. There's stuff you have to just let go. I just have to do the best I can."

RELATED - How Tom Cruise's First Mission: Impossible Co-Star Emmanuelle Béart Really Felt About Working Alongside The Actor

Of course, the interview troubles are a thing of the past, as Cruise continues to generate millions at the box office. Still, fans can't help but notice how different Cruise was back in the day, especially during his interview alongside Letterman way back in the summer of 1988.

Tom Cruise Appeared To Be Extremely Calm During His First Late Show Appearance With David Letterman In 1988

Unlike his other future interviews which saw high energy, this particular experience alongside David Letterman was quite the opposite. During his first time alongside David Letterman, Cruise was incredibly calm. He was hardly moving in his chair, while giving calm and cool answers to the questions given by the host. Cruise discussed various topics, including his experience in driving fast cars for roles. Never once did Tom seem to be over the top, instead, he kept things level throughout the chat.

Fans can see the moment for themselves in the throwback video below.

RELATED - Tom Cruise's Attempt At A Career Comeback Turned Into His Worst Film Of All Time

As expected, fans were chiming in with all sorts of comments, especially given how Tom evolved over time following this very interview.

One fan notes, "His personality has indeed morphed over the years. Fascinating what money in and of itself will do to a person notwithstanding fame. I am happy and sad for him all at once. Unbelievably gifted in the looks department."

Another fan noted Tom's hilarious reaction to Letterman ripping his co-star, Paul Newman.

"Favorite part is Tom Cruise getting caught off guard and his adorable reaction when Letterman asked, "does it bother you that you carried Paul Newman in the movie."

Years later, Cruise would reappear on the Late Show alongside David Letterman and this time around, things were very different.

Fans Compared Tom Cruise's Later Appearance On David Letterman's Late Show To Christian Bale's American Psycho Character

It was a much different vibe in the later years as Tom Cruise appeared alongside David Letterman for yet another interview. Cruise detailed the story of flying at a high altitude, while turning off the oxygen for the back passenger. Cruise laughed off the experience, while Letterman looked on telling Cruise, "isn't that attempted manslaughter?" That only created more laughter from Tom.

The interview was later compared to Patrick Bateman in American Psycho . It seems like Christian Bale took the interview as motivation for his role. Fans agreed after watching Tom's interview alongside Letterman.

"This is the interview that inspired Christian Bale in his role as Patrick Bateman in American psycho. A whole lot of smiling and laughing with nothing behind the eyes. A never ending façade," a fan notes.

Others just compared Tom Cruise to a regular person, who also has a sense of humor.

"It's a very internal joke, he's reliving the moment in a safe perspective....I laugh about things uncontrollably after the fear and worry is gone...it proves he's human with a great sense of humor."

Without a doubt, Tom always left fans talking during his interview in the '90s and into the early 2000s.

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Superhero? Saviour? Kook? Why we’ll never know the real Tom Cruise

The actor has been many things over the years, from a self-mythologising movie star to the unlikely inspiration for christian bale in ‘american psycho’. as ‘top gun: maverick’ hits cinemas, tom murray explores the reasons why cruise remains hollywood’s biggest mystery, article bookmarked.

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Hollywood’s superstar black hole that absorbs everything around him

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W hen they were adapting Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho in the late Nineties, Christian Bale and filmmaker Mary Harron found inspiration for their sociopathic serial killer Patrick Bateman in an unlikely source . “One day he called me and he had been watching Tom Cruise on David Letterman,” Harron said in 2009, “and [Cruise] just had this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes. [Christian] was really taken with this energy.”

Bale had been watching a 1999 appearance by Cruise on Letterman’s US talk show. Try and find the clip now and YouTube’s most popular rip is titled, “Tom Cruise goes crazy live”. In it, Cruise recalls co-piloting a private plane and turning a passenger’s oxygen off so that he could keep flying at high altitude. The actor finds it riotously funny. A bemused Letterman can only smile and ask: “But honestly, looking at it from another direction… isn’t that attempted manslaughter?” Cruise laughs harder still.

