The so-called rivalry between Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise is one of the stories that have survived the most in Hollywood. The concept that these two world icons are engaged in an unspoken rivalry has been the interest of fans, critics, as well as entertainment media over the past thirty years. These Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise rivalries have been seen to be very hard, strategic and sometimes vile. But was it ever really personal or was it merely Hollywood that took two towering careers and turned them into an epic story?
The two actors were making remarkable fame in the 1990s a decade that defined the culture of celebrity. With movies such as Top gun and Rain man, Tom Cruise was already in a commanding position and few could be able to match his box office numbers. Brad Pitt, on the other hand, had come out of the heartthrob status in Thelma and Louise to a serious leading man whose projects showed emotional complexity and surprises. This industry felt something when they were cast together in Interview with the Vampire in the year 1994. Two of the sexiest stars of their era were about to appear on screen.
They were electric on-screen. Cruise played Lestat with the charisma of the flamboyant, and Pitt played Louis, his brooding, restrained self. The contradiction made the film have a lasting impression. But at the time, off screen story began to spread almost instantly. Pitt characterized their relationship in the year 1995 when he explained that he was the North Pole and Pitt was the South. The quote was not visibly antagonistic but it expressed a divergence in character that was combusting the story of rivalry. Hollywood lives by opposites. One of the actors was computerized, disciplined, and highly career oriented. The other appeared guttural, philosophical, and aesthetically fidgety. The storyline was almost too good to pass.
In retrospective, one should be made aware of the climate in 1990s. Studio systems remained strong, however, celebrity journalism was now becoming aggressive. The magazines made the actors appear as a competition in any aspect of box office success or the physical looks. In case two stars were near each other in terms of age and popularity there was almost rivalry. Every insignificant comment might be construed as tension in such a setting.
The story was re-ignited many years later when Brad Pitt jokingly said that he was still bitter that he lost a go-kart race to Tom Cruise many years prior. Light minded as it was on the surface, the comment sparked off speculation. Old interviews, the body language during premieres, and the professional decisions were re-read as the fans were seeking hidden evidences. But the reality can be much more prosaic. Competitiveness is not something out of the ordinary in Hollywood. Some actors are high performers who are ambitious, protective and driven towards their profession. Such motivation may manifest itself as external competition.
The narrative was also influenced by the career paths. With a reputation of daring stunts and a hardworking attitude, Cruise capitalized on action franchises especially with the Mission: Impossible series. Pitt, in his turn, was drawn to a variety of stories, making the movies in his company and accepting any role in the projects in which the artistic value was sometimes more important than the effect. Their paths seldom intersected since Interview with the Vampire and this made it all the more of a temptation to compare them. Two stars who are on the same cultural level but do not constantly share projects, the imagination works as a filler.
The industry insiders have sometimes alluded that they differed in their working styles. Cruise has a reputation of preparation and strictness in getting productions ready. Pitt has been in the public eye as being more relaxed, though as much serious in his performance. Distinctions in character are not always an indication of antagonism. In innovative cultures, opposite methods can be a source of tension, which does not turn into personal hatred.
Celebrity masculinity was another idea that contributed to the existence of the rivalry. During the 90s and the early 2000s, the press actively discussed male celebrities as alpha figures who needed to fight to transmit. It was some sort of simplified lens which turned the complicated professionals into archetypes. The silent intensity of Pitt and the dynamism of Cruise is a perfect fit in that formula. The press did the rest.
But there has been scant hard evidence of open conflict even though there has been speculation over decades. No verbal battle, no personal attacks, no sabotage of the industry. In its place, there are sprinkled remarks, jabs, and interpretations overlaid on them. The competition was in most aspects more of a culture myth than a record conflict.
In a bigger sense, the fascination itself makes some statement about audiences. Competition stories appeal to people due to the humanization of bigger than life characters. It is also easier to associate with a superstar when you picture them with a small grudge in a go-kart race. It makes glamour down to earth. The concept of two successful men silently trying to shove one another, even obliquely, is dramatic and filmic.
Meanwhile, longevity is another tale. The two actors have had career success in more than three decades. Remaining a relevant force in Hollywood takes strength, flexibility and making sound choices. In case of competition, it did not pull either of them off. It might have been silent motivation in fact. Healthy competition will help in improving performance and promote evolution.
The perception of the people has changed in the past few years. Such rivalries are rather looked down upon by the modern audience. Social media has rendered the narrative of celebrities more open, and hyperbolic conflicts are readily torn apart. What used to seem like deep hatred is nowadays more of a game of josting enhanced with headlines.
Ultimately, the Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise rivalry does not appear as a feud but as a projection. Two strong professions met on a fateful occasion, their characters were different, and the business took up a melodramatic plot. It is unknown whether there was real tension in the filming of the Interview with the Vampire or not. What is obvious is that both actors stamp their own legacies without publicly demoralizing each other.
The recurrence of this decades old narrative perhaps is the most fascinating thing about it because it still manages to reoccur even with the slightest comment. A racial joke will revive decades of conjecture. Such persistence does not necessarily imply bitter feelings between the men, but intrigue among viewers.
