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Tom Cruise’s career in film has always possessed an X-factor, with the actor himself overflowing with on-screen pizzazz. The certified action star of the 21st century wasmadefor the big screens, and rightfully so, given his success with theMission: Impossiblefranchise. However, Cruise wasn’t always this starved for adrenaline-packed action spy thrillers.
For 20 years since his debut, Tom Cruise was an actor’s actor. In that time, he earned 3 Oscar nominations for his roles inBorn on the Fourth of July,Jerry Maguire, andMagnolia. It took him another 23 years to earn the fourth Oscar nomination, and that too as a producer forTop Gun: Maverick.
Although regarded as the most celebrated movie star today, it is no wonder that somewhere along his acting journey, Cruise felt he missed out on an experience that only legends like Clint Eastwood managed to land in their lifetimes.
Tom Cruise fears he will never achieve true greatness
Despite surpassing every icon in his profession and rising to the very top of the industry,Tom Cruiseclaims he misses the extra factor that makes one’s career seem complete. TheTop Gunactor isn’t wrong to think that way. In fact, he perfectly surmises the reason why he feels like he is lacking in a certain way compared to other certified icons likeClint Eastwood.
“They’re just going to give me credit for it!”: Matt Damon Busted the Biggest Myth About Clint Eastwood That Most People Believe to Be True
While speaking toVanity Fairin 2002, Cruise claimed that he doesn’t have a great story to tell about his career. The circumstances may have changed in the 23 years since then, however, according to the actor, he has never been able to achieve something equal to what Eastwood had managed withUnforgiven.
I wish I had that great story of Clint Eastwood withUnforgiven. He had this script, and he put it away for 10 years, and then went and directed this movie, and starred in this movie. And just had a culmination of an entire career. That was just perfect for him. And so I don’t have thatUnforgiven. I don’t have it.
Although not on par withUnforgiven, Cruise may have achieved something similar withTop Gun: Maverick. That film, too, was a culmination of sorts of his career’s most defining moment and perfectly encapsulated the quality that made the actor so exceptional in his field.
Clint Eastwood’sUnforgivenis a class apart
The rough and tumble of Clint Eastwood’s world redefined the Western genre, bringing it out of the chaotic and uncomfortable patriarchy of John Wayne’s era and adding an appeal to the bounty hunting, gunslinging cowboy lifestyle. TheWesterns branded with Eastwood’s presencewas a sexier, modern take on the ruthless lawlessness that governed the vast, uncharted Midwest America.
Unforgiventook all the ingredients that make a good Western and overturned the genre on its head. The film elevated the American myth of the Old West, while Eastwood himself led the revolution on the aging, near-extinct subculture of the gunslinging cowboys of that bygone era.
Vindication for Clint Eastwood: ‘Juror #2’ Is the Surprise Dark Horse in Oscars 2025 as a Middle Finger to WB
The 1992 Western that Eastwood directed and starred in won the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director, while co-star Gene Hackman took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film won 4 Oscars out of 7 total nominations and currently holds an impressive 96% onRotten Tomatoes.
Unforgivenis available to stream on Paramount+ and Prime Video.
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2409
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