Twenty-two years later, Cruise’s chat show persona has transformed, the star’s penetrating intensity boxed up, sealed and buried deep. During his recent appearance on James Corden’s talk show, though, there is a moment in which the old Cruise flickers. Preparing for a day of flying together, the pair are filmed by a campfire, toasting marshmallows. “Look,” Cruise tells Corden, setting the marshmallows alight, “this is us tomorrow”. He whirls the flaming confectionery around in the air, mimicking both men being ejected from a burning aircraft. The same unbridled, high-pitched laughter from the Letterman interview returns. Cruise’s mask briefly slips.

With the release of the belated sequel Top Gun : Maverick , America’s ageless Übermensch is once more on the promotional trail. Cruise’s return as Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell proves unequivocally that he still has the charisma, panache and Ray-Ban aviators to carry a gargantuan blockbuster on his stout shoulders. Make no mistake, this is not a film about naval aviation or war or brotherhood, it’s a film about Tom Cruise and the power he possesses.

Cruise, in many ways, is bigger than Hollywood, and audience trends. He is a superstar black hole that absorbs everything around him. Take Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly, his co-stars in Top Gun: Maverick . They are celebrities in their own right. But in this film, they exist merely as things for Tom Cruise to kiss or fight with. They are props.

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Cruise reached astronomical heights as an actor by appearing in a string of smash hits, films that showed his range as a drama player as well as an action hero. Top Gun . Rain Man . Jerry Maguire . A Few Good Men . It’s easy to forget just how many modern classics Cruise commandeered. His career has since culminated in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which has raked in more than $3.6bn (£2.9bn) at the box office over six movies.

It’s led to unparalleled industry power, which has only been bolstered by his inner knowledge of how it all functions. From his very first role in the 1981 movie Taps , Cruise has been a student of cinema. “I went to every single department and studied every single department,” he bragged to a Cannes crowd this month of his time working on the film. Today, he is keenly aware and in control of practically everything that happens on his film sets, from catering to flight training programmes for his Maverick co-stars. While filming the forthcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning last year, he was caught on tape shouting at crew members who’d been accused of breaking Covid restrictions. “I’m on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers and they’re looking at us and using us to make their movies,” he said. “We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf***ers.” It was a rare peek behind the curtain, and in keeping with everything we know about Cruise’s devotion to filmmaking.

That devotion is perhaps never more on show than in Cruise’s stunt work, which he famously insists on doing himself. His most revealing quote came on The Graham Norton Show last year, when Cruise admitted: “I’ve been told a few times during shooting a stunt to stop smiling.” In 2018, Cruise proudly showed off behind-the-scenes footage of him snapping his ankle while jumping from one building to another in Mission: Impossible – Fallout . The scene is extraordinary: Cruise grimaces, pulls himself up, and limps off out of shot. It ended up making it into the movie. Similarly, when filming stunts for 2011’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol on Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper, Cruise arrived early one morning to take a photo on top of the building’s 830-metre-high spire – no safety cables, no anything. Like Greek fables, these are all stories that feed into the myth of Tom Cruise. Kevin LaRosa Jr, the aerial coordinator for Top Gun: Maverick , tells The Independent that he wishes Cruise – just sometimes – might keep himself out of harm’s way: “We all think that way, right? Tom absolutely does things on this movie where I’m sitting there going, ‘Oh boy, that was crazy’.”

Tom Cruise at the Cannes Film Festival to promote ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Cruise has always had a penchant for self-mythologising. The actor was born to a working-class, largely itinerant, Catholic family with an abusive father. “He was a bully and a coward,” Cruise told Parade in 2006. Not comfortable with the life he’d been given, Cruise decided to create his own. “I saw how my mother created [her life] and so made it possible for us to survive… And I decided that I’m going to create, for myself, who I am, not what other people say I should be.” It’s all very Great Gatsby .

