Tom Cruise has ruled Hollywood for over four decades, with blockbusters like Top Gun and Mission Impossible, which have made billions at the box office. In a recent YouTube interview with The School of Hard Knocks in Texas, where he was promoting the latest Mission: Impossible film, Cruise opened up about what’s kept him going all these years, his take on fear, and the discipline that has led to him accumulating a reported net worth of $600 million.
Tom Cruise on passion, fear and the making of his Hollywood legacy
The interview was recorded in San Antonio just a day ahead of the release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. The movie, which was released in May, is also the final instalment in the franchise. The host described it as one of his “craziest interviews ever,” comparing it to his past guests. When asked what’s been the biggest driving factor of success throughout his career, Cruise began by explaining that movies were never just a career choice for him. “It’s not what I do, it’s who I am,” he said. For him, filmmaking goes beyond acting. “I’m always asking people: what is your passion, and why do you pursue it?” He added that his passion is to explore places, gain knowledge, and above all, humanity. The actor said staying true to himself helps him achieve creative goals with his team of filmmakers. “My interest in knowledge and knowledge that I can apply to attain the goals that I have set for myself and that of my filmmakers together, and just very passionate about learning, very passionate about storytelling.”
It’s widely known that Tom Cruise performs his stunts himself, whether it’s hanging from a plane or jumping from heights. When asked about his reputation for pushing boundaries with death-defying stunts and if he fears anything, Cruise replied, “I don’t mind being afraid.” The actor said, “fear is the unknown, and I enjoy feeling that because it puts me in a position where I want to know.” He explained that his way of dealing with fear comes with a lot of research, preparation and determination. “If something isn’t real for me, no matter what, I have to know and experience it and understand it for myself. And when I do that, the fear goes away. The adrenaline is still there. The excitement, the adventure. I want an adventurous life. I want it,” he said with a smile.
Cruise went into detail about the technical side to his stunts, and said that they are carefully planned for years. He praised director Christopher McQuarrie, and said, “You don’t just sit in a room and draw this up and think you can get it. It’s years of physical training, new technology, wardrobe adjustments, and teamwork. The audience never sees all that, but it’s there in every shot,” he said. He said that while adrenaline and adventure are important parts of his life and he loves the aerial thrills, the real joy comes from collaboration: “It’s this wonderful back and forth, his dreams, my dreams, our whole film crew’s dreams. That’s what I love.”
Speaking of his work ethic and how he was able to build an empire worth $600 million, Cruise said it started in childhood. Even before movies, he wanted to do every job at the “highest level” possible. “Excellence interests me,” he said, acknowledging that perfection is not possible, but he still somehow has the urge to chase it. “It’s my desire to entertain people. It is my desire to deliver the very best that I’ve always felt for myself,” he said.
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Before ending, Cruise shared one last message with today’s generation. “You go look for knowledge that you can apply to your lives because there’s so much information out there.” The Hollywood A-lister believes in the philosophy of not being afraid when chasing down your goals. “The important thing is to keep pursuing your dreams and finding accurate things that are going to add to your life and to others. You know, the way that I look at life, I don’t live it for myself. I really know that to live my life, I’m thinking of others. And to lead is to serve. Not to tell people what to do, but to help them to be better.”
