Rob Lowe claims that Tom Cruise denied him two roles he wanted: Top Gun and Jerry Maguire. Lowe chose the term "dastardly" to sum up the heated contest. He was quick to note there is no hard feelings on either side.

Nicole Kidman, Cruise's former wife, has acknowledged she nearly quit acting for him. Both of these remarks place him at the centre of big career moments for those around him during the 1980s and 1990s.