Tom Cruise had one question for Michael Caine when they first met

Hollywood legends Tom Cruise and Michael Caine have only ever appeared in one film together, 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember, but they didn’t star in any scenes together

Michael Caine revealed his close friend Tom Cruise once asked him for career advice when he started out in Hollywood.

The 91-year-old British acting icon recalled his first meeting with the Mission: Impossible star, and confessed he was bowled over by Tom’s confidence and talent. The duo first met in 1983, when Tom was just starting out with supporting roles in movies, with his leading role in Risky Business yet to be released. During the impromptu meeting, which occurred when Michael was promoting his film Educating Rita, Tom made the most of his chance and grilled the legendary actor for some advice.

“I turned around and there was this young actor, very polite, asking questions about how not to be just a flash in the pan. That was Tom, probably around the time of Risky Business,” he wrote in his new memoir Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over, which was serialised by The Sunday Times. “I can’t remember what I said, but it obviously didn’t do him any harm!”

Michael, best known for his roles in films such as Alfie, Zulu, The Italian Job, Harry Brown and Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, noticed there was “something special about Cruise”, and recalled the actor had “a great attitude, this sense of poise”. Michael compared Tom to old Hollywood icons like Humphrey Bogart, as he slammed the current influx of actors in the industry.

“What interests me is that he is really one of the last true stars in movies. People will go to see a film just because he’s in it. Brad Pitt is a star, Morgan Freeman has some of that quality too,” he explained. “There are so few nowadays - not like John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant.”

Michael and Tom have only appeared in one film together, 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember, but they didn’t share any scenes. Despite not working together, the duo have struck up a close friendship, and Tom even skipped the Academy Awards last year to attend Michael’s milestone 90th birthday celebrations in London.

The Top Gun star was among the guests at the party held at the River Café in March last year, alongside other famous faces including David Walliams, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Denise Welch. Tom ditched the Oscars, despite his movie Top Gun: Maverick being nominated for six awards, for the intimate dinner at the restaurant in Hammersmith, and he was praised by Michael’s wife Shakira for attending.

Loose Women star Denise shared a clip from the evening on social media, which showed her telling an X-rated joke that left Tom and Michael in stitches. “Such an honour to be asked by Shakira to say a few words at Sir Michael Caines' 90th birthday!!! He loves a dirty joke and so does @tomcruise it appears!!!! Great night and amazing company,” she wrote alongside the clip.

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