How ‘Incredible’ Tom Cruise Helped Jerry Maguire Costar Throughout Career

Jerry Maguire star Jonathan Lipnicki has revealed that he still looks to Tom Cruise for advice regarding his career, years after the pair starred together in the iconic Cameron Crowe film. In a new interview, Lipnicki praised Cruise’s kindness, drive, and lasting mentorship. He also revealed how Cruise often gave him career-changing advice.

Jonathan Lipnicki details how Tom Cruise helped him in his career

Jonathan Lipnicki was only five years old when he worked alongside Tom Cruise in the cult classic Jerry Maguire. But the actor has continued to rely on his former co-star, Cruise, for advice regarding the industry.

“It’s this energy I’ve never felt before, it’s his presence, it’s his drive and his kindness and understanding,” Lipnicki said about Cruise. This was during his recent appearance on the Pod Meets World podcast. “I’m always going to look up to that guy; he has been incredible to me,” Lipnicki added.

He did reveal that he had not talked to Cruise in a while. However, he claimed that the Mission Impossible star had “great response time” whenever he reached out. He said, “I went to his house in my twenties and I met with him and he gave me advice.” The actor continued, “All his advice was about hard work and being kind to others and showing up early and staying late.”

Lipnicki even asked for Tom Cruise’s advice when he went to audition for Top Gun: Maverick. “I emailed him and said, ‘Hey I don’t know if you think I’m right for this, but if you think I’m right I’d love to audition for it’ [and] he got me an audition,” the Stuart Little star recalled. He added, “I auditioned for a few different roles.”

But things did not go his way this time. “It didn’t go my way, because it wasn’t meant to happen, but the fact that he gave me that opportunity and the opportunity he had given me to do ‘Jerry Maguire’…he didn’t have to, but he did.”

He further added what made Cruise stand out. “I think it’s the work ethic,” he said, “I think it’s the just the drive to bring the best product to the audience. He’s not a person who underestimates an audience, he respects his audience, he respects the people who watch his movies, so he’s going to put his life on the line several times to do that.”

Source: Comingsoon.net