Tom Cruise has shared many red carpets with British royals over the years, but he still thinks about one evening in 1992. Asked about Princess Diana in an interview with the French magazine 2's 20h30 le dimanche, Cruise described her as a "brilliant and intelligent woman," reports PEOPLE.
Then he reached for a very modern comparison: "She was like William and Kate: approachable, down-to-earth."
© Getty Images for Warner Bros.The question was inevitable. Days earlier, Cruise welcomed the Prince and Princess of Wales to the world premiere of Digger at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, a black-tie night that doubled as the 73rd Royal Film Performance in support of the Film and TV Charity.
Directed by Mexican filmmaker and Oscar winner Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film casts Cruise as outrageous oil tycoon Digger Rockwell. It opens in theaters this October 2. Since that London kickoff, Cruise's European press tour has been running at full throttle, and the royal memories have been flowing right in.
A premiere, then and now
© WireImageCruise met Diana under circumstances almost identical to the ones that brought him face-to-face with the Prince and Princess of Wales. In 1992, he met her at the premiere of "Far and Away," Ron Howard's romantic adventure drama starring himself and his then-wife Nicole Kidman.
Their connection didn't end on that red carpet. In 1997, Cruise was among the mourners at Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey, once again at Kidman's side. The two were part of a group of Hollywood figures that included Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Cruise, who's spent years living in England throughout his life, had turned 35 that summer. Prince William was 15.
Fate keeps bringing them back together, helped along by the fact that Cruise remains at the top of the industry. In May 2022, William and Kate, then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, joined him at the UK premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick."
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetFrom awkward to effortless
Back in 2022, Cruise's greeting with Kate went viral for the then Duchess of Cambridge's apparent discomfort with the actor's enthusiasm. In footage from that premiere, she seemed surprised by his firm handshakes and shaking, moving her clutch from hand to hand several times as they climbed the stairs, as if to put a physical barrier between them.
Four years later, the mood was different. At the Digger premiere, Cruise and Kate's rapport came naturally, with him offering her help walking down the stairs.
© Getty Images for Warner Bros.
