Tom Cruise’s name has become synonymous with Hollywood as there is no way there’s anyone who hasn’t heard about the man. Whether it is his brilliant screen presence, his ability to do all of his own stunts, or the fact that he ages like a vampire, he has built himself quite a fan base over the years.
Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe
However, despite the fame and love Tom Cruise has received, it is fair to say that not everyone is going to be fond of him. From Mark Wahlberg to Brad Pitt, there are a few top celebrities who might not have a soft spot for Tom Cruise. Surprisingly, his The Mummy co-star, Russell Crowe, once had a spot on that list as well. Apparently, he couldn’t “stand” Tom Cruise because of how he treated Nicole Kidman.
Did Russell Crowe Have a Grudge against Tom Cruise?
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
Also Read: Tom Cruise Was Refused Twice By Jessica Chastain Despite Top Gun 2 Star Helping Her Get Oscar Nomination For $132M Thriller
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman had gotten married in 1990, however, the pair called it quits about a decade later in 2001. Kidman had been good friends with Russell Crowe for many, many years. Therefore, after the split took place between her and Cruise, Crowe had to pick sides and he chose Kidman.
Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman
Talking to the audience at a press event for The Nice Guys, Crowe stated that he had known Cruise since 1992, and was good friends with him throughout his marriage with Kidman. He then joked that he became a part of the divorce settlement package and went to Kidman.
“I’ve known Tom Cruise since 1992, or something like that. When he was married to an Australian, I was really good friends with him. But when he got divorced, I was part of the settlement package, and I went to Nicole.”
Now, Cruise and Crowe starred in the 2017 film, The Mummy, and while the Gladiator actor stated that he was looking forward to working with Cruise, a report suggested otherwise. According to the tabloid, New Idea (as reported by Daily Mail), everything wasn’t picture-perfect between the two stars on the set of The Mummy. A source told the tabloid,
“Russell is a loyal guy and never forgave Tom for the way he treated Nicole. If they’d stayed friends, he would’ve felt he was betraying Nic, so he froze Tom out of his life. He is very protective of his friend and hasn’t been able to stand Tom for years.”
If this is true, then we all deserve friends like Crowe who will always have our back! However, there was no comment made about the rumored clash, neither by Crowe nor by Cruise. Therefore, there is no way of knowing for sure!
Tom Cruise was Thrilled to Work with Russell Crowe
Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe in The Mummy (2017)
Despite the rumored ill feelings Crowe had for Cruise, the latter was pretty excited to be working with the former. The Top Gun: Maverick actor stated that he couldn’t believe they didn’t work together before The Mummy and was excited to have the opportunity to work with him.
“I’ve known him for 100 years and when we were standing on set, I was like, ‘I cannot believe that we haven’t done this before.’ When he said he would play Doctor Jekyll I was so excited to see what he would do with that character and have the opportunity to finally work with him.”
Crowe also told Fairfax Media that he felt The Mummy was the right choice to finally work with Cruise. Unfortunately, though, the film turned out to be a box office failure despite grossing over $410 million at the worldwide box office as it needed about $450 million to break even. The film also received negative reviews in general with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 15%.
The Mummy (2017) is available to rent/buy on Prime Video.
Source: New Idea
