Tom Cruise Makes His Co-Stars Follow This One Bizarre Rule During Stunts
Even people who aren't hard-core movie watchers know who Tom Cruise is. The Academy Award-nominated actor has appeared in tons of films since his 1983 on-screen lead role debuts in The Outsiders and Risky Business. Today, he's one of the world's biggest stars.
As such, Cruise has earned the right to make some pretty outlandish demands on set. But there is one demand that Cruise makes of his co-stars that may change your thoughts of the A-lister.
Tom Cruise Likes Doing His Own Stunts
Tom Cruise has become a household name since his movie debut in 1983. His list of film credits is remarkable, including titles such as A Few Good Men, Born on the Fourth of July, Top Gun, and the Mission: Impossible franchise.
Cruise is one of the premiere action-adventure actors who isn't afraid of danger. In fact, he's developed a reputation for being a particularly good stuntman. That's right; this seasoned A-lister prefers to do his own stunts.
He Has A Daredevil Personality
Most actors like to stay safe, opting to use stunt doubles for action-packed scenes. Then there's Tom Cruise, who prefers to be in the middle of the action. Whether it's jumping from one building to the next, hanging off the side of an airplane while it's taking off, or speeding through traffic on a motorcycle, Cruise has no issue jumping into the middle of the fray.
While this might not be the safest thing for a big Hollywood A-lister, Cruise's daredevil attitude has certainly made him a marketable actor!
One Of The Most Bankable Actors
With more than one successful blockbuster under his belt, this particular action hero has earned the right to make outrageous demands. In fact, Cruise is up there with the likes of Jason Statham and Dwayne 'The Rock" Johnson when it comes to bankability.
Even in the Mission Impossible films, Cruise performs complex stunts that range from hard to extremely dangerous. Who needs a stunt double when you're Tom Cruise?
Fans Can't Get Enough Of His Stunts
Just seeing Tom Cruise's face on a Mission Impossible poster causes fans of the franchise flocking to see the latest installment. And people who aren't fans are just as interested in seeing what crazy stunts the actor is going to pull off next.
We mean, it's not every day you get to see one of Hollywood's heartthrobs jumping through skyscraper windows in adrenaline-packed action sequences! It's just a part of Cruise's box office success.
Giant Fish Tank Explosion? It's No Problem For Cruise
Speaking of the Mission Impossible franchise, the films are so full of action sequences it's amazing the writers can think up new and improbable stunts for Cruise's Ethan Hunt to do next.
Seriously, who is the one who thought it was a good idea to have Ethan Hunt jump away just in time for a gigantic fish tank to explode behind him? It's an awesomely bizarre scene and definitely showed off Cruise's skills as a stuntman.
Tom Cruise isn't the only celebrity with strange on-set demands, check out These Actors Made Insanely Unrealistic Demands On A Film Set on Hareal.
2,000 Hours Worth Of Training
Cruise spends hours upon hours training for the craziness of his day job. Take the helicopter scene in Mission: Impossible: Fallout. Cruise does a death-defying stunt where he's piloting a helicopter as it goes into a 360-degree downward spiral into some mountains.
According to an aerial assistant on set, Cruise spent around 2,000 hours preparing for the scene, training to make sure it was done correctly and, more importantly, safely. As you can see, he's very demanding when it comes to his work.
Cruise Climbed The Burj Khalifa
Training to spiral a helicopter down into a mountain wasn't even Cruise's wildest stunt, if you can imagine! In Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the actor decided he didn't need a double when his character Ethan Hunt went climbing up the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Oh, and there is also no green screen. All that you see is Cruise climbing up the side of the building. Apparently, Cruise is more than an actor; he's an adrenaline junkie!
He Also Hung Off The Side Of An Airplane
Hopefully, you're not afraid of airplanes and flying because this next stunt Cruise pulled off is enough to make those anti-fliers never step foot in an airport ever again. In Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, one scene shows Cruise hanging off the side of an airplane while it prepares to take off.
Amazingly, Cruise decided he wanted to be the one hanging off the plane! Thankfully, there is a hidden harness securing him to the side of the aircraft, because that makes it better.
Run, Tom Cruise! Run!
Tom Cruise doesn't just favor those death-defying stunts that have him climbing up the side of a building or fall out of the sky in a helicopter. The actor also does his fair share of running in his films. Like, a lot of running.
In a majority of his films, Cruise can be seen sprinting, dashing, and making quick getaways on his feet. It's almost become something of a weird signature for the actor. Then, Cruise is used to "weird." And his co-workers are first-hand witnesses to his quirky ways.
