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You won’t believe it, but Tom Cruise who happens to be one of Hollywood’s heavyweights, once acted out of FOMO, while shootingThe Last Samuraiwith Ed Zwick in 2002. As the filmmaker recalled his opportunity to meet with three of the most acclaimed directors in the entertainment industry—David Fincher, Cameron Crowe, and Steven Spielberg, Zwick mentioned clicking a picture with them.
Unfortunately, since Tom Cruise was busy with Steven Spielberg, somewhere on the set, he and the filmmaker were the ones absent from the image. Well, while Spielberg wasn’t bothered missing out on the image, Cruise was quite disappointed. So what he did next was truly hilarious.
Ed Zwick Recalled His Auspicious Meeting with the Acclaimed Directors
The Last Samuraifilmmaker Ed Zwick vividly remembers the day he met three of the most legendary filmmakers of Hollywood. While shooting his 2002 blockbuster with Tom Cruise, Zwick documented viaVultureabout meetingDavid Fincher,Cameron Crowe, and Steven Spielberg. Although he later discovered that each of the directors was there on his set, tocourt Cruise to be in their movies, Zwick considered it a rare moment.
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Considering how creativity and camaraderie collided on the set ofThe Last Samurai, Ed Zwick mentioned that he couldn’t resist the urge to document the auspicious meeting. Therefore, when a still photographer on the set asked to capture the industry giants together, Zwick couldn’t deny it. However, he later realized that Steven Spielberg was missing from the image since he was somewhere busy speaking with Tom Cruise.
On our first day of shooting in Burbank, I happened to glance behind me and see Steven Spielberg. Moments later, David Fincher appeared, and then Cameron Crowe. How coincidental that they’d all “just happened” to be on the lot that day.
I would later discover each was courting Tom to be in their movies and this was a chance to get a bit of face time… While Fincher, Crowe, Marshall, and I were chatting behind my chair, the still photographer asked if he could take a picture.
Recalling the oddly charming moment, Ed Zwick mentioned feeling nervous upon meeting the legendary filmmakers. But sadly while capturing the iconic moment of his life, he left outSteven Spielbergfrom the image. Well, believe it or not, while theJawsdirector shrugged off his absence, it was apparently Tom Cruise who was muchbothered by his exclusion from the image.
Tom Cruise Photoshopped His Way into the Iconic Image Out of FOMO
Tom Cruise, notorious for his commitment to being in the right place at the right time, was left feeling a pang of FOMO after he missed out on the image. Therefore, feeling the sting of exclusion, Cruise hatched a plan worthy of his blockbuster status. Instead of sulking, he decided to take matters into his own hands—quite literally. With the precision of a seasoned action hero, Cruise tried his hands at Photoshop.
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In an attempt to secure his spot in an epic Hollywood picture, after it had already been taken without him, thanks to post-production, Tom Cruise photoshopped himself into the image with utmost flawlessness. Although Steven Spielberg was also missing from the image, the actor seemed to be simply bothered by his absence. Therefore flexing his technical skills, Cruise pulled off the masterpiece.
I will confess to being the tiniest bit self-conscious giving direction with that intimidating trio on my six (as they say in Top Gun). But their visit prompted an oddly charming and very revealing reaction from Tom.
Tom must have been with Spielberg at the time, but when he heard about it, he asked for a copy and had himself photoshopped into the shot. Apparently, even movie stars have FOMO.
Can you believe, Tom Cruise turned a simple FOMO moment into a legendary Photoshop saga? Well, that’s how committed he is to never missing out on any iconic moment in Hollywood. But in the end, while Cruise’s lighthearted response to his exclusion became a cherished memory for Ed Zwick, it also highlighted a universal truth—no matter how famous you are, FOMO can strike anyone at any time.
The Last Samuraiis currently available to watch on Prime Video.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
