The endless debate over why Tom Cruise was dropped by Paramount studios is still the talk of the town. Now Sumner Redstone is finally speaking out about the Hollywood “breakup”. "He was embarrassing the studio and he was costing us a lot of money, " Redstone revealed in the December issue of Vanity Fair.
Redstone also revealed to The New York Post, that his wife Paula was the one of the reasons why Redstone gave Tom the boot. "Paula, like women everywhere, had come to hate him. The truth of the matter is, I did listen to her . . ." Redstone says. "His behavior was entirely unacceptable to Paula and to the rest of the world. He just didn't turn one [woman] off. He turned off all women, and a lot of men."
Redstone estimated that Cruise's antics of jumping on couches, attacking the world on psychiatry and firing his professional publicist were results of his downfall. "When did I decide [to fire him]? I don't know. When he was on the 'Today' show? When he was jumping on a couch at 'Oprah'? He changed his handler; you know, to his sister [LeAnne Devette] - not a good idea. "
How much could have Tom’s couch jumping tactics cost a company? Redstone estimates that Cruise's bizarre tactics cost Paramount "$100 million, $150 million on 'Mission: