I’ve found this interview from inq7.net. It has put a smile on my face and I felt like I was there and could see it with my own eyes. A nice interview:
NEW YORK-Tom Cruise did not jump up and down his chair during our interview with him Thursday afternoon at the Essex House.
But he playfully knocked on the table to test if it was sturdy enough for him to do a repeat performance of his by-now-famous bouncing on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa to declare before the TV audience that he is in love, yes, he is in love!
Cynics may scoff at the love affair of Tom and Katie Holmes, now nicknamed TomKat. But having interviewed Tom several times in the past, I can say that this is a less uptight, more accessible guy. He was open not only in discussing his romantic life but even in the way he dressed up. Where he would normally be dressed in a suit or a long-sleeved dress shirt, the superstar appeared in a short-sleeved black shirt, with several buttons undone, no-tan arms exposed.
The rain, too
The man who used to be very guarded during interviews-a master at being engaging without revealing much-repeated his public declarations for Katie.
He was even effusive about the sudden rain soaking the trees (so green in summer) in Central Park right across the street. “I love that rain! Isn’t that great?” gushed the man in love as he gazed at the windows showcasing the park in all its leafy glory.
The press con began with the obligatory questions about the movie “War of the Worlds,” which he was promoting. This newest cinematic adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic book about alien invasion is a movie as entertaining as only Steven Spielberg can make it. It has spectacular effects, thrills, the dazzling screen presence of Tom and, best of all, Dakota Fanning. Only 10 at the time of the filming, Dakota has been declared an acting genius by Spielberg himself in a published interview. I experienced the fear from the invading aliens in this movie through this girl’s eyes.
At this afternoon press con, it didn’t take long for the personal questions to come. Tom was savvy enough to discern this and say, “I love it when you’re about to ask a question and this smile comes on. It’s like, okay, I’ve asked the movie question-now comes the personal question.”
(Later, when we joined a large group of US and international print and TV media folks for a press con with Tom and Steven Spielberg, the legendary filmmaker reacted to the first TomKat question by looking at his watch, putting on a mock surprised expression and saying, “Twenty minutes went by without that being asked!”)
That laughter
In the past, Tom deflected personal questions in a very polite manner, of course. This time, with our small group, he let out his loud, deep, cackling laugh-that Tom Cruise laughter which should be a column topic by itself. And then he answered the TomKat questions.
A colleague congratulated Tom on his engagement and mentioned the reams of stories about l’affaire TomKat. He pretended to be surprised, broke into that toothy Tom Cruise smile, leaned back in his chair and said, “Really?”
He lowered his voice when he talked about Katie. The effect, of course, is dramatic and emotional. As I wrote in my earlier column on Katie, if being in love results in an actor being more accessible and expressive, I’ll take this open Tom Cruise anytime.
“Never be surprised about how stupid people can be,” he declared about folks who are suspicious of his motives in trotting out a romantic relationship with Katie. “I am in love. Something extraordinary has happened to me and I haven’t felt this way. I can’t restrain myself,” he said, exulting in his explanation of the palpable change in him. “It’s a beautiful thing. People ask me and I’m going to be honest about it.”
Good, genuine
Of Katie, he said, “She’s such a good person and so genuine.” When he was apprised of Katie’s gushing declaration of his best qualities, he quipped, “Did she cover all of them?” And then came the cackling laughter again.
But there were certain things that Tom didn’t want to discuss. He still wouldn’t say how and where he and Katie first met. He didn’t want to say where he bought the four-carat diamond engagement ring that he slipped into Katie’s dainty finger at the Eiffel Tower.
And he claimed that details of the wedding have not been discussed.
He tried not to dwell on the incident at the London premiere of “War of the Worlds” where a man, pretending to interview him on the red carpet, squirted water from a mock mike at him. “It was the best premiere I’ve ever had in London except for that one incident,” he said instead to put a positive spin on the incident. “It (the water squirting incident) is not even worth talking about.”
Would he have been as calm if Katie had been the victim of that prank instead of him? “I’m just happy it didn’t happen to Katie,” was all he would say.
I told him how impressed I was with Dakota, who said, “I wish them the happiest marriage that anyone has ever had” after he dropped the bomb that he and Katie were engaged. Tom showed me how he turned around to face the young actress, who is now 11, and told her, “Thanks, girl.
That’s so touching.”
Next life?
When a writer asked what he would like to be in his next life, Tom appeared like it was a strange question to ask. “I’m having a great time right now,” he said. “This isn’t bad; this is pretty incredible actually.”
Toward the end of our interview with Tom, I looked behind, to the back of the room, and lo and behold, Katie was there, dutifully standing by. Whoa. This sure is a very public couple.
After our session, Tom greeted each one of us. As he shook my hand, he looked me in the eye and said, “Thank you for coming all the way to New York.”
I congratulated Katie on her engagement, teasing her that just a few weeks ago, a colleague had asked her when they were going to get married. And now she has an engagement ring. Sans makeup, in a simple getup of pink sweater, blouse and blue jeans, she looked like an innocent and pretty 18-year-old girl (she’s actually 26). When Tom went out of the room through another door, she bolted to catch up with him.
In the hallway, I saw them walking to the elevator, arms intertwined in the back. Both in blue jeans, the pair looked like teenage sweethearts rushing off somewhere. I wish them luck.
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