He's Known To Have A Quirky Personality
While Tom Cruise has most definitely been enjoying his success and fame, there's more than one claim of eccentric behavior on the actor's part. And that's not even including the strange and bizarre rule he has co-stars following while on the set of any film.
From divorcing his three ex-wives when they turned 33 to standing on Oprah's couch to declare his love to then-girlfriend Katie Holmes, Cruise has done more than one questionable thing.
Cake For Everyone...But Cruise
Cruise might do some funky and quirky things off-screen, but there is one that trumps most everything else. When he's training for films and stunts, Cruise cuts out sugar. Okay, so that's not all that unusual for athletes. What's strange is the fact that Cruise sends entire cakes to his co-stars!
During an interview with James Corden, Cruise explained why he sent cakes to his fellow Mission Impossible co-stars. And, trust us, it's not for any reason you'd think.
During Training, He Cuts Out Sugar
During a 2018 interview with the British host, Tom Cruise explained why he sent his Mission Impossible castmates cakes. The actor said, "I love sugar, but I can't eat it because when I'm training, I’m doing all these movies — so I send it to everyone."
"I wait for the calls. Like, tell me about it." It seems as though Cruise enjoys living vicariously through his co-stars. At least, as far as sweet treats are concerned!
One Co-Star Tells All
Sending cakes to co-stars solely because he's unable to eat them might be a bit strange (or awesome), it's actually not the strange rule we're talking about. Another strange on-set rule Cruise has for his castmates is a total game-changer when it comes to thoughts on the actor.
The stipulation is strangely important to Cruise to the point that he thinks it's a pseudo-holy obligation for his co-stars to follow. At least, that's what one of his former co-stars says in a tell-all interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Annabelle Wallis Has First-Hand Experience With The "Rule"
Fans might recognize English actress Annabelle Wallis from the drama series Peaky Blinders and The Tudors. She is also in the remake of The Mummy, starring alongside Tom Cruise as Jennifer "Jenny" Halsey.
It's because of this film that Wallis learned of Cruise's strange stipulation he has his co-stars follow. Heads up, the Oxford-born performer's claim about her fellow actor is so out of left field you're going to wonder how Cruise came up with the rule.
The Rule: No One Can Run On-Screen With Tom Cruise
During a tell-all interview with The Hollywood Reporter, actress Annabelle Wallis claimed that Tom Cruise made his co-stars run behind him at all times. This means that none of the other actors in the film are allowed to run alongside Cruise.
And for an actor who enjoys running quite a bit in his films, this must be a bit of a pain for his co-stars! Surprisingly, Wallis was able to persuade Cruise to break his golden rule.
At First, Cruise Told Wallis "No"
Before filming began, Wallis was excited to run on-screen with Tom Cruise. Who wouldn't be? It wasn't long before the Mission Impossible actor put her in her place, giving her a straight-up "no."
During a 2020 interview, Wallis said, "I got to run on-screen with [Cruise], but he told me no at first." The question is, how exactly did she manage to persuade the action star and stuntman to allow her to run on-screen alongside him?
Why Won't He Let People Run With Him?
During the interview, Wallis explained Cruise's initial reaction to her request, "He said, 'Annabelle, nobody runs on screen with me.'" To which Wallis' response was, "But I'm a really good runner."
That wasn't a good enough response for the seasoned on-screen runner. You see, apparently, the reason he doesn't want other actors to run with him is that he thinks they won't be able to keep up!
Wallis' Perfectly Timed Treadmill Run Was All It Took
Obviously, Wallis eventually got her way, running alongside Cruise in The Mummy. She had a plan to show Cruise that she would be a great on-screen running partner. During her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she explained what she did on the set of The Mummy.
Wallis said, "I would time my treadmill so that he'd walk in and see me run." Was it that simple, though, timing a run so the star of the film would be willing to change his golden rule?
Wallis Changed Cruise's Mind
As it turned out, timing a treadmill run so Tom Cruise saw how she ran was enough to sway the actor! Annabelle Wallis was able to switch Cruise's mind, allowing her to run on-screen with him. This was an amazing feat, considering he was never swayed by another co-star before.
For Wallis, it was quite an achievement to get someone as famous and well-known as Tom Cruise to throw his cardinal rule out the window. The actress was beyond happy.
It Felt Like Winning An Oscar!
Obviously, getting an actor like Tom Cruise to reconsider his "no running with me on-screen" rule was a huge accomplishment for Wallis. During her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress said, "So, that was it. It was, like, better than an Oscar. I was so happy! I was so happy that I got to run on-screen with Tom Cruise."
