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Tom Cruise played a fictional rock artist, Stacee Jaxx, in the 2012 filmRock of Ages. Like all his other films, Cruise showed immense dedication to this role as well and practiced singing five hours a day. TheMagnoliaactor deviated from his usual action-packed roles to take on this rock artist role. Director Adam Shankman took a huge risk casting Cruise in this unconventional role.
Shankman described Cruise’s role as a mashup of Axl Rose, Bret Michaels, Keith Richards, and Jim Morrison. Shankman had doubts about theMission: Impossibleactor’s singing abilities, but he was convinced once Cruise attended his first voice lesson for the film.
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Tom Cruise’sRock of AgesRole Was a Huge Risk
WhileTom Cruisehad always wanted to star in a musical, he was uncertain about whether he could pull it off. When approached for the role of Stacee Jaxx inRock of Ages, Cruise made no grand promises to directorAdam Shankman. During an interview with W Magazine, Cruise shared that Shankman had asked him if he could carry a tune before the film.
Although Cruise was unsure about his singing abilities, he embraced the challenge. Cruise told Shankman that his role could either work or turn up a disaster, a risk the director had to take. After theJerry Maguireactor’s first voice lesson, Shankman affirmed that he had made the right choice. Shankman later stated that Cruise had a“fantastic voice”. TheTop Gunactor shared withW Magazine:
“Adam Shankman, the director, asked me if I could carry a tune. I said, ‘We’ll see, won’t we? This is either going to work or it’s going to be dreadful.’”
Interestingly, Tom Cruise arranged to meet with the director after watching his movieHairspray15 times, a movie his daughter loved. Shankman took theJack Reacheractor to see the Broadway musical,Rock of Ages, by Chris D’Arienzo. However, Cruise revealed that he didn’t draw inspiration for Stacee Jaxx from the play but rather reinvented the character on his own.
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Tom Cruise’s Stacee Jaxx Was A Stand-Out Performance
Rock of Agesreceived mixed critical reviews when it was released, and unfortunately, the box office did not favor the movie. It ended up as a bomb, grossing just $59 million and failing to recoup its production budget of $75 million. However, critics showered praise upon Tom Cruise’s performance, particularly for his renditions ofPour Some Sugar on MeandWanted Dead or Alive.
Critics drew parallels to his previous roles in films likeInterview with the VampireandMagnolia. Shankman later revealed that Warner Bros. wanted the movie to rely on theMinority Reportactor’s star power, a move that might have set the wrong expectations among viewers. He also addressed that the timing of the release might have impacted the film’s box office. The film also failed to impress Chris D’Arienzo, the creator of the Broadway musical.
Also Read:“It was really my life, my escape”: Tom Cruise Claimed He Only Wanted to Be an Actor Since He Was 4 Despite Nearly Following a Different Job Years Back
Rock of Agesis now available for streaming on Max.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3020
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
