Tom Cruise And Brad Pitt's 30-Year-Old Feud – Fact Or Fiction?

Tom Cruise reigned supreme throughout the 1980s. Bursting onto the scene as a leading man in 1983 with "Risky Business," he soared to unparalleled heights with the 1986 blockbuster "Top Gun," propelling the New York-born actor into the stratosphere and solidifying his status as the preeminent star of his generation at just 24 years old. Subsequent years saw Cruise skillfully navigate between critically acclaimed, award-winning dramas such as "Rain Man" and "Born on the Fourth of July" and more audience-friendly hits like "Cocktail" and "Days of Thunder." The era marked not only the ascendancy of Cruise's career but also his adept ability to straddle the realms of both artistic acclaim and mainstream success.

As Tom Cruise basked in early success, Brad Pitt was still striving for his breakthrough. Despite accumulating TV and film bit parts in the late '80s, Pitt struggled to find the spotlight until Geena Davis insisted on casting him as the bad boy JD in 1991's "Thelma & Louise." The film's success catapulted Pitt into the limelight, garnering attention for his handsome and charismatic presence.

Following a few commercial setbacks like "Johnny Suede" and "Kalifornia," Pitt earned acclaim for "A River Runs Through It" and "True Romance," building anticipation around him. This buzz secured him a significant role in the blockbuster adaptation of Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire." While initially offered to Daniel Day-Lewis, the pivotal role of undead antagonist Lestat ultimately went to Tom Cruise, leaving Pitt to portray Louis, the film's lead.

Brad Pitt openly shared his discontent during the making of "Interview with the Vampire" on a London soundstage, describing it as a "largely unhappy experience." In a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly, he expressed, "I was miserable. Six months in the fing dark. Contact lenses, makeup, I’m playing the bh role…"

The situation became so dire that Pitt contemplated quitting and approached producer David Geffen, stating, "I said, ‘David, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t do it. How much will it take to get me out?’ And he goes, very calmly, ‘40 million dollars.’”

Maintaining Tom Cruise's status as the film's lead proved challenging, given Brad Pitt's taller stature. Cruise wore lifts to create a more level height, a move Pitt found both sensible and questionable. Rumors circulated that Pitt walked in a ditch to appear shorter in certain scenes.

Despite reported tension, Pitt defended Cruise as a skilled actor who successfully portrayed his character's advancement. Pitt clarified their relationship "wasn’t nasty by any means, not at all." Cruise, usually reserved, expressed satisfaction with their collaboration.

"Interview with the Vampire" overcame a challenging production to become a box office hit, earning almost $224 million. Despite positive reviews and public praise from author Anne Rice, rumors of a feud between the leading men lingered.

Brad Pitt, according to his "Bullet Train" co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, maintains lists categorizing people into the 'good' and 's***' lists for potential collaborations. While Pitt has a history of working with certain individuals repeatedly, including directors David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino, as well as Ocean's co-stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon, Tom Cruise is notably absent from this roster.

Despite being contemporaries and occasionally considered for similar roles, Pitt and Cruise have not engaged in repeat collaborations. A case in point is the 2008 film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," a project initially earmarked for Cruise around a decade earlier, with Steven Spielberg attached to direct. Spielberg, once a friend and collaborator with Cruise on films like "Minority Report" and "War of the Worlds," is said to have severed ties due to Cruise's notorious erratic behavior during the latter film's release. In recent years, Cruise has narrowed down his list of collaborators.

The Cruise vs. Pitt debate resurfaced in 2009 with the release of "Inglourious Basterds," Brad Pitt's World War II film with Quentin Tarantino. This followed Tom Cruise's 2008 WWII drama, "Valkyrie." Rumors circulated that Pitt had criticized Cruise's film as "ridiculous," but Pitt's representatives swiftly denied the claim.

Further speculation about anti-Cruise sentiment arose in 2010 with the release of "Salt," a spy thriller initially conceived with Tom Cruise in the lead. Angelina Jolie ultimately took the role, leading to rumors that Pitt influenced the casting to spite Cruise. Director Phillip Noyce clarified that Cruise departed due to character similarities with Ethan Hunt from "Mission: Impossible," and producer Amy Pascal suggested casting Jolie.

In 2009, the Cruise vs. Pitt debate resurfaced with the release of "Inglourious Basterds," Brad Pitt’s World War II film, following Tom Cruise's 2008 movie "Valkyrie." Rumors circulated that Pitt had criticized Cruise’s film as “ridiculous,” a claim later dismissed by Pitt's representatives.

The controversy continued in 2010 with the release of "Salt." Originally conceptualized for Tom Cruise, the role of CIA agent Evelyn Salt went to Angelina Jolie. Speculation arose that Pitt influenced Jolie's casting to spite Cruise due to their previous relationship. However, director Phillip Noyce clarified that Cruise left the film over character similarities with "Mission: Impossible’s" Ethan Hunt, and it was producer Amy Pascal’s decision to cast Jolie.

The enduring notion of a Cruise vs. Pitt rivalry sparked hopes of their on-screen reunion in the car racing film initially titled Go Like Hell, directed by Joseph Kosinski. Despite getting Cruise and Pitt together for a table reading, budget constraints led to the project's reworking into 2019's Ford v Ferrari, starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale.

Another opportunity for collaboration arose with Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. While Tarantino considered Cruise for a role, he ultimately cast Brad Pitt, who went on to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

In 2019, promoting Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Pitt light-heartedly compared his bravado to Cruise's, emphasizing their different approaches to daring feats. Almost three decades after Interview with the Vampire, Cruise and Pitt remain Hollywood stalwarts. Despite any perceived competition, the hope lingers for a future reunion of these megastars on the big screen.

Almost three decades after "Interview with the Vampire," Cruise and Pitt remain iconic figures in Hollywood. While they may always be perceived as competitors, there's hope for a future reunion on the big screen between these two megastars.