"I was adamant that I was going to run on-screen with him because he's so particular about his running."
More Running Scenes Were Added
Wallis even admitted to getting underneath Cruise's skin on purpose to prove that she could run with the boys. "I was so cheeky with him that I said, 'Come on, I'll run through the studio with you and beat you.’ And, oh my God, I did," Wallis recalled during her interview.
Cruise was actually so impressed with her running that he added a few more scenes to showcase their sprinting abilities! Way to go, Wallis!
Kate Winslet Broke His Underwater Record
In 2022, Kate Winslet broke Tom Cruise's record for, wait for it, holding her breath underwater! While Cruise's record is six minutes, an amazing feat he accomplished while filming Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.
Winslet blew him out of the water, so to speak, holding her breath for a whopping seven minutes and 14 seconds while filming the film Avatar: The Way of Water. According to the actress, "It was brilliant, and I was very proud of myself, and I'll probably never be able to do it again."
Being An Actor His Entire Life Might Have Skewed His Sense Of "Normal"
Considering he's been in Hollywood for so long, Tom Cruise's sense of normal might be a bit skewed. Since he was four years old, the actor has been in productions, have it be on a stage or in film. His first appearance was actually in a school production.
He and a few other boys in his elementary school class put on an improvised musical called IT. But this wasn't his last school production.
Cruise Landed The Lead Role In Guys And Dolls
While he caught the drama bug at a very young age, Cruise dabbled in a few different hobbies during his youth, including football in high school. It was also in high school where he landed his first leading role.
After being persuaded by one of his teachers to try out for the school play, Cruise wound up landing the lead of Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls. Of course, there was no need for death-defying stunts in the play.
Schooling Wasn't Fun For The Actor
Tom Cruise found himself quite at ease on stage. At least, it was better for him than being in the classroom. At a young age, Cruise was diagnosed with dyslexia, making learning not exactly a fun aspect of his childhood.
Because of this, Cruise was very active in extracurricular activities, including drama, wrestling, and football. At one point, the actor even considered going to school to study and become a Catholic priest. Obviously, that didn't wind up happening.
One Decade To Make It Big
After graduating high school, Cruise moved to New York City in pursuit of an acting career. He was smart, though, knowing that it's virtually impossible to make it big in Hollywood, Cruise gave himself one decade.
During that time, Cruise landed small parts here and there, finally making a breakthrough in the 1980s and performing alongside some of the stars of the infamous "Brat Pack" in the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola film The Outsiders.
Top Gun Cemented Cruise's Superstar Status
Tom Cruise may have found some fame after his performances in the 1983 films The Outsiders and Risky Business, but it wasn't until a few years later when his status shot into superstardom.
In 1986, Cruise introduced the world to the character United States Naval Aviator LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the action drama Top Gun. His performance cemented his A-lister status. It looks like that decade Cruise gave himself to "make it" paid off!
The Roles Started Pouring In
Thanks to his role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun, Tom Cruise was seen as a very bankable actor. So, it didn't take much for him to land a few more highly sought-after parts after the action drama's release.
He went on to star in the NASCAR-themed racing film Days of Thunder and the legal drama A Few Good Men. It was then that Cruise realized his worth and began issuing interesting demands for his co-stars to follow.
Mission Impossible Changed Everything
Of course, first, he had to really make his stance in Hollywood before anyone was going to willingly go along with his quirky demands. But that didn't take long, as Tom Cruise was hired to portray Ethan Hunt in the reboot of Mission Impossible in 1996.
Based on a television series of the same name, the first installment of the franchise was a box-office success and saw Cruise catapulted even higher into Hollywood stardom.
Tom Cruise Was Ethan Hunt
With the success of the first Mission Impossible, it didn't take long for the studio to lock down a sequel, starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, of course. It was then that the actor began taking a liking to the stunt work.
He soon became well-known for performing his own stunts in the film, including a particularly difficult one involving a rock face. In Mission: Impossible 2, Cruise scales a cliff at Utah's Dead Horse Point. Not an easy task!
Five Installments Down And Two On The Way
As of 2020, Cruise has starred as Ethan Hunt in five installments of Mission Impossible, with two more Christopher McQuarrie-directed films on the way. And while Hunt is definitely one character that takes up a lot of Cruise's time and athletic ability, it's not the only character the actor has worked on.
Cruise's stunt abilities have also been used to bring Jack Reacher and Jack Harper in Oblivion to life. And those are just two films out of many on his resume!
