Any college journalist would kill for the chance to interview a celebrity – let alone an internationally respected actor starring in films such as Risky Business, Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky, The Last Samurai, Mission Impossible, and now War of the Worlds. You must now know that we are raving about Tom Cruise – one of our personal favorites and our interview of the year. That’s right – The Sandspur entertainment editors rocked the house with Tom last Friday. On a conference call along with college reporters from across the country, we got the chance to hit Tom with some tough questions about his new film!

Cruise’s latest blockbuster is War of the Worlds. Inspired by H.G. Wells’ novel, it is a story of a deadbeat dad (Ray Ferrier) facing the challenges of fatherhood in the midst of an alien attack! As Cruise battles aliens for his own security, he must also protect his children from mass destruction. Contrary to Ray Ferrier, Cruise views himself as a different man. “He is not taking responsibility for his family or the future. I am very much the opposite. I always wanted to be a father… I understand Ray because I have lived in those kinds of blue collar areas growing up,” he commented.

Rising star Dakota Fanning (Rachel Ferrier) plays his daughter. When asked about what it was like to work with the child actress he said, “Dakota is enormously talented and I think if they want to work, I absolutely feel very protective not only of her but of all artists getting into work because I know the ups and downs, the ins and outs of this business.”

Although it may seem as if Cruise has transitioned to a sci-fi action star, the trend is purely coincidental. After filming Minority Report with Steven Spielberg, they teamed up to create yet another masterpiece. “I think he is without a doubt our greatest storyteller in cinema, certainly if you look at how prolific he is. The two of us together, it is a creative combustion,” Cruise said.

Despite the last H.G. Well’s novel turned film disaster (Time Machine), Cruise whole heartedly believes that this picture was made well and will thus translate well on the screen, “it’s the best first draft of a screenplay that I have ever read in my career.”

Even though the film seems surreal as Martians attack planet Earth, Cruise trusts the public will enjoy the picture. “I hope this film resonates with people. It resonates with me as a human being, as a man, as a father, I know as a parent, and as a person here on Earth. It is a film that is pretty scary. It is going to be intense. It is just an intense movie. I think if something is done well it will translate to an audience. All I can do is make a movie that I believe in… But I most definitely enjoy communicating to audiences. I make movies for audiences. ”

Well what about aliens? Does Cruise really believe in them? When asked his opinion on the existence of extraterrestrial beings he said, “I believe what I know empirically; what I have seen myself and can observe. I think that it is truly arrogant to think that we are the only living sentient beings in all the universes for infinity. I think that is a little unreal. Aliens? I have no idea, “Cruise said.

On the phone, Cruise was eloquent yet personable showing an obvious enthusiasm for his new film. Believing War of the Worlds portrays a timeless theme, Cruise empathetically said, “I hope you dig it.” Prepare for Earth going to war when the film hits theaters June 29.