Tom Cruise may owe his role in Rain Man—and one of the most iconic partnerships of his career—to a bit of sibling pressure and a lucky restaurant encounter in the mid-1980s.
Speaking during a special career-spanning conversation at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London, Cruise shared how a spontaneous moment with his sister Cass set in motion the film that would win Best Picture at the Oscars and cement his status as a serious dramatic actor.
It all happened in 1984, shortly after Cruise had wrapped Ridley Scott’s Legend. While dining in New York with Cass, she noticed a familiar figure across the room. “She goes, ‘There’s Dustin Hoffman,’” Cruise recalled. At the time, Hoffman was performing in Death of a Salesman and had popped in to grab some takeout. Cass urged her brother to go say hello, but Cruise hesitated.
“She goes, ‘You go over there and say hello to him,’ and I was like, ‘I’m not going to say hello,’” Cruise said, recounting how out of character this push from his sister was. “I don’t walk up to people, but she was so pushy.” When he resisted, she gave him a bold ultimatum: “If you don’t do it, I’m just going to go over there and tell him who you are.”
Not wanting to be embarrassed, Cruise reluctantly approached the actor. “I said, ‘Excuse me, Mr Hoffman, I’m sorry…’ And he went, ‘Cruise!’” Hoffman not only recognised him but invited both Cruise and Cass to see Death of a Salesman and visit him backstage. “As I was leaving, he said, ‘I want to make a movie with you,’” Cruise said. “And I said, ‘That would be nice, sir.’ A year later, he sent Rain Man.”
Directed by Barry Levinson, Rain Man follows Cruise’s character, a brash young man who discovers his estranged brother—played by Hoffman—is an autistic savant. The film swept the 1989 Oscars, winning Best Picture, Best Actor for Hoffman, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.
Cruise is currently in London to receive the BFI Fellowship, the organisation’s highest honour, which will be formally presented at the BFI Chair’s Dinner. Reflecting on his decades-long connection with British cinema, Cruise said, “I am truly honoured by this acknowledgement. I’ve been making films in the U.K. for over 40 years and have no plans to stop.”
He added, “The U.K. is home to incredibly talented professionals—actors, directors, writers and crews—as well as some of the most stunning locations in the world. I’m grateful for all the BFI has done to support U.K. filmmaking and this incredible art form we share.”
Cruise has recently filmed both Alejandro G Iñárritu’s upcoming project and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in the U.K. and will head to the Cannes Film Festival this week for the latter’s world premiere. His long-standing relationship with British productions also includes Eyes Wide Shut, Interview with the Vampire, and Edge of Tomorrow.