Before Tom Cruise had ridden off cliffs and jumped out of helicopters, the actor once believed the prep for Collateral would be impossible.
With over 4 decades in Hollywood, Tom Cruise has become renowned for his dedication to his acting. With the actor consistently pushing the boundaries of what is possible in his craft, he has given fans some epic performances. Over the years, he has taken on some of the most physically and mentally demanding roles in cinema and come out unscathed.
While the 62-year-old has ridden motorcycles off cliffs and been involved in helicopter chases, there was one particular role that seemed impossible even for Cruise—a method-acting challenge that he did not believe he could do.
When Tom Cruise did what he thought was impossible
Over the years, Tom Cruise’s relentless commitment and pursuit of authenticity have made him one of Hollywood’s most versatile and fearless actors. Whether it’s enduring grueling training or putting his body on the line, the actor’s approach to method acting has continually redefined what it means to immerse oneself fully into a character.
However, the Jerry Maguire star did not think he could pull off one method in 2004. In an interview with Deadline, director Michael Mann talked about the actor’s methods of prepping for Collateral.
Obviously, people know Tom, but I wanted him to feel what it would be like to blend in, to mix with people and have conversations. He went to Central Market and trained to be a FedEx delivery guy. He said to me, ‘They’re gonna know it’s me.’ I said, ‘No, they’ll see the sign that says FedEx, and you’ll wear sunglasses and a cap and carry that portable computer that drivers used to have when they made deliveries.’
Mann continued, “Tom went in and delivered something to a liquor stand and sat down and struck up a conversation with a couple people and insinuated himself into the lives of others. There was a lot of psychological training he did.”
With the actor completely giving in to the director’s ideas, the 81-year-old could only sing his praises. The director added, “Tom is a dream. He sees the adventure in what we do, just the way I do, and I imagine other directors do. He just goes for it.”
Apart from being a director’s dream actor, Cruise proved to be an amazing cast mate too. Not only does he ensure perfection with his stunts, but he has helped other actors reach the same heights of greatness.
How Tom Cruise has helped his co-stars perfect their stunts
With Tom Cruise being known for his dedication to performing his own stunts, he often ends up lending a hand to his co-stars elevate their skills. The actor has never been one to brag. However, the producer of Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, Jerry Bruckheimer revealed to Deadline how the now 62-year-old had been the only one capable of keeping his calm during the jet scenes. In fact, he’d gone the extra mile to ensure that his co-stars in the 2022 film could handle what they signed up for.
He was the only one we got good footage on; we couldn’t use the footage on the other actors because he was the only one who didn’t throw up.
Bruckheimer continued, “So, Tom designed a flying program for all the actors this time. It took months to do this. First, they went up in a single engine prop plane, just to get a feel for flying. Then, an aerobatic prop plane, and then a jet, and once they were comfortable in that jet, he put them in the F-18.”
With the actor taking time out to ensure everything went smoothly, it’s no surprise that the producer was still singing his praises.
Cruise went on to share his expertise in areas like skydiving, piloting aircraft, and high-speed driving to ensure his co-stars are both prepared and safe. In fact, he even inspired Henry Cavill to do his own deadly stunt.