Imagine being a staunch fan of an actor, and suddenly, the actor appears and stands before you. Something similar happened to actor Jon Hamm, who could not believe his eyes when he saw Tom Cruise standing before him.
During an appearance on the Howard Stern Show, the actor described his overwhelming reaction when he first encountered one of the iconic celebrities of Hollywood. Fast forward a decade, Hamm got a chance to work alongside Cruise in a 2022 film, Top Gun: Maverick.
Jon Hamm had a surreal moment when he encountered Tom Cruise
American actor Jon Hamm is known for his appearances in movies like Baby Driver, Top Gun: Maverick, Tag, and many more. The actor rose to prominence with his performance in the American period drama television series Mad Men. Previously, during an appearance on the Howard Stern Show, the actor recalled a surreal moment in his life when he encountered Tom Cruise for the first time.
During the initial phase of his career, when the actor was establishing himself in the industry, meeting a legendary actor like Cruise was indeed a dream. However, this dream came true when he met Cruise at Jimmy Kimmel’s house at a kegger.
The actor recalled the incident and shared that Kimmel was known for throwing all-day football viewing parties to which he used to invite many celebrities. Since many actors, writers, and comics attended the big house party, a rumor swirled that Tom Cruise would be joining them. Since Cruise is a big name in the industry, Hamm doubted that he would join the same party he was in. He recalled,
“What are you talking about? That’s like saying Santa Claus is coming.”
Being familiar with Jimmy Kimmel’s prankster nature, Hamm was sure that no such thing was going to happen. To his surprise, the doorbell rang, and it was Tom Cruise accompanied by his mother. Looking at Cruise standing in the same room as Hamm, Hamm was not just startled but overwhelmed as well. Hamm reminisced,
“It’s not a Tom Cruise impersonator, it is Tom Cruise — with his mom. So we got Tom Cruise and Mom Cruise, and we’re all having an out-of-body experience. Arguably the most famous person on the planet is in this living room watching nine football games at once [with us].”
The moment got as special as it could for Hamm, as minutes later when Hamm had a conversation with Cruise, Cruise told him that he is a fan of his series Mad Men. Indeed, the day would be memorable for Hamm for life.
Jon Hamm got a chance to share the screen with Tom Cruise
During the same interview, Hamm recalled that almost a decade later, he got a call from his agent where he learned that Cruise wanted him to work on his project, Top Gun: Maverick. Needless to say, Hamm agreed to sign the project without a shadow of a doubt. The actor recalled,
“The answer is yes, I’m sure it will be a big hit, and it was.”
The actor said that saying yes to a project that features Tom Cruise is a “no-brainer.” The actor said that the reason for accepting the role was not just because he was offered the role, but because he has been a fan of the prequels of the film, and of course, who leaves a chance to work alongside Cruise.
Source: The Howard Stern Show
