Tom Cruise, arguably the world's most famous actor, speaks exclusively to Derbyshire Life about why he finds our county 'a fantastic place' to be
You never know who you might meet in Derbyshire.
The county has produced more than its fair share of well-known people who have gone on to be revered in their particular field – be that sport, acting, engineering, fashion designing, writing and everything in between.
However, Derbyshire is not just famous for the many stars who were born here and keep their home county firmly in their hearts, wherever in the world their careers take them.
That’s because, as we have seen in Derbyshire Life’s series of exclusive interviews this year, there are also many others who find themselves in Derbyshire and just fall in love with the place - and who can blame them?
Of course you don’t have to take our word for it. If you don’t believe us, why don’t you ask Tom Cruise, who took time out of his busy schedule to talk exclusively to Derbyshire Life.
‘I guess I am an Anglo-file,’ says Tom, one of the most recognisable faces on the planet. ‘I spend a lot of time in Britain and that’s not just for work reasons, I just love being here.
England, and indeed the wider UK, may not be the size of Tom Cruise’s homeland of the USA, but it’s large nevertheless.
So, whilst Tom has a clear and obvious connection to the UK, does that affinity stretch to our county?
‘Oh yes, it’s definitely true to say that I have not only filmed in Derbyshire but spent some really fun time there as well,’ suggests Tom emphatically. ‘It’s just a really great place to be.
‘From the point of view of working and filming in Derbyshire, which we did recently on Mission Impossible 7, we found everyone to be so brilliantly helpful - from the local authorities to the people living in the area.’ says Tom appreciatively.
‘There is no doubt that when a film crew arrives on location the whole place can be disrupted and I could not blame anyone for complaining. However, that didn’t happen when we were filming at Stoney Middleton, for instance.
READ MORE: Mission Impossible 7 action sequence filmed in the Peak District
‘We were shooting a scene at the nearby quarry where the countryside is breath-taking. We had to get a full-size train there so some of the roads were closed but the local people were just fantastic. I never heard one complaint, in fact we were warmly welcomed and that meant such a lot to us.’
In preparation for this important and visually stunning scene, Tom – in true A-lister fashion - flew his own helicopter over the site but also took advantage to take a look at the Derbyshire countryside from a bird’s eye view perspective. The results, he suggests, were stunning.
‘It is breath-taking and I found myself wanting to explore more and more,’ Tom reveals. ‘That’s the reason I have made a few other visits in my own time that have nothing to do with work.
‘I love being in Britain because everyone is pleasant and will give you a nod or say ‘hello’ without crowding you too much. I was brought up to be well-mannered and you really get that in Britain.
As has been established here, Tom Cruise is well known for his love of our country but what he’s undeniably best known for is being one of, if not the, world’s most successful and famous movie stars.
His impact on the world of modern cinema is largely unmatched and he has played the lead roles in some of the most iconic movies of all time, not to mention his exploits as a producer.
Movie credits include, but are not limited to, the hugely commercially-successful Mission Impossible series; Rain Man; Vanilla Sky; Minority Report; The Last Samurai; and Top Gun.
He has millions upon millions of fans across the world. For a sense of perspective, Tom Cruise has almost as many followers on the social media platform Instagram as the entire population of the Republic of Ireland and Wales combined.
In a recent YouGovAmerica survey, Tom Cruise ranked second, with only Barack Obama ahead of him.
With such a mind-bogging universal profile, it’s often easy to just think ‘Tom Cruise – movie star’ so, at Derbyshire Life, we attempted to dig a little deeper in order to get an understanding of the real Tom Cruise.
‘I think that if you have a certain approach to life, it sets the pattern,’ reveals Tom.
‘I loved the movies when I was a kid and we would go and watch them regularly at the drive-in. My mum used to make the popcorn and we would just sit there having a great time. I never thought that one day I would be on the screen, although acting did kind of fascinate me.
‘I thought I was going to be a journalist, or even a priest - yes, really! I liked people and wanted to help them. Being a priest seemed a good idea.
‘Having said that, I also fancied the idea of being a wrestler. I was good at it at high school and I thought it might be an option. I still like to watch it but a knee injury ruled out a wrestling career.
‘Maybe if acting had not worked out for me I would have joined the air force and eventually been a test pilot or something like that. I like to do things which are exciting; that is why I got a pilot’s licence, bought my own jet to fly and learned how to handle it.
Tom’s love of the air is well documented, and it’s clear it’s a passion he revels in.
‘I even went for weightlessness training with NASA,’ says Tom. ‘That was a fantastic experience and I would love to go into space.
I know that it is possible to go on a holiday trip which costs around $24m but I couldn't justify that. I would like to space travel though. What a fantastic experience for those who have done it.
‘So yes, it's true, I like to fly my own plane, drive around in fast cars, ride motorbikes and generally do the stuff that is a thrill. I don't see myself as some kind of daredevil but I do like to do my own stunts in the movies, as much as I am allowed.
‘I guess I just like excitement and pushing back the barriers. There is plenty of that in the movies I have in production at the moment and hopefully during the coming years.
‘Maybe that sounds like I don't take anything seriously but that would not be true, I don't just close my eyes and drive fast through life, I think and consider everything,’ says Tom thoughtfully.
‘Every time I go on set for the first day of a new movie, I am always nervous and I feel as if I am the new boy in town with a lot to learn. Maybe that keeps me fresh but it is how I genuinely feel.’
Tom Cruise spends the vast majority of his life firmly front and centre in the public eye. So just how does he keep himself grounded?
‘I try not to set myself apart from other people. If there is a piece of litter on the floor I hope I will pick it up rather than leave it to someone else,’ he says.
‘We are all part of the team. That’s why I like to arrive early on set and spend some time with the guys behind the cameras. They are just as important as anyone in front of the cameras, I want them to be a part of the team then I am part of the team too.
‘I don't really like the big star treatment. I am a relaxed, ordinary kind of person. I don’t like bad manners but I like to be on good terms with people whether I know them or not; I’m quite happy to have a chat, give an autograph or whatever.
‘Being friendly doesn't cost a bean and I enjoy it. It would surely be a better with a little more friendliness.’
And that idea of friendliness brings us back round to Tom’s positive feelings and experiences on Derbyshire.
‘The lovely people of Derbyshire also became part of the team in my recent movie because they were so helpful and interested when we were filming there, I think I should have taken all their names and had them put on the credits listing!’ he laughs.
As well as filming in Derbyshire and other parts of Britain, Tom also has a home in London, near Hyde Park, and just loves British life.
‘It is a fantastic blend of old and new here in Britain,’ he says.
‘I love seeing the sights – the Tower of London, Nelson's Column, Buckingham Palace and all those fantastic places which are just full of history.
‘Britain is trendy too and has a lot that other countries then copy. I also love the British countryside, such as the like Derbyshire is famous for. Seeing cows and sheep in the fields here is just so very British and just like we see in the movies in America. I always wondered whether it is really like that - It's great to go back to the US and say yes, it really is.
‘I also like the fact that I am walking the same streets as Shakespeare, Dickens and even the Beatles. That is really cool and I love it. I know that Derbyshire has fantastic heritage and a great blend of beautiful countryside, great shopping and some fascinating old buildings to explore. I just love that.
‘I even heard during my time filming in the area that the famous Dambusters trained at the big reservoir here and that the movie was shot here too.
‘Wow! Derbyshire - what a fantastic place!’
