Tom Cruise proved why he remains our last movie star by refusing to answer a baited question about President Trump.
“I’d like to ask this question to anybody who’s up for it,” said a Korean reporter.
Tom Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie, and co-stars Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, and Greg Tarzan Davis, were attending a Q&A in South Korea on Thursday to promote Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, which hits theaters today (my review has already been filed).
“I watched this film and I saw that it was filmed in many different locations around the world, including Africa,” said the reporter through the interpreter/moderator. “Of course, we all are aware of the tariffs that President Donald Trump has been imposing on overseas productions and films. So, is this particular movie under that tariff? And how much of the film was shot overseas?”
According to Entertainment Weekly, Cruise glanced at director Christopher McQuarrie, there was a pause (which, in my mind’s eye, is deliciously awkward), and then Cruise told the moderator: “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.”
“I think that’s a fair answer,” replied the moderator.
That’s class.
That’s how it’s done.
That’s how you avoid alienating half your potential audience.
That’s how you keep the publicity on your reported $400 million project and not on stupid distractions.
That’s how you avoid headlines like, “Cruise slams Trump.”
That’s how you avoid Trump calling you a “dried up prune” and posting videos where he knocks you over with a golf ball.
The secret to becoming and remaining a movie star is a simple two-part plan: 1) choose decent projects that earn audience trust, and 2) retain the goodwill of your audience.
In other words, don’t star in crap movies and don’t be an asshole.
How do you avoid being an arrogant asshole? Easy — you say things like, “We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you.”
Yes, you stay out of the daily partisan food fight because you are there to put on a show for everyone, even us MAGAtards.
The funny thing is this… I’ll bet that out of every famous actor out there, Tom Cruise would give the most informed and intelligent answer to this question of tariffs. Cruise knows everything about making movies. He’s not only been making them for more than 40 years, but he’s a hands-on producer involved in the nuts and bolts of everything. But…
He also understands that the secret to becoming and remaining a movie star is to allow the public to project on you who they want to be. And that means keeping your mouth shut. That means not popping off on social media. That means remaining an enigma and mystery, a Bigfoot only seen in the wild at the unexpected time.
You want to blow your aura? Mouth off.
You want to remain a star? Let your audience decide how you would’ve answered that question, and fire whoever told you to make The Mummy.
John Nolte’s first and last novel, Borrowed Time, is winning five-star raves from everyday readers. You can read an excerpt here and an in-depth review here. Also available in hardcover and on Kindle and Audiobook.
