Tom Cruise has built a career on his ability to command the screen, whether he’s sprinting full-speed through explosions or dangling from airplanes. When he signs onto a project, one thing is certain: he’s going to leave his mark. While his action-packed films are legendary, what’s less discussed is how his influence can reshape a movie—even one that doesn’t require him to perform death-defying stunts.
Take Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller’s 2008 satirical take on Hollywood excess. The fact that Cruise appeared in the film at all was unexpected. Comedy wasn’t exactly his go-to genre, and by the late 2000s, he had firmly positioned himself as the face of blockbuster action. His last real dramatic detour had been Lions for Lambs (2007), and even that was war-themed. Though he had comedic moments in Jerry Maguire and a quick cameo in an Austin Powers sequel, full-blown satire was unfamiliar territory. Yet, when Stiller sent him the script, Cruise saw something missing—and he knew exactly how to fix it.
Originally, Stiller offered him the role of a talent agent. Cruise, having already played one in Jerry Maguire, wasn’t interested. Instead, he pointed out that the script lacked a key figure: a ruthless, over-the-top studio executive. Inspired, Stiller and co-writers Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen built the role of Les Grossman from scratch—a profane, power-hungry mogul who would go on to steal the movie.
“Tom’s suggestion completely changed the story,” Stiller later admitted on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. But Cruise wasn’t done shaping the character. He had just two very specific requests:
- Les Grossman needed huge, hairy forearms.
- He had to dance.
And so, throughout the film, Grossman’s shirts are rolled up, proudly showcasing his exaggerated, gorilla-like arms. Then, in one of the movie’s most unexpected moments, the end credits roll to Cruise—dressed in a business suit—cutting loose to Ludacris’ Get Back. What starts as a few simple moves turns into a full-blown, two-minute routine that somehow became one of Tropic Thunder‘s most memorable scenes.
“He has an amazing instinct about movies,” Stiller said. “He just knew the film needed that extra element.”
Even though Cruise isn’t known for comedy, his gut feeling was spot on. The role of Les Grossman became a surprise hit, proving that sometimes, all a blockbuster action star really needs to steal a comedy is a little self-awareness, a pair of absurdly hairy arms, and a perfectly timed dance break.
