Tom Cruise Tried to Play Both Sides During SAG- Negotiations — But He Can't Defend The Movies While Undermining the Strike

Tom Cruise reportedly asked studios for artificial intelligence and stuntmen during SAG-AFTRA negotiations.

He also asked SAG-AFTRA to consider letting actors promote movies during the strike in the interest of theaters.

Cruise's attempt to play both sides makes sense—he's a man deeply involved with The Movies.

In June, Tom Cruise — the action hero and the man who may have "saved the entire theater industry" — attended a meeting between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP, asking the studios for artificial intelligence and stuntmen. But Cruise, the highest-profile star to attend the talks, according to The Hollywood Reporter, had one more wish: He asked that the actors be allowed to promote their films for theaters during the strike.

It obviously didn't work — actors promoting movies like Cruise's "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One" would promote the work of companies that SAG-AFTRA was attacking (an anonymous source told Deadline that Cruise's query had nothing to do with the film, whose PR campaign ended). The cast of "Oppenheimer" took the rule so seriously that they walked out of the film's European premiere Thursday in solidarity with the afternoon strike announced by SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher.

A source in the room called the moment "awkward," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Aside from being a giant action star, there's one thing you have to understand about Tom Cruise: this man loves The Movies. As Rolling Stone's Jon Blistein wrote in an essay published Saturday, cinema has become Cruise's public religion (as opposed to Scientology). During the pandemic, he achieved near-messianic status as a film champion, both through box office success and personal intervention to ensure his own major production continued during the pandemic:

During the filming of "Dead Reckoning Part One", Cruise was recorded yelling at crew members, allegedly for not following COVID-19 protocols on set. He told The New York Times that the film "created thousands of jobs," suggesting that a dangerous crew was putting them at risk.

He has apparently spoken to UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to help move production on "Dead Reckoning Part One" and its sequel during the pandemic.

He was praised by Stephen Spielberg for saving "Hollywood's ass" by bringing "Top Gun: Maverick" to theaters.

Ultimately, it makes sense that Cruise in particular tried to play both sides of the bargain. As one of the biggest stars in the business, he has considerable power and it's remarkable that he threw it behind the unions - the man appreciates a good gimmick.

His request that the union consider allowing actors to promote their films is also in line with his expressed interest in cinemas and the industry. But while the pandemic posed an existential threat to theaters, SAG-AFTRA representatives said the strike also represents an existential battle for Cruise's profession, especially when it comes to concerns like AI.

Cruise's question will make him look misguided at best and out of touch with his peers at worst, though any reaction to the news is unlikely to touch his level of celebrity. And while he may have been advocating for theaters, asking for a job that would ultimately undermine a strike is not exactly a move a movie hero should make.