Why Tom Cruise refuses to embrace method acting: “I don’t find it necessary”
There are many different approaches to the craft of acting, with one of the most controversial techniques being known as ‘method’. Pioneered by Russian actor Konstantin Stanislavski, made famous by stars like Marlon Brando and James Dean, and continued by modern performers like Christian Bale and Daniel Day-Lewis, the title refers to a range of intellectual approaches to character study. It can involve, but is not strictly limited to, inhabiting a certain character off-screen. It has its supporters and its many detractors, one of whom is none other than Tom Cruise.
Though most people would write him off as ‘just a movie star’ who ‘only plays himself’, Cruise has proven he is capable of challenging people’s perceptions. Movies like Interview with the Vampire, Rock of Ages, and Magnolia are among some of his most varied performances, qualifying him to give his opinion on so-called ‘proper’ acting.
When talking with SBS Viceland’s The Feed in reference to his role in Magnolia, Cruise explained why he shuns the tactic of drawing on personal experiences in his performances. “It’s not that I don’t like doing that, it’s that I don’t find it necessary,” he said. “You know, you look at a child who’s there, and he has the most amazing imagination. You know, children, you’re just looking at them and they can create, become different characters instantly. That’s just how I develop character.”
In Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 epic drama, Cruise plays Frank Mackey, one of many loosely connected characters searching for meaning in their lives in Los Angeles. Frank’s relationship with his father, played by Jason Robards, is one of the key cornerstones of the movie’s narrative. Cruise had never really done anything like this before, having mostly lived in the world of action and comedy. He was nominated for an Oscar for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ and won the equivalent trophy at the Golden Globes, his most recent major award victory.
Mackey, a motivational speaker, gives a rousing monologue that serves as the introduction to the character. “It was very different in the script,” Cruise revealed of those lines. “PTA was there and he wanted, he kind of was having me in khakis and Adidas, and I was like, that’s not this guy.I didn’t see him. So what I did was I basically wrote the opening monologue… Literally built a stage in my screening room. I said, look, I don’t know how… Cos words are something – you could talk ’til people understand -I actually like just doing it.I don’t like talking about things too much.I get little things, then let’s do it, let’s start creating it and see it.”
Perhaps it is Cruise’s aversion to over-theorising acting that prevents him from getting on board with method acting. He never went to drama school, instead getting his start as a jobbing teenage actor, so he wasn’t raised on the same academic approach that some of his contemporaries were. Considering how well-known he is for his stunts, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Cruise prefers a more hands-on approach to his work.
The beautiful thing about acting is that there is no correct way to do it. Everybody approaches it from different angles, finding the one that works best for them, and you can’t deny that Cruise’s attitude towards it has been and continues to be wildly successful.
