Tom Cruise opens up about why he hasn’t directed a movie yet. Despite arguably being the medium’s biggest advocate, known for his devotion to cinema and rigorous standards on set, he has never gotten behind the lens.
During his recent appearance on the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast, Cruise was asked whether he ever planned to direct. To this, the Mission: Impossible star said, “You know what? Since I was a kid, friends have been like, you should direct.”
“I’ve studied the old movies, and these guys are able to make four movies a year. I want to make a lot of movies, and I’ve wanted to make a lot of films. And I love working with different directors. I love learning from them, seeing their stories, setting the table for them. Giving them opportunities.”
He proceeded to relate his thought process to the NFL players, continuing, “It’s like, look, you guys weren’t drafted first round, you know, but they saw that light in you, and that ability, and you guys bring it. And I like… The people that I’m choosing or working [with], maybe not everybody knows necessarily — some do, some don’t.”
Cruise explained, “But I’m not just talking about directors; it’s everything. The fun of that — to have that opportunity — if I’m directing, I don’t get to do that. I don’t have that experience. That’s kind of the way that I think about things… That’s what I feel about directors. I want to help them. The cinematographers, the actors, and I want to learn… I like seeing their point of view on things, and I like mixing it up.”
Tom Cruise’s approach to filmmaking goes beyond acting
Talking about his love of being on set and witnessing every aspect of the filmmaking process, Tom Cruise said, “I’m not interested in going to my trailer. I like being with the crew. I like being with everyone.”
“I like being there on the set. So they have a box for me, and I’m always hanging out,” the Digger star continued. “I’m watching what they’re doing; I’m vibing with the director and everyone; I’m always there.”
Not to mention, Cruise’s intense attention to technical details is one of the most defining characteristics of his decades-long career in the entertainment industry. For instance, for Top Gun: Maverick, he designed a comprehensive aviation training curriculum for the cast so they could operate the in-cockpit IMAX cameras while sustaining intense, unsimulated G-forces.
In essence, Tom Cruise’s approach to filmmaking inevitably goes beyond acting.