Highlights
- Tom Cruise admits the rumours about his intense work ethic are true.
- The Mission: Impossible star says he is “always” learning and preparing for his next project.
- Cruise says turning 64 has not changed his approach to work or taking on new challenges.
Tom Cruise has opened up about his intense approach to filmmaking, admitting that the long-standing rumours about his work ethic are true.
The Mission: Impossible star, 64, spoke about his reputation in a new interview with GQ, explaining what he tells collaborators before they begin working with him.
‘The rumours are true’
Cruise was asked about stories surrounding his demanding approach to work and whether there was truth behind his intense reputation.
“The rumours are true,” he said.
The actor explained that he is upfront with people about what they can expect when working with him.
“I am intense,” Cruise said, adding that he has “a very good sense of humour about it”.
However, when something captures his interest, Cruise said he wants to learn everything he can about it.
“When I’m interested in something, I want to learn it. I want to understand it,” he explained.
Cruise also acknowledged that people have described him as overly serious about his work since he was young.
Cruise does not switch off between films
His intense approach does not end when filming wraps.
Asked what he does on a typical day when he is not shooting a film, Cruise replied: “I’m preparing for the next.”
“I’m always studying something. I’m always learning something, always,” he said.
The actor explained that films can require years of preparation before production even begins. He pointed to his upcoming film Digger, saying director Alejandro González Iñárritu spent around 10 years preparing the project.
Cruise said he and Iñárritu had been discussing the film since 2018 or 2019, highlighting just how far ahead the preparation for a project can begin.
Turning 64 has not slowed him down
Cruise also addressed whether reaching 64 had changed his approach to his career.
“It means I’m 64,” he said when asked what turning 64 meant to him.
He said his age “doesn’t at all” change the way he approaches life or his career, adding that what matters to him is continuing to pursue his dreams and learn new skills.
“I’m living my life and I have, always, dreams,” Cruise said. He added that achieving those dreams requires effort and an understanding that life is a “constant learning experience”.
Cruise's comments come as he continues to promote Digger and maintain his reputation for taking on ambitious projects and physically demanding roles.
