Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks share a hilarious 30-year-old debt over Jerry Maguire. But will Cruise ever settle the $1 he owes Hanks? Find out what happened.
Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks are two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. But beyond their first names and A-list status, they couldn’t be more different. Hanks built his career on heartfelt dramas and feel-good roles.
He won back-to-back Oscars and became ‘America’s Dad.’ Cruise, on the other hand, took the action route. He became Hollywood’s biggest daredevil, pulling off jaw-dropping stunts even in his 60s. But once upon a time, Hanks almost landed a role that Cruise made iconic. And he still thinks Cruise owes him for it—literally.
In the mid-’90s, director Cameron Crowe was working on Jerry Maguire. He initially foresaw Hanks as the lead. But by the time the project got rolling, Hanks had outgrown the role. Cruise stepped in, and the rest is history. Hanks, meanwhile, focused on his directorial debut, That Thing You Do! While Jerry Maguire became a massive hit, earning Cruise an Oscar nomination, That Thing You Do! struggled at the box office before gaining cult status.
Looking back, Hanks joked that Cruise still owes him. “I’d like to think Tom Cruise owes me one dollar,” he quipped to Access Hollywood. “I’m still waiting for the check.” Cruise nailed the role of the fast-talking sports agent. Jerry Maguire became one of his signature films. Hanks, on the other side, went on to star in Saving Private Ryan, Cast Away, and The Green Mile.
Could Hanks have pulled off Jerry Maguire? Maybe. But let’s be honest, Cruise brought a unique energy to the role. He turned “Show me the money!” into a pop culture moment. Hanks, no doubt, would’ve given a great performance, but would it have been the same?
These two Toms are both Hollywood royalty, but they’re built differently. Cruise is the action star who runs—literally—through his movies. Hanks is the everyman who makes audiences cry with a single glance.
The Toms might have never starred in a movie together, but this little bit of history ties them together. And while Cruise may never write that $1 check, something tells us Hanks isn’t losing sleep over it. After all, who needs a dollar when you’re already Hollywood’s most beloved dad?