Peter Overton's infamous interview with Tom Cruise | 60 Minutes Australia

it was precious time with Hollywood's biggest star an interview with Tom Cruise about his new film war of the worlds' there's no doubt the movie will be a success with Cruz as the leading man and Steven Spielberg in the director's chair but before we sat down there was an unusual request an invitation to a session on Scientology the controversial religion Tom's been following for the past 20 years so I went and then I met him and that's when I discovered there's another side to Tom Cruise that when he's angry the cool man of Hollywood can become downright I see [Applause] these are saying in Hollywood named three actors who can guarantee you a box-office smash answer Tom Cruise [Applause] and Tom Cruise half his life he's been the biggest movie star in the world his films even the bad ones routinely rake in more than two hundred and fifty million dollars in a business where the bottom line is the only line Cruz is King I think it feel you know I'd feel I feel privileged that's how I feel I feel I live a privileged life at 42 he's one of the most powerful people in Hollywood in control of everything and everyone he encounters but today that famous cruise control will be tested stepping over a line now okay you're stepping over line you know you are I'm just telling you right now put your manners back in Tom Cruise is used to getting what he wants he was still a child when he first set his sights on Hollywood I wanted to be an actor and is about four years old yeah four years old I thought about it it was the first time I thought of being an actor I was living in st. Louis that was the very first time I thought about being an actor it's just evolved I wasn't necessarily thinking of this I mean I you know I didn't plan this out this just happened this boy from a broken home set himself a deadline to achieve success and he didn't have to wait too long in 1981 in his first film taps the director was so impressed with the young Cruz he gave him someone else's part you want answers I think I'm entitled you can't handle the truth in more than 30 films he's given us some of the most iconic movie moments of the past two decades you beat me you had me at hello but off screen Cruz has devoted much of his power influence and substantial wealth to the Church of Scientology it's a controversial religious philosophy based on the teachings of l ron Hubbard Scientologists believe we are spiritual beings in control of our own destiny and that therapies like psychiatry wrongly label individuals the message struck a chord with the young Cruz at a time when he was struggling with dyslexia I had what would absolutely they defined as learning disabilities dyslexia that's what you would diagnose that you had sure absolutely that's what they do they you know you've got a DD ADHD and you go what is the solution that well there isn't a solution and now today it's take drugs they actually wanted to put me on drugs my mother wouldn't let them back then and then when some one friend of mine actually gave me this you know it's actually this picture book about suppression you know and social and antisocial personalities and I was what is this you know I said Scientology so I'm very interested and that's when I became a Scientologist about 20 years ago it has obviously had a massive impact on now my significant you know I mean you look at you know as a father as a actor as a businessman I mean every level you know something these tools that I apply absolutely every day I've done my fair share of celebrity interviews and often you'll be asked to meet certain requirements like watch the movie that the star is promoting but this is something new Tom Cruise's office has asked me to come to the Scientology Celebrity Center in Los Angeles to embark on a 4-hour crash course in Scientology and what it's all about why then was it a condition of me talking to you today that I had to spend quite an intense four-and-a-half hours in the Church of Scientology here in Los Angeles oh you didn't have to you could have said no I felt I had to okay well that's how you felt people are interested in Scientology and I find that people wanted to know hmm they want to know about it and it's also you know there's people out there that want help and that need help would you also agree that um that there's a perception out there that it gets bad press cult-like secrecy controlling and you almost have to defend it you know I don't feel it's ignorance breeds bigotry no breeds racism okay you have been there and you've seen it you for yourself mm-hmm okay do you feel discriminated against when people say this is what Scientology is that you're a bunch on a lunatic fringe or it does that Peter Tom no one's ever said that to me but no I mean that perception out there yeah but that's not the perception out there I that is absolutely yeah maybe from your perspective this isn't my personal opinion under saying how do you feel about that when people well how would you feel oh if it was my thought feel well not really not even your own faith I I find that appalling once when people who don't know what they're talking about say things like that I think it's I think it's appalling I think it's appalling that they're still burning synagogues in France I think it's appalling how certain Muslims are being treated I think it's absolutely appalling when we talk about freedom of speech and human rights I think it's appalling that they electric shock people I think it's appalling that they drugged children I think it's appalling that they say that there are no solutions for those things I think it's appalling that people have to live a life of drug addiction okay when I have personally personally helped people get off drugs it's obvious Tom Cruise is a passionate man especially passionate when it comes to his own family he's determined his adopted kids Isabella and Connor will have as normal and upbringing as possible your family life was was difficult your estranged from your father and your mum and dad were divorced has that had an impact on you as a dad how you bring up your children children I'm hoping to okay good okay good absolutely I've had I've got a great mother and a very close family and it's something that I always wanted to be a father mm-hmm and I think that one of the great things that we've done with our children is allowing them to be themselves it is that hot to give them a perspective that they I like the kids down the road even though their parents are who you are here's the point everybody's different Peter I I don't buy into this whole thing of being normal there's no such thing as normal when you really look at someone's life and you look into their life everyone has a story yeah everyone has something that that is going on that is very unique to them so that with regards to our children it's you know I I think I feel very fortunate the life they have and they're really good people I'm really proud of them of course the crews children are Australian citizens and spend much of their time here with their mother Nicole Kidman but it was when our conversation turned to Nicole that the cool man of Hollywood turned I see now in the call mm-hmm when you were married it was like you were an adopted part of Australia do you still have a connection to Australia I'll call my children or Australian you know absolutely absolutely I have a lot of friends in Australia I love Australia wasn't a call the love of your love what do you what do you mean Peter you were married for 10 nice listen we raise children I you know how do you answer that question she's someone that I you know I plan on getting married again you do oh absolutely yeah and having kids absolutely but Nicole was a major part of your life and the love of your life at the time I loved Nick very much there's no question would you like Nicole to remarry yes I want Nicole to be happy that's what I want and do you have a relationship where you you talk it's a parenting relation you can talk professionally about each other's why don't we why don't you listen here's the here's the thing Peter you're stepping over a line now you're stepping over line you know you are well I suppose the questions that are people want to know Peter you want to know and responsibility for what you want to know don't say what other people this is a conversation that I'm having with you right you're on okay so I'm just telling you right now okay just put your manners back in do you think I was out of line yes absolutely a lot of Paula Jones for that sincerely okay I admired her and I thought that I wanted meet her yet seldom a week goes by when Tom Cruise's private life isn't very publicly displayed marry you does that mean you're gonna ask in this recent appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show he openly and some have said over enthusiastically declared his love for new girlfriend [Applause] do you believe in your law that there is a place where the world does want to know about your personal life and there is a line that you have to draw absolutely I mean I know people are interested I don't have a problem with that and I also don't have a problem to say hey listen you know where I am with Nik is in a great place I don't mind answering questions but there's a way of phrasing something that is that's polite and has manners and things that I say you know what I wouldn't answer that to someone coming up to me at a party knew I have no problem of course I know people want to know about my life yeah but when I read so much about you Tom these are questions you answer Peter you want to waste your time on this right or do you want to ask some other questions when he is Tom way we'll talk it was good you want to move on Peter come on let's go man the time so we do that our world was being watched two cruisers new movie war of the worlds' a $200,000,000 remake of the hg wells classic teaming up with the most bankable director in the world steven spielberg cruz plays a father trying to save his family Catina amid an alien invasion I love him as an actor and he's a very underappreciated natural actor I mean he plays you know you know bigger than life hero characters in many of his films but he's never played a dad and he's a great father I know him more as a father than in a professional works working experience I'd known him since 83 and III knew Tom when he when he got it when he when he first adopted his first two kids and so I really felt this part suited Tom to a tee take care of our kids there's the star in this is the aliens the Martians or is it Tom Cruise I know I never kind of looked at it like that it's it's a story it's a story about this family the aliens are spectacular the tripods are spectacular sequences are spectacular but at the bottom of any story if you don't have if you don't have those characters that you want to follow as an audience that's that's really what I invest in what I'm seeing moving it's been an extraordinary life so far cruises wealth is estimated at four hundred and fifty million dollars and his ten percent take from War of the Worlds could add another hundred million but he insists it's not the fortune nor fame that drives him I wanted an adventurous life for my whole life I want to know people I want to understand what life is about Peter and and I really I want to help people it's not something that I just say it's something that I'm actively pursue and and that's how I feel I feel privileged truly Tom thank you Peter Thanks what I'll call an interesting interview Thanks oh it was terrific [Laughter] terrific even went even after you told me to learn some manners that's all right you stepped out of line I cracked you got

Channel: 60 Minutes Australia

Views: 862,633

Rating: 4.2923265 out of 5

Keywords: Tom Cruise, Scientology, Hollywood, movie, Steven Spielberg, star, entertainment, profile, interview, Peter Overton, put your manners back in, viral, viral video, 60 Minutes, 60 MInutes Australia, 60 Minutes Australia, Liz Hayes, Charles Wooley, Tara Brown, Liam Bartlett, Allison Langdon, Tom Steinfort, Ellen Fanning, Karl Stefanovic, nicole, kidman, katie holmes, jamie fox, celebrities losing it, angry, funny, tom cruise walks out, celebrity gets mad, famous, classic, reporter

Id: PsnYB6EiSCE

Length: 14min 18sec (858 seconds)

Published: Tue May 01 2018