Tom Cruise has uncredited cameo in “Tropic Thunder,” mocks Paramount head

**mrs.v** · April 3rd, 2008, 11:09 AM

There was a photo that was online late last year of Tom Cruise bald and wearing a fat suit. The NY Times reports today that it’s from an uncredited cameo in the upcoming Ben Stiller comedy “Tropic Thunder” also starring Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and Nick Nolte. They wanted to keep Cruise’s appearance a secret, but the news got out at an industry screening of the film, put out by Paramount Pictures.
Paramount head Summer Redstone decided to cut ties with Cruise’s production company in August, 2006 after public outburst against pharmaceutical drugs. Redstone made it clear that Cruise was no longer working with him due to his behavior, and said “His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount.”
Cruise and Redstone had lunch last week in what many people thought was a bid to patch things up, and now it’s known that he plays a character in “Tropic Thunder” that is thought to be a parody of Redstone. The screening audience was howling with laughter at Cruise’s scene:

At an industry screening Tuesday night of the forthcoming comedy “Tropic Thunder” from Paramount Pictures and its unit DreamWorks, Tom Cruise brought down the house with his surprise portrayal of a bald, hairy-chested, foulmouthed, dirty-dancing movie mogul of the kind who is only too happy to throw an actor to the wolves when his popularity cools.
The several hundred Hollywood agents, managers, publicists and reporters at the screening on the Paramount lot here couldn’t have missed the joke. In August 2006 Mr. Cruise — after spending many years at Paramount and appearing in some of its biggest hits, including “Top Gun” and the “Mission: Impossible” series — was sent packing by Mr. Redstone, the chairman of Viacom, the studio’s parent.
Two years later Mr. Cruise is back in a Paramount movie, playing a craggy ingrate in what is shaping up as one of the studio’s best prospects for the summer. The movie, a raunchfest directed by Ben Stiller, about a bunch of actors whose jungle war movie turns unexpectedly real, also stars Mr. Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and Nick Nolte.
The humor may have been heightened by knowledge that Mr. Cruise and Mr. Redstone only last week kissed and made up over a very public lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

[From the NY Times via Huffington Post]

Cele|bitchy » Blog Archive » Tom Cruise has uncredited cameo in “Tropic Thunder,” mocks Paramount head

**Sweetie** · April 3rd, 2008, 11:10 AM

He doesn't have one ounce of muscle tone.

**Trillion42** · April 3rd, 2008, 11:27 AM

Dammit! I really wanted to see that movie too until I heard TC was in this. Oh well.

**bellini** · April 3rd, 2008, 11:39 AM

Wow who knew Tiny was capable of humor?

**Bijoux** · April 3rd, 2008, 11:44 AM

That picture is horrific!!!!

**Lily317** · April 3rd, 2008, 12:32 PM

Are the $cienos afraid of the sun? They all have a sickly white/gray color to them with no muscle tone.

I don't care how "funny" his scene is in the movie, if he's attached, I'm not buying.

**WesCAdle** · April 3rd, 2008, 12:44 PM

When I first saw it I thought it was BEFORE his daily makeup, hair, Spanx, and platforms application.

**Bellatheball** · April 3rd, 2008, 12:53 PM

Why would Paramount hire Tofu Tom to mock the head of their own company? It makes no sense. Did I read it wrong?

**GaPeach** · April 3rd, 2008, 12:57 PM

whoa they are beginning to look like twins

I don't see any movie Tom is attached to either, he skeeves me out.

**WesCAdle** · April 3rd, 2008, 12:59 PM

Check out his part and the lack of hair in it. Hope he doesn't go to the same stylist Travolta did for his spray on.

I agree I won't pay to see or even watch anymore anything Mr FancyPants is in. He went too far.