Tom Cruise: ‘Misunderstood’ and ‘Underrated,’ Christopher McQuarrie’s Take On Collaborating With Star, Scientology Taboo

While making the rounds and promoting his latest Mission Impossible film, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, there remains much controversy surrounding Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology, within which Cruise is the most high-profile member.

It is always the case that while actors are selling their product, the media and individual interviewers sometimes use the opportunity to delve into any recently surfaced drama in the life of the star in question. It is clear that Tom has been at the center of much drama after Going Clear, an HBO documentary that focuses on some horrific behavior within the Church of Scientology, aired several months ago.

As the Sydney Morning Herald notes, the church denies everything. However, denials or not, Cruise still had a dark and heavy cloud cast over him. What’s interesting is the fact that in the push to promote Rogue Nation, Cruise has not been questioned about his affiliation with the system of belief, nor has he been asked to comment on the revelations that the HBO documentary made about the practices within the church. Yes, the movie is the main point of discussion, yet it seems odd that there hasn’t been one attempt to push for information directly from the church’s most famous member. As the Inquisitr recently reported, this is all due to a ban on questioning about the star’s dating life and his church involvement — a ban set in place by Cruise himself to allow for all focus to be on his latest efforts, which are garnering rave reviews.

About Cruise, the film’s director has only a praiseworthy opinion. Christopher McQuarrie is known for many notable efforts, including his award-winning screenplay for The Usual Suspects. Yet, as Deadline notes, “now more commonly it’s as writer, producer, [and] director [for which McQuarrie is known] and being Cruise’s accomplice in problem solving the star/producer’s many complex screen vehicles.”

The duo clearly gets results by being so entirely devoted to bringing Ethan Hunt to life in the most exciting and fearless of ways, which has thereby drummed up eager enthusiasm for the latest installment while entering its opening weekend. The publication notes reasons for such anticipation of Cruise’s latest performance.

“They took it to another level on Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, a crackling good summer movie that heads into opening weekend with strong reviews and buzz, and a clear indication that the 53-year old Cruise can play Ethan Hunt for as long as he cares to risk his life with stunts no other superstar would dare try.”

When questioned about Cruise as both an actor and producer, McQuarrie shared openly, “[Tom’s] always looking for a challenge, a new way to involve the audience firsthand in an experience they couldn’t otherwise have. He’s at heart an entertainer and that’s always first and foremost in our minds. The audience is in the room with us during every line, in a script meeting, through every moment of pre-production, production and editing. I think he’s enormously underrated and misunderstood. As only Tom knows, none of that really matters.”

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is set to follow in the footsteps of its predecessors and remind audiences of Tom Cruise’s remarkable energy and talent.

[Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International]