Tom Cruise: the Hollywood handsome man who preferred explosions and Scientology to continuing to seek an Oscar
- The actor stars in 'Oblivion', which airs this Monday, December 9 on Cuatro at 10:45 p.m.
- Cruise was nominated three times for Oscars: Born on July 4 (1989), Jerry McGuire (1996) and Magnolia (1999)
"He has played as a pilot, doctor, secret agent, warrior, assassin, vampire and war hero. But perhaps the most complex character he has ever played is Tom Cruise himself" Are the words of Andrew Morton, author of an unauthorized biography of this actor who, in his opinion, symbolizes perfect success.
Since he was a child he was brilliant, charismatic and rebellious, sometimes too much. Today he is an action hero and one of the most influential figures in Hollywood, far removed from that heartthrob who fell in love with the teenagers of the 80s. Paul Newman was not shy about granting him the title of favorite actor on the planet in 'The color of money '(1986) after a symbolic game of billiards. It was then that Cruise decided that he no longer wanted to be anything else.
He made his debut jovial, spontaneous, romantic and with an irresistible attraction for many women at that time of male erotic myths in jeans and a point of cockyness. Today his personal charisma surpasses any of his characters. Those who have filmed with Cruise highlight his enthusiasm and his most creative side. "He works like crazy and he has that totally positive energy," writer Ken Miyamoto wrote about him. "He's sweet and generous," says Emily Blunt.
That idealistic character that allows him to stay without touching the ground is what stands out in 'Oblivion', the film that Mediaset will broadcast in the Cine Uppers cycle. In it we discover a Cruise with the newly released 50 patrolling the skies daily in an apocalyptic science fiction blockbuster. Under the direction of Joseph Kosinski, we witness the futuristic journey to 2077. The Moon is a pile of rubble in orbit and the Earth that has been reduced to ashes after a catastrophic war between earthlings and aliens.
Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and his partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) are dedicated to repairing drones and saving the surviving population from alien attacks. A box office success that had to advance its long-awaited premiere to April 19, 2013 in order not to rival the revival of Jurassic Park, three months later. In 'Oblivion' Cruise moves in hostile conditions with a very current compliment: "we won the war, but we lost the planet." It was shot with high resolution digital technology and there is no lack of action, aliens, a love story and an erotic scene above the clouds.
At the end of the 90s it had its peak of success (we are talking about awards, in collection and box office has never dropped), with Jerry McGuire and Magnolia, by Paul Thomas Anderson. For both roles he was nominated for an Oscar. He had already been in 1989 for Born on July 4, by Oliver Stone. None of the three statuettes ended up in his hand. As the 21st century entered, his roles began to veer, definitely, towards outright action, spies or science fiction.
Cruise needs to feel powerful, although sometimes this makes him, by his own admission, intolerant of his own shortcomings and those of others. He strives for personal and professional growth with a more intellectual than emotional and very pragmatic brain that allows him to attract very powerful people. So much security comes off that his personality can border on self-centeredness, then showing his loneliest and most ruthless side with others.
He's not an easy guy. He lives captive of Scientology, like many other Hollywood stars, and this has shaped his personal life. We are not very clear how much there is of obsession in Cruise as a modern prophet of this religion with so many chiaroscuro or if, perhaps, he has been and is really free and audacious in his approaches. As a born hero and leader, he would only have to use his fearless gifts if he wanted to escape this religion and jump the fence that literally separates him from the real world.
After seven years of relationship, Katie Holmes became frightened and broke up with him fearing that their daughter, Suri, would be indoctrinated by her father under the mandates of what critics consider a dangerous cult. Morton also believes that Nicole Kidman divorced him for the same reasons.
But we are not going to deny that it has an unconditional audience waiting for new titles in which to continue displaying its fetish qualities: boldness, pride and charisma. Lee Child, author of the 'Jack Reacher' saga, has sent a devastating message to him: he is no longer old for action. Cruise has played the protagonist of his novels and will star in 'Tom Gun: Maverick' next summer. The writer recognizes that he is talented, excellent and very funny. "But he's turned 57. He's too old for this. He needs a transition to a character actor." Some will tell you that you are never too old to be an action hero.
