Tom Cruise Is Mad - and He Should Be

He did the right thing - but in the wrong way

A Hollywood star has made an expletive-filled rant at crew members!

Again?

It’s not unusual to hear about a film star or executive screaming at their employees. We know the stories of actor Christian Bale going ballistic at a crew member, and tales of director David O. Russell’s sharp tongue (and temper) went viral. Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy, Joaquin Phoenix – we’ve heard stories about them already.

But wait – the star making this rant was... Tom Cruise.

Mr. Nice Guy Tom Cruise? 

That’s right. Ethan Hunt was mad. Really mad. A four-minute clip of him cursing and yelling at crew members from Mission: Impossible 7 was published by UK tabloid The Sun earlier this week.

But before we throw him into the category with so many in Hollywood, let’s listen to the clip.  What was he actually ranting about?

Crew members not following Covid-19 safety protocols.

Yeah, he was angry that people aren’t following the rules that Keep. Them. Safe. 

He didn’t mention his safety, or his money. He talked about others. Their jobs. Their families. Their ability to put food on the table.  

He talked about the industry. He said he is on the phone with studios, insurance companies, and producers every night, and that people are depending on them (not him) to make movies. 

He explained why this is so important: If they fail, it will cost thousands of people their jobs.

And – this didn’t make it into the articles in Variety or The New York Times – but toward the end of the audio clip, Cruise says, “I care about you guys.” 

And he has the actions to back it up. Various outlets reported that Cruise has personally paid £500k to rent a cruise ship for the cast and crew to stay on during filming. To have control, perhaps, but also to keep people safe.

So where did he go wrong?

His tone was aggressive, he shouldn’t have sworn, and the rant went on too long. Several times he says, ‘That’s it,’ but then continues talking. He could have emphasized more of the rationale for the rules, and helped people understand how serious their actions are. He could have dialled up the care message – as that is likely to get a more positive response from his audience.

He could have helped them understand that a careless oversight could cost people their jobs, yes, but also their lives. While most people who get Covid recover, people are still dying – and when you think of it in those terms, you might be prepared to take a step back (literally).

Reaction to Cruise's rant so far has been mixed, with applause from some and criticism from others. But people are judging Cruise and the situation based on a 4-minute clip (or the headlines they’ve read). We don’t know how Cruise behaves normally, and we don’t know how many safety breaches he’d witnessed already.

What we do know is that the film had to shut down in October, when 12 people tested positive for Covid. And when a film shuts down, it costs a lot of money. As a producer of the film, Cruise is responsible for the overall production – including managing (and protecting) the cast and crew.

We also know that Tom Cruise is known for being a perfectionist – and though he stands to make a lot of money from Mission:Impossible 7, he doesn’t need it. He’s one of the richest actors in the world already. This film won’t fund his family vacation to Hawaii. 

But it might help other people pay their mortgage. 

He isn’t being dramatic when he says, ‘We are creating thousands of jobs.’ Not just on the Mission: Impossible set – but across the film industry.

While I don’t approve of his delivery and some of his language, I find myself feeling oddly sympathetic toward Tom Cruise (and not just because he was my childhood crush). Making a movie during Covid almost feels like more of an impossible mission than rappelling down the Burj Khalifa.

And though, of course, there is ego involved, I believe Hollywood’s expectations on Cruise are huge. If the guy who did 64 takes of a stunt in a zero gravity environment can’t keep people safe, then who can!?

Cruise may be a demanding boss, but I don’t think anyone who signed up to work with him should be surprised by his intensity and work ethic.

This is the guy who said in a 2017 interview, “I don’t just make a movie. I give it everything I have – and I expect it from everyone also.”

He could have delivered the message more professionally, but his job as a producer is to keep people safe. 

And that may be his toughest mission yet.