Retired British acting legend Michael Caine has given his views on Tom Cruise‘s superstar status. Two-time Oscar winner Caine made his breakthrough in 1964 with Cy Endfield’s epic war movie Zulu, and went on to have one of the most glittering careers in Hollywood. Cruise rose to prominence in 1983 by starring in Risky Business, and its follow-up All The Right Moves, and became one of the most successful and prominent movie stars in the world. His movies have grossed more than $12 billion collectively, making him one of the most bankable and highest-paid actors in movie history.

In Caine’s new memoir, per The Times, the Get Carter actor recalls a meeting with a young Cruise that took place around the time Cruise was in Risky Business. Caine remembers Cruise asking for advice that would help him achieve career longevity, as well as his contemporary’s positive attitude and will to succeed. He also fondly recalls how his wife arranged for the Mission: Impossible actor to join him at his 90th birthday dinner. Check out Caine’s full comments below:

I turned around and there was this young actor, very polite, asking questions about how not to be just a flash in the pan. That was Tom, probably around the time of Risky Business .

I can’t remember what I said, but it obviously didn’t do him any harm! There was something special about him. He had a great attitude, this sense of poise. What interests me is that he is really one of the last true stars in movies. People will go to see a film just because he’s in it. Brad Pitt is a star, Morgan Freeman has some of that quality too. There are so few nowadays — not like John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant.

[Shakira] arranged for Tom Cruise to come to my dinner at the River Café as a surprise. I was very touched.

What Caine’s Comments Mean For Cruise’s Movie Star Legacy

The Actor Is Still A Leading Box Office Presence

Among audiences and critics, Cruise is highly-regarded, and his superstar status is clear from the box office success of many of his movies. He even holds a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies; Jack Reacher (2012), Oblivion (2013), Edge of Tomorrow (2014), Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016), The Mummy (2017), American Made (2017), and Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018). However, as Caine’s comments illustrate, Cruise is also well-regarded by his peers, likely due to his strong work ethic, and dedication to his craft.

The post-pandemic success of Top Gun: Maverick , which Cruise produced and starred in, led Steven Spielberg to tell the star that he ” saved Hollywood .”

As Caine points out, there are very few true genuine movie stars working in the industry now, with franchises and characters taking prominence over movie stars as icons, and there are very few actors out there who can guarantee a strong box office through their name alone. Cruise is undoubtedly one such star, and his role as a producer has also helped him to have a more hands-on impact on the creative side of filmmaking. The post-pandemic success of Top Gun: Maverick, which Cruise produced and starred in, led Steven Spielberg to tell the star that he “saved Hollywood.”

Our Take On Cruise’s Enduring Stardom

Cruise Can Continue To Be A Leading Star, But May Have To Move Away From Action Roles

Despite some off-screen controversies throughout his career, Cruise has remained one of the most influential and iconic movie stars in the world, and there is no reason this cannot continue. However, I believe that to ensure longevity Cruise will need to pivot away from the action genre that has served him so well as there is only so long he can continue to perform his own stunts. Once the Mission: Impossible franchise concludes, I would not be surprised to see Cruise taking on more dramatic and villainous roles similar to his turn in movies like Magnolia and Collateral.