Steven Spielberg praises Tom Cruise's work ethic

Acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg has opened up about his experience of working with Hollywood star Tom Cruise, offering fresh insight into the actor's discipline and collaborative approach on set.

Speaking at a keynote event at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, Spielberg recalled Cruise's commitment during their past collaborations.

As reported by People magazine, the 79-year-old director, who worked with Cruise on Minority Report (2002) and War of the Worlds (2005), said the actor's dedication was evident from the start of each day.

During the event, Spielberg revealed that Cruise would consistently arrive on set ahead of schedule.

"Tom Cruise showed up every morning when I showed up," Spielberg said, adding, "I show up before the crew. So I get to the set sometimes at 6:30 in the morning," as quoted by People magazine.

He added that Cruise made a point of aligning his schedule with the director's to prepare for the day's shoot. "On Minority Report and on War of the Worlds, Tom would insist on getting there when I got there so we would map out the whole day ... which was really helpful for me," Spielberg continued, describing the process as highly collaborative, as per People magazine.

Cruise's work ethic has long been a defining aspect of his career. In a May 2025 interview, the actor spoke about his commitment to constant self-improvement and skill-building, emphasising how it feeds into his performances.

"I will learn a skill, and I know eventually I'm going to use it in a movie," Cruise said, as quoted by People magazine.

He added that he is "constantly training" across disciplines, including music, dance and aviation. "Whether it's the piano or having more time to dance, or parachuting or flying airplanes or helicopters. The wonderful thing is you're never there. It can always be better," as quoted by People magazine.

Filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie, who has directed multiple 'Mission: Impossible' films, reinforced Cruise's hands-on approach.

"Anytime you see Tom in the plane, he's at the controls," McQuarrie said, adding, "He's basically a one-man film crew: operating the camera, acting and flying," as quoted by People magazine.

Cruise's commitment extends beyond his own performances. On the set of 'Top Gun: Maverick' (2022), which he also co-produced, the actor took an active role in preparing his co-stars for demanding aerial sequences.

Director Joseph Kosinski revealed that Cruise personally designed a training programme for the younger cast members.

"We put them through a training course that Tom actually designed himself. He's a licensed aerobatic pilot, and he was thrown into the deep end when he did the first Top Gun without any training. So he knew that they would need to kind of work up to that level," Kosinski said in a 2020 interview, as quoted by People magazine.

Actor Glen Powell, who appeared in the film, echoed similar sentiments about Cruise's professionalism and character.

"Tom's as great as people think he is," Powell said, adding, "He's as nice, he's as hardworking, he's as generous, he's as available. He's the man," as quoted by People magazine.

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