Ben Stiller praises Tom Cruise (aka attempt #267 at rebuilding Tom's image)

[cherrybaby]

Ben Stiller: Tom Cruise 'Has Moves' in Tropic Thunder
Originally posted Thursday August 07, 2008 03:55 PM EDT Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise Photo by: Andreas Branch / PatrickMcMullan / Sipa

It's been 25 years since he shimmied in his skivvies in Risky Business, but Tom Cruise can still shake it like a pro, according to his Tropic Thunder director Ben Stiller.

"The guy has moves," says Stiller, who also co-wrote and stars in the military-themed action-comedy.

Cruise, 46, is winning raves for his role as a vulgar, venom-spewing studio executive in the movie, in which he's nearly unrecognizable beneath a fat suit, a bald cap and a beard.

The dancing was Cruise's idea, says his director.

"It wasn't in the script," Stiller said during a press day for the film. "He was like, 'You know, I really feel like I want this guy to dance.' "

Some of the physical transformation was Cruise's brainchild too. "He said, 'I really want to have some big, hairy hands,' " says Stiller. "I actually didn't have to sell him on anything."

Prepare to be inundated with positive, good-for-one's-public-image stories about how funny Tom is, how easy-going he is, what a big star he is and how he was so unpretentious and easy to work with he is. Plus lots of photo-ops of his contractually obligated, increasingly androgynous spouse and their weirdly parented kid to get people to focus on what a family man he is and help erase any memories of couch-jumping, Brooke-Shields-insulting, Matt-Lauer-fighting Tom Cruise.

[Brookie]

Next thing you know, Stiller will be handing out free personality test cards to colleagues.

[powerorchid]

Like he made "pasta" for the cast and the only day he was late he had stopped to help some people who were in a car accident.

[kingcap72]

Cruise must have dirt on a lot of stars to have so many people come out and try to paint him as a non-pyscho. Not working, though.

[MissVenus]

How big must the lifts in Tiny Tom's shoes be in this picture...?

Ben Stillier is only 5' 6.5"... and we all know there's no way TeenyTinyTommy is 5'10" like he appears in this picture.

Also, check out Celebrity Heights - How tall are Celebrities - just interesting is all.

[Brookie]

Shitty photo of Cruise. He's starting to look like a caricature of himself. And a bad one at that.

[luvmy2cats]

well at least you can't see Tom's man boobs in the pic.

[Tyka]

See, here's the thing..... when one of Tom's 'friends' comes out and praises him it doesn't make me think better of Tom. It makes me think less of the friend.

But that's just me. (shrugs)

[Rosamund]

How big must the lifts in Tiny Tom's shoes be in this picture...?

Ben Stillier is only 5' 6.5"... and we all know there's no way TeenyTinyTommy is 5'10" like he appears in this picture.

Also, check out Celebrity Heights - How tall are Celebrities - just interesting is all.

That's a fun site. They have Tom measuring in at nearly 5'8" there, which is wishful thinking IMHO. In reality, I think Tom is maybe 5'6 1/2" whereas Stiller is slightly shorter than that. Tom manages to look, at least to me, about 2" taller in that pic but no doubt he is wearing lifts as you mentioned.

[Brookie]

I think he made Stiller stand in a hole.

Tyka - ITA. I completely suspect that they've started drinking the Thetan Kool-Aid. (Wonder what flavor that one is.)

[KS71]

Ben Stiller is trying to make people forget what a freak TC is to sell tickets to his movie. It doesn't matter what kind of propaganda they try to spread, TC has destroyed his box office appeal by being a freak. I hope his career dies as quickly as KH's free will did.

[crackho]

Boycott!

[GaPeach]

^^ goes without saying.. I'll never see a movie with Tom Cruise in it.

Tom Cruise 5'7
Keith Urban 5'8
looks like Kidman moved up but she could have had Russell Crowe at 5'10

[darksithbunny]

Yep. I agree. It makes me like Ben Stiller less.

[january]

Damn, I didn't know this movie had Tiny Tom in it. Now I'm not going to see it - shame because it looked kind of funny.