Tom Cruise Reveals career-changing lessons

Tom Cruise is looking back on a memorable chapter of his Hollywood journey as his 1986 sports drama The Color of Money celebrates its 40th anniversary.

The 64-year-old actor marked the milestone on Instagram on Saturday, October 17, sharing how working alongside legendary actor Paul Newman and acclaimed director Martin Scorsese shaped his understanding of cinema.

Cruise recalled meeting Newman and Scorsese separately years before joining the film. Inspired by their work, he created a personal study programme, watching their movies in chronological order to understand their artistic development and filmmaking techniques.

After landing a role in The Color of Money, Cruise revisited their filmographies, gaining a deeper appreciation of their craft before experiencing their creative process firsthand on set.

The Mission: Impossible star expressed lasting gratitude for the guidance and generosity Newman and Scorsese offered throughout the production. He also praised the talented cast and crew, describing his involvement in the project as both an honour and a privilege.

Cruise noted that the lessons he learned during the film’s production have stayed with him throughout his career, highlighting the lasting influence of the experience on his growth as an actor.

Released in 1986, The Color of Money was directed by Scorsese and starred Newman, Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Helen Shaver. The film served as a sequel to the 1961 classic The Hustler,  which was based on Walter Tevis’s novel of the same name.