Tom Cruise screams at crew members on leaked tape, threatens to fire them
The British newspaper The Sun obtained an audiotape that recorded 3.5 minutes of a tongue-lashing Cruise directed at crew members who were standing less than a metre apart while watching a computer screen, even though they were both wearing masks.
Cruise lit into them, shouting, "If I see you doing it again, you’re f—ing gone.”
His rant included a diatribe in which he said Hollywood was depending on them. "We are the gold standard. They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us! Because they believe in us and what we're doing! I'm on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and they're looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf***ers.
"I don't ever want to see it again! Ever! And if you don't do it, you're fired, and I see you do it again you're f***ing gone. And if anyone on this crew does it, that’s it! And you too, and you too. And you, don't you ever f***ing do it again. That's it! No apologies. You can tell it to the people that are losing their f***ing homes because our industry is shut down. It's not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education.
"That's what I sleep with every night. The future of this f***ing industry. So I'm sorry I am beyond your apologies. I have told you and now I want it and if you don't do it you're out!
“We are not shutting this f***ing movie down. Is it understood? Am I clear? Do you understand what I want? Do you understand the responsibility that you have?"
He started to calm down slightly at the 2.5 minute mark, but continued to warn the crew they were in danger of being fired. He also refers to a stick, asking how many metres it is, which seems to indicate a two metre stick has been provided for crew members to use to judge the distance they're standing apart.
"If we shut down it's going to cost people f***ing jobs, their homes, their family... And I care about you guys, but if you're not going to help me you're gone. Okay? Do you see that stick, how many metres is that? When people are standing around a f***ing computer and hanging around here, what are you doing?"
Mission: Impossible 7 was one of the first films to shut down production due to the Coronavirus pandemic, halting filming in Venice, Italy in February. The movie returned to filming earlier this month just outside of London, England. Undoubtedly Cruise has been keeping an eye on the news of other productions that have had to shut down, costing the studios millions of dollars -- including The Batman in London this past September when star Robert Pattinson and other members of the production contracted the coronavirus.
Cruise obviously cares about keeping the movie industry alive. He attended a screening of Tenet this past August in London wearing a mask, and has also been pictured wearing a mask at all times on the set of Mission: Impossible 7. He even paid $676,000 to get an old cruise ship where the cast and crew can be isolated during filming.
A source told The Sun, “Tom has taken it upon himself, along with the health and safety department, to try to force the safety precautions, with a view to keeping the film running. He does daily rounds to make sure that everything is set up appropriately, that people are behaving and working as safely as they can. He is very proactive when it comes to safety.”
What do you think? Did Tom Cruise overreact or is he justified in demanding that crew members take precautions? ~Alexandra Heilbron