During an interview from decades ago, Tom Cruise revealed that he really wanted to have a career similar to Paul Newman’s.

Tom Cruise has gained a reputation as one of the greats. Being timeless in his own manner, he has become one of the greatest actors to have ever been a part of Hollywood. However, many forget that, although he is an icon in every definition of the word, he was also once an up-and-coming actor trying to make it big.

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | Credits: Paramount Pictures

During this point in his life, there were many actors that Cruise looked up to. However, there was one specific actor that ended up having a great influence on who he has become today.

The Greats Also Had Role Models

Tom Cruise has become a legend in his own right. While some might argue about his versatility as an actor, he has done plenty of work to showcase just how masterful he can be in front of a camera. He has taken many new stars under his wing and become one of the most successful and respected actors of all time.

Tom Cruise at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con International | Credits: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

Such acclaim drops one very big responsibility in a person’s lap: being a role model. There are more than a few young actors who would call Cruise their inspiration, and even more unknown names who are running on the dreams of someday becoming like him.

This responsibility has been cherished by the actor; however, there were times when he was the unnamed actor in this scenario. In the 90s, Cruise was all the heat, with projects like Top Gun being in full swing. At the same time, he was still trying to be more than just a temporary blip in Hollywood’s all-consuming hunger for talent.

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible II | Credit: Paramount Pictures

During this time, there was one actor that he looked up to the most. One that he ended up working with and even confessing that he wanted to be exactly like him.

Paul Newman Was Tom Cruise’s Inspiration

In 1986, Tom Cruise starred alongside Hollywood legend Paul Newman in The Color of Money. The film still stands as one of the most critically acclaimed works in Cruise’s filmography and had some very talented people within its ranks.

Newman was at the very center of the project, and it is not surprising considering that he was one of the most respected and talented names in the film industry even after his passing in 2008.

Tom Cruise and Paul Newman in The Color of Money | Credit: Touchstone Pictures

Around the release of the film, Cruise found himself frequently being compared to the likes of Newman, with the world prophesizing that he would have a similar career to the actor. This wasn’t something that the actors seemed to mind, as during an interview with Rolling Stone before his passing, Cruise talked about the influence that the legend had on his career.

Cruise confessed that he wanted to “go all the way,” hinting that he wanted to reach the very heights of Hollywood and become as successful and respected as Newman was. He even directly talked about the legend, stating that he looked up to everything that Newman had achieved.

I want to go all the way. Look at Newman, look at what this man has created as an actor and a human being.

Paul Newman and Tom Cruise in The Color of Money | Credit: Touchstone Pictures

It wasn’t just Newman’s career that Cruise wanted; it was the kind of person he was in spite of his success. Newman was known for his sincerity and humble nature. Now that Cruise has achieved a similar kind of success, there is no denying that he followed in Newman’s footsteps.