Tom Cruise did much more than act in Jerry Maguire. He assumed much more responsibility, as he did on many later productions. However, Cruise once stated that he acted in Jerry Maguire for free but that the money he earned was used to fund another job that would help the film’s reach and success.
Tom Cruise has a reputation for taking over control
Cameron Crowe, the writer/director of Jerry Maguire, appeared on Alec Baldwin’s Here’s the Thing podcast, where he discussed Cruise and other aspects of production. However, the filmmaker was initially concerned about losing complete control over the course of the film because Cruise has such a large presence in every production in which he is involved.
“Your friends take you aside and say, ‘When Tom Cruise says yes, you lose your power. You can’t do a thing. It just becomes a freight train that’s out of control, and it’s a Hollywood freight train and you’ll be lucky if you see the back of the caboose,’” Crowe recalled. “And you get terrified. And then Tom Cruise calls from England and says, ‘I read your script. I hope I’m the right guy. Let me come out and read it for you.’”
Crowe was absolutely shocked at Cruise’s response and said, “Wait. You’re gonna come out here and read it? ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Why not know it’s right for both of us?’ And he was ‘that guy’ from the moment he got off the plane.”
Tom Cruise acted for free in ‘Jerry Maguire,’ but earned his money by promoting the movie
Crowe went on to say that Cruise never tried to change the Jerry Maguire script. He became integral to the crew and was invested in the film’s success. The filmmaker and the studio were both concerned that the audience would not connect with the film. Audience testing did not go well, but Cruise was adamant that Jerry Maguire be a huge success.
“Tom … came from London to New York and said, ‘Boys, I’m gonna do some promotion,’” Crowe recalled. “And he started on a Monday, did Rosie, did Larry King, did everything … by the end of the week, our numbers were way high. He basically blew us a kiss, went back to England, and the movie opened.”
Crowe continued: “It was the brawn of him coming to say, ‘OK, guys, I act for free. This is what you pay me for. I’m going to give them everything I’ve got for this movie.’”
‘Jerry Maguire’ was a massive achievement.
Tom Cruise was ultimately instrumental in making Jerry Maguire as successful as it was. However, it is also due to the rest of the team’s efforts in putting together a solid film that critics and audiences adored. Jerry Maguire grossed nearly $273 million at the global box office despite a $50 million budget.
Jerry Maguire was also recognized at the Academy Awards, including for Cruise’s performance. Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Film Editing, and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen were given to the film. Cuba Gooding Jr., on the other hand, won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