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The life Cruise settled on, after a brief foray into the priesthood, was that of an actor, and he went into it with an irrepressible, obsessive desire to succeed. Speaking to the Daily Mail in February this year, Cruise’s first manager Eileen Berlin recalled presenting the actor on his 19th birthday with an album of articles about him from teen magazines. “He screamed, ‘I don’t want to be in the teen mags’,” Berlin said. “He had told me he considered himself an adult, not a teen idol. He threw the album hard at me and it hit me on the cheek.” Berlin’s gift did not align with the Tom Cruise he imagined for himself.

While Cruise has stayed true to the identity he’s crafted over the years, it has undergone some necessary renovations. His reputation suffered in the Noughties after he began vocally advocating for the Church of Scientology, a highly secretive and controversial religion. Cruise claimed that Scientology cured his dyslexia, and he became a public proponent of the organisation’s opposition to psychiatry and psychiatric medication. This culminated in a 2005 feud with actor Brooke Shields over her use of antidepressants. In a heated interview with the subsequently disgraced US news presenter Matt Lauer, Cruise said that “psychiatry should be outlawed”.

Cruise swung violently from one end of the spectrum to the other that year, which also saw the infamous “couch jumping” incident on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. Cruise’s exuberant public courtship of the actor Katie Holmes led him to leap onto Winfrey’s sofa and wrestle with the revered host, apparently unable to contain the sheer joy of his new relationship. Cruise and Holmes married the following year, before divorcing in 2012. “It was a time when he really just let himself go, and let his freak flag fly,” Brandon Ogborn, the writer behind The TomKat Project , a 2013 play examining Cruise’s reputation, told The Ringer in 2018. “It was also a time when he was really proselytising for Scientology. I think it was a huge explosion of press that was bad press, because the Tom Cruise machine just stopped.”

Tom Cruise jumping on the sofa in the notorious Oprah intervview

The Cruise machine was indeed taken off the road for a while after that. Upon its return, the airing of his more provocative beliefs was dialed down. Over time, the world quite simply forgot about the actor’s wild side. Even Shields was enamoured when Cruise visited her to apologise for his comments about her. “I was so impressed with how heartfelt it was,” she said. Cut to today and Cruise is gracefully extending his arm to Kate Middleton as she ascends the red carpet steps to the Maverick premiere in London. All is forgiven.

Perhaps Cruise benefited from the lack of social media at the time of his public outbursts. Or perhaps he survived because of our collective willingness to ignore the shortcomings of artists whose work we enjoy. In any case, it’s hard to get angry at someone who is, like Patrick Bateman, simply not there.

Is Cruise a dinosaur? Hollywood’s saviour? The greatest action star of all time? Is he simply the product of a very different cinematic era? There’s no clear answer to any of these questions. But as long as there’s something left to unravel, we’ll keep watching.

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is in cinemas now

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Tom Cruise's Letterman Top 10 List (VIDEO)

Senior Features Editor

Tom Cruise appears on Tuesday night's "The Late Show" with David Letterman and reads a Top 10 list about himself, an early clip of which is online.

Cruise, in a vest and undone white shirt, tells Letterman reading a Top 10 list is on his "bucket list" and then goes through, with overstated amusement, the Top 10 "Craziest Things People Say About Tom Cruise On The Internet."

Some were funnier than others, and with a few hitting closer to home, like this soft dig at Scientology:

#4: I believe all emotional and psychological disorders can be cured with Vicks Vaporub.

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When Tom Cruise Laughed It Off Sharing A Shocking Incident Where He Cut Oxygen For A Passenger Flying At A High Altitude

We all know that cruise likes his airplanes such much as he likes acting..

Tom Cruise is a brilliant, highest-paid actor who has performed some of the most terrific, death-defying stunts. His latest movie, Top Gun Maverick, turned out to be a golden egg for the actor. It soared through the box office, surpassing several Hollywood biggies, to become the highest-grossing film of 2022.

Not just that, it also made Cruise the highest-paid actor with a whopping $100 million salary. Besides being a great actor who has reached multiple new heights, Tom is also famous for the controversies that surround him, and there are many!

This includes the time when Tom Cruise restricted oxygen for a passenger when flying to Colorado. We all know that Cruise likes his airplanes such much as he likes acting. A lot of his movies surround him performing stunts in or around an aircraft. Top Gun Maverick is a fine example of it. But there are times when his love for flying becomes harmful to others.

Back in 1999, Tom Cruise appeared on Late Show with David Letterman and recalled the moment when he stopped oxygen for a person on board the flight he was flying. The Mission Impossible actor, his co-pilot, and the rest of the passengers were using oxygen masks as they were flying at high altitudes.

But soon, Tom realised he did not have enough oxygen to stay alert at that altitude. It was then that he and his co-pilot decided to turn off the oxygen mask for the passenger so that they could continue their journey. What was more shocking than this was that while recalling the story, the actor kept laughing.

The host of the show pointed out that “looking at it from another direction isn’t that attempted manslaughter? You just turned a guy’s oxygen off. You’re lucky you’re not doing time, for the love of God.” However, Tom Cruise assured the safety of the passenger, and both laughed it off.

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David Letterman wants to know why Tom Cruise wasn't at the Oscars 'celebrating his big jetpack Maverick show'

The former late-night host dubbed the Top Gun: Maverick star "Mr. Big Shot," adding, "He should’ve been there."

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at  Entertainment Weekly  with over five years of experience covering the latest in entertainment. A proud Kingston University alum, Emlyn has written about music, fandom, film, television, and awards for multiple outlets including MTV News,  Teen Vogue , Bustle, BuzzFeed,  Paper Magazine , Dazed, and NME. She joined EW in August 2022.

David Letterman is demanding answers to the question that's been on everyone's mind since Sunday's Oscars : "Where was Tom Cruise ?"

While visiting Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday, the former late-night host asked Oscars emcee Jimmy Kimmel for the real reason why Cruise, who he dubbed "Mr. Big Shot," wasn't among the myriad stars in attendance at the Academy Awards.

"We don't know where Tom Cruise was," Kimmel explained. "We heard production issues." Letterman then interjected, "What does that mean? That's nonsense. Tom Cruise should've been there celebrating his big jetpack Maverick show."

Kimmel acknowledged that it was a "very non-specific" excuse, but that "we have no idea what happened." He added, "It seems like he should've been there, but he was not there and, like you were saying before, maybe he didn't feel like he was gonna win so he didn't want to come."

"Yes, but it's…" Letterman hedged. "Between you and me, he should've been there, right?" Kimmel agreed that Cruise "of course" should've been there, especially since the actor is the current reigning "prince of Hollywood" following the success of Top Gun.

Still, Letterman commended Kimmel on the event, which boasted the highest ratings of any awards show in three years . "[Y]ou resurrected this carcass and the network and the Academy ought to be very grateful," Letterman noted, later adding: "More to the power of your success, if Mr. Big Shot is not there and still the show has never been more successful, nice going Jimmy."

While Cruise skipped the ceremony, his Top Gun: Maverick costars Miles Teller, Monica Barbaro, Greg Tarzan Davis, Jennifer Connelly, Jay Ellis, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, and Charles Parnell were all in attendance at the event. The massively popular sequel, which received six nominations, ended up winning the award for Best Sound .

During the event, Kimmel poked fun at Cruise during his opening monologue with a joke about Scientology. However, Jimmy Kimmel Live producer Molly McNearney revealed they had initially planned to salute Cruise's career during Kimmel's speech before finding out that the actor would be absent.

"We had about a three-minute chunk of the monologue dedicated to Tom Cruise, honoring him and his role in reviving the movie industry. We were so disappointed when we learned a few days before the Oscars that he wouldn't be there," McNearney told Variety . "Jimmy loves him and really wanted to celebrate him."

Check out more from EW's The Awardist , featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best films, TV, and music.

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