Filmmaker Ed Zwick has been at the helm of some of the most critically acclaimed films during the 1990s and 2000s. Zwick gained recognition for his work on the 1996 war drama film Courage Under Fire, starring Denzel Washington. He has worked with some of the top-most stars in Hollywood and delivered hits such as The Last Samurai and Love & Other Drugs.
Zwick recently came out with a memoir that details his experiences in Hollywood. While promoting his memoir, Zwick gave an interview where he spoke about his frequent collaborations with Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise. The acclaimed director compared the two stars and revealed one attribute they have in common. Here is how Ed Zwick compared Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise’s acting prowess.
Ed Zwick Reveals What Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise Have in Common
Producer-director Ed Zwick recently released his memoir titled Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood. To promote the book, Zwick sat down for a conversation with IndieWire, where he spoke at length about his career in Hollywood.
During the interview, Zwick was asked about his experience of working with stars, particularly Denzel Washington, with whom he collaborated on three films. Zwick stated the following about working with Washington:
“It was like discovering a Ferrari. And all you have to do is just put your hand on the steering wheel and go like this, and the car will go screaming around the corner.”
Zwick praised Washington’s acting skills by adding that the Glory actor’s instincts saved some of the scenes from being boring on screen. He also stated that Tom Cruise, who worked with Zwick on two movies, also had the same kind of instincts when it came to scripts and performance.
“His instincts about scripts, like Tom Cruise’s — there are reasons why these guys have careers with that kind of longevity. It’s not because of some play of light and shadow on their face. They are every bit as smart and as gifted as any director or any writer.”
Zwick made the above statement, comparing Washington and Cruise’s acting skills. Based on the director’s comments, it is safe to say that he finds Tom Cruise the only actor who comes close to Washington in terms of raw instinct regarding how scenes can translate well on screen.
Ed Zwick Sheds Light on the Dark Side of Hollywood
Aside from discussing his work with top stars, Zwick also talked about the dark and ugly side of Hollywood while promoting his new book. During the interview, Zwick revealed that he wrote the memoir with a clear agenda as he wanted to help newcomers avoid the same mistakes he made at the start of his career.
“If only I could have had this book to read when I was starting out. There are going to be people who read this book because of the dish, and they’ve liked the movies, and they want to see the inside baseball.”
Zwick made the above statement explaining why he chose to write a memoir. At the same time, the Courage Under Fire director also said that he wanted to highlight the role of failure for new filmmakers. Meanwhile, Zwick wanted to showcase the toxicity and values that Hollywood functions upon to make the process easier for newcomers.
Courage Under Fire is streaming on Starz.
