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Tom Cruise was roped in to play a cold-blooded hitman in Michael Mann’sCollateral. The role was originally meant for Russell Crowe. But when theGladiatoractor passed on the role, Cruise got the opportunity of his lifetime to portray a role that would break the Hollywood notions about him. According to Mann, Cruise went full method to portray his rare villain role.
Mann wanted to make Cruise appear as skillful and covert as a hitman and gave him challenges that the actor aced during the preparation for the role. Jamie Foxx also appeared alongside Cruise in the film as a cab driver and went on to earn the Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.
Tom Cruise’s Method Acting ForCollateralWas Unlike Any Of His Other Roles
CollateraldirectorMichael Mannopened up about his film andTom Cruise‘s preparation to play a villain in a recent interview. Speaking to Empire two decades after the film hit the screens, Mann shared that Cruise underwent intense training to transform into a hitman for the film.
“You don’t have to do anything. And he didn’t”: Tom Cruise Will Be Glad He Didn’t Take Away Johnny Depp’s Iconic Role After What Brian Cox Feels About It
While theMission: Impossibleactor underwent the usual fight and weapons training, he alsotook on some unconventional preparations. Mann shared that Cruise would stalk the film’s assistant director as if the AD was a target of Vincent, his character in the film. Mann shared that they identified the AD’s routines and went on to find the perfect place to“get him”. Mann shared with Empire (via ScreenRant):
We knew that [the assistant director] went to the gym three mornings a week, and that he came to work early at 7.30. And here’s where he parked, and that’s the place to get him because there was one way in and three exits. Which is good tradecraft.
Mann further shared his role in Cruise’s Method preparation, sharing that he made him pose as a deliveryman. Cruise’s task was not to get recognized by the people in the liquor store where he was sent. TheTop Gunactor was successful as Mann shared that no one recognized him due to the FedEx sign on his shirt and hat. Mann shared:
I had him deliver a calendar to a liquor store in downtown Los Angeles, strike up conversations with three people, and nobody knew it was Tom Cruise. There was a sign on him that said ‘FedEx’ and he had a cap that said ‘FedEx’ and when people see a sign, they believe it.
In the 2004 film, Cruise’s hitman is unwittingly picked up by a cab driver Max, played byJamie Foxx. As the story unfolds through the night, fans get to see Vincent unleash his cold, calculating, and ruthless self in a chilling performance by Cruise. The film also stars Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, and Javier Bardem.
Tom Cruise’s Role Broke The Longstanding Hollywood Notion About Him
BeforeCollateral, Tom Cruise was the charming leading man in the industry. He played a couple of complex characters, but never treaded the full-on villain territory until the 2004 film. Neither the industry nor fans knew thatCruise could pull off such a role with ease. With his silver hair and a suit matching his hair, his look itself screamed a terrifying villain.
“The film itself was such a gratifying experience”: Steven Spielberg Had Already Given Up on The Oscars Recognizing His $358M Movie Starring Tom Cruise for One Reason
Cruise’s iconic villain may have been overshadowed by Jamie Foxx’s cab driver, whose performance was lauded by the critics and was nominated for Oscars. However, directors never took the Michael Mann route again and cast him as a ruthless villain again, which actually works pretty well for theMinority Reportactor.
Collateralwent on to receive critical acclaim and a strong 86% Tomatometer score onRotten Tomatoes. The film grossed $220.2 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). It is now available for streaming on Paramount+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
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.
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