Chapter 214: Generous Tom Cruise
[Chapter 215: Generous Tom Cruise]
Facing Hawke, Tom Cruise spoke about some current troubles he experienced.
Since the Oscars wrapped up this year, the media had been filled with unfriendly, even hostile, comments about Tom Cruise. Among the most vocal critics was Nicole Kidman.
The power of an ex-wife should not be underestimated; she could easily turn the tide against her former husband. Over a month ago, Nicole Kidman posted a photo on Twitter of her Oscar win, alongside a snapshot of her celebrating wildly on the streets after their divorce. The intent was clear.
From traditional entertainment media to gossip tabloids on the streets, and all over the internet, praises for Nicole Kidman thrived, heralding her as someone who embraced her true self after kicking Tom Cruise to the curb. The reports that savagely tore into Cruise flooded in.
On one hand, someone was orchestrating the onslaught from behind the scenes; on the other, when a celebrity found themselves in trouble, the media didn't think about giving them the benefit of the doubt. Instead, they rushed in to stomp them down -- that's how they created buzz.
The last time Hawke met Tom Cruise, the latter considered the issues to be minor inconveniences. But as time dragged on, those inconveniences morphed into major headaches.
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Tom Cruise said, "This has affected my reputation. I had been looking to collaborate with Spielberg on a major sci-fi project, War of the Worlds, and things were going smoothly. However, now Spielberg and DreamWorks are a bit hesitant, and the negotiations have stalled."