Getting the chance to star alongside either Nicole Kidman or Tom Cruise can be career-altering in so many different ways. We've heard several stories of stars working alongside Tom in both Top Gun and Mission: Impossible. As expected, there is always something to learn from the actor.
However, looking back, not every celeb jumped on the opportunity to work alongside Cruise. We'll reveal which stars turned down roles with Cruise - and which model in particular said no to working alongside both Tom and Nicole Kidman back in 1999. The film in question is Eyes Wide Shut and according to Kidman despite its success, the shoot was not an easy one alongside director Stanley Kubrick.
Nicole Kidman Had Praise For Her Time Alongside Tom Cruise In Eyes Wide Shut
The Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut got its release in 1999. Among the star cast included both Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, playing the roles of Billy an Alice Harford. As expected, the film was a major hit in terms of reviews, receiving 7.5 stars from the likes of IMDb. It was also able to double its budget and then some at the box office, bringing in $162 million.
Speaking alongside Today, Nicole Kidman looked back on how her role. At the time, things were going very positively between herself and Cruise.
"We were happily married through that. We would go go-kart racing after those scenes. We’d rent out a place and go racing at 3 in the morning. I don’t know what else to say. Maybe I don’t have the ability to look back and dissect it. Or I’m not willing to."
However, Kidman did reveal that the experience with Stanley Kubrick lasted longer than anyone anticipated. Three months turned into a year very quickly.
Kidman details, "We were working with the greatest filmmaker and learning about our lives and enjoying our lives on set. We would say, 'When is it going to end?' We went over there thinking it was going to be three months. It turned into a year, a year and a half," she said.
"But you go, 'As long as I surrender to what this is, I’m going to have an incredible time,'" she continued. "Stanley, he wasn’t torturous. He was arduous in that he would shoot a lot."
Given the experience, it was all worth it. However, there was one star in particular that wasn't willing to make such a commitment, especially given what her role entailed.
Model Eva Herzigová Did Not Like The Choice Of Scenes She Was Offered Alongside Tom Cruise In Eyes Wide Shut
Model Eva Herzigová was about to get a major boost to her acting career, appearing alongside Hollywood giants Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. However, Eva had to think twice about Kubrick's offer, given how revealing her three scenes were in the film.
”He only called because he needed a model. The part called for three scenes: in the first, I'm [using drugs]; in the second, I have an intense 20-minute dialogue with Tom Cruise, and in the third, I'm dead — and I had to do it all totally nude."
Given the nature of such a role, Eva tried to alter certain scenes, or at least bring down the intensity. Ultimately, Kubrick wasn't willing to listen, and both sides moved on for creative differences.
"I just didn't want to start out that way. I really tried to bargain with him and say, 'Couldn't I just wear a little something?' but he said no.”
The model still enjoyed lots of success, while receiving film credits along the way. Her last project came in 2017, taking on a role in Manolo: The Boy Who made Shoes for Lizards.
Eva Herzigová Was Far From The Only Talent To Turn Down A Project Alongside Tom Cruise
Sure, working with Tom Cruise can provide a major boost. However, it has happened in the past that actors turned down roles alongside the A-lister. Nicholas Hoult couldn't commit to Tom and Mission: Impossible, given that his priorities were tied to other projects at the time. Ricky Gervais is another major star also decided to turn down Cruise's advances for Mission: Impossible III.
At the same time, working with Tom doesn't always guarantee chemistry. That was the case with Hollywood giants Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise working together early on. Brad himself revealed that the two had completely different styles.
"You gotta understand, Tom and I are... we walk in different directions. He's North Pole. I'm South. He's coming at you with a handshake [Pitt mimicked Cruise's hyper-aggressive hello] where I may bump into you, I may not, you know?"
Despite the few blemishes, Tom Cruise remains at the top his career at the age of 61. Truly remarkable that he's still one of the great action stars of the generation.
