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Celebrities are often offered a sizable salary to sign on to a new film. Yes, in some instances, it does depend on the movie budget, but there are also situations when these actors accept little to no payment for the films they perform in, showing their generous side in the process. In a similar case, Tom Cruise worked on a 1996 romantic sports comedy-drama movie without charging a ‘single fee’.
Unquestionably, theTop Gun: Maverickstar is one of the biggest stars Hollywood has ever got. He has acted in some of the most recognizable films of all time over the course of his long and illustrious career.
You might not be aware, though, that one of his most enduring performances was a part that was originally intended for Tom Hanks. And this was the same film for which he agreed to work for free.
Yes, we are referring to the romantic comedy-dramaJerry Maguire,which was helmed by Cameron Crowe.
Also read:“His life is not unlike the life of a vampire”: Tom Cruise Was Defended by Director for $223M Movie That Made Brad Pitt Hate Him for Life
Has Tom Cruise Worked For Free InJerry Maguire
Jerry Maguireis amongTom Cruise‘s most well-liked motion pictures.Despite performing in the movie for free, it turned out that he was paid for other tasks he completed during its production and marketing.
Cameron Crowe, who co-wrote and directedJerry Maguire, once discussed the 60-year-old actor’s involvement. During his candid chat with Alec Baldwin on hisHere’s the Thingpodcast, Crowe stated:
“Your friends take you aside and say, ‘When Tom Cruise says yes, you lose your power. You can’t do a thing. It just becomes a freight train that’s out of control, and it’s a Hollywood freight train and you’ll be lucky if you see the back of the caboose.’ And you get terrified. And then Tom Cruise calls from England and says, ‘I read your script. I hope I’m the right guy. Let me come out and read it for you.’”
When he heard theJack Reacheractor’s response, Crowe exclaimed:
“Wait. You’re gonna come out here and read it? ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Why not know it’s right for both of us?’ And he was ‘that guy’ from the moment he got off the plane.”
It seems that after reading the film’s script, which was initially offered toTom Hanks, Cruise was drawn to the character. He was so intrigued by the character that despite being one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, he agreed to act in it for free.
Also read:“How the hell could you do this?”: Tom Cruise ‘Sanitized’ S*xual Content in ‘Interview With the Vampire’ To Protect His Clean-Cut Family Man Image
Tom Cruise Made Money By Prompting The Film
Tom Cruise’s contribution to this film without getting paid a cent is really commendable.However, he assumed much more responsibility than he would on many other productions.
Yes, according to a statement made by the actor himself, he did not receive payment for his role inJerry Maguire.However, the money he did receive was used for another task that would increase the film’s popularity and audience.
Meanwhile, according to Cameron Crowe in theHere’s the Thingpodcast, Cruise significantly contributed to the team and wished for the film’s ultimate success. Moreover, theTop Gunactor was adamant thatJerry Maguirewould be the biggest success, as the 65-year-old director recalled:
“Tom … came from London to New York and said, ‘Boys, I’m gonna do some promotion’. And he started on a Monday, didRosie, didLarry King, did everything … by the end of the week, our numbers were way high. It was the brawn of him coming to say, ‘OK, guys, I act for free. This is what you pay me for. I’m going to give them everything I’ve got for this movie.’”
Well, it is safe to say that the success ofJerry Maguireproved that Cruise gave the role his unique charm and vigor. The filmbecame a box office success, earning $273 million worldwide.
The film is still regarded as a timeless classic and is dearly loved by fans all over the world because of Tom Cruise’s willingness to work for free and (of course) his undeniable acting talent.
Jerry Maguire isavailable to stream on Netflix.
Also read:“I started really resenting him”: Brad Pitt Started to Hate Tom Cruise After Miserable Experience Working With Him
Source-Here’s the Thing
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
