May 01, 2025 08:05 AM IST
Tom Cruise is celebrated by Kenneth Branagh as an underestimated actor, not just a movie star.
Tom Cruise may be “the last great movie star” who saved the industry multiple times, but according to Kenneth Branagh, there’s far more to the Hollywood icon than just action and charisma. He is “an underestimated actor”, and the Hercule Poirot actor wonders why everyone views him as only a movie star.
For Branagh, reducing Cruise to a “movie star” sells him short.
As Cruise prepares to receive the BFI Fellowship—British Film Institute’s most prestigious honor—his Valkyrie co-star is calling on the world to give the actor his due.
Cruise is ‘an underestimated actor?’ Branagh thinks so
“If he ever tires of wowing the world with action, he’s going to surprise those who view him as only a movie star,” Branagh told The Times of London in their ‘Why Tom Cruise is a very British movie star.’
“What he’s done with ‘Mission’ and ‘Top Gun’ is unique — cinematic entertainment with a serious intent to give you a wonderful time at the movies. But he’s an underestimated actor — for whom a golden age of performance beckons.”
Branagh’s praise comes as Cruise is being recognised specifically for his long-standing relationship with the UK film industry. The Mission: Impossible star has shot numerous films in Britain over the past four decades.
“He finds a quiet corner, enjoys the atmosphere and is always gracious when he gets spotted,” Branagh said of Cruise’s demeanor off set. “He’s a natural giggler and just enjoys what he does so much and that’s infectious.”
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Even though Cruise will reach the fifth decade of his professional life in filmmaking, that passion for it is still as hot as ever. He was awarded the BFI Fellowship and thanked and enthused about continuing to make movies in the UK when he got it.
“I’m truly honoured,” Cruise said. “I’ve been making films in the UK for over 40 years and have no plans to stop.”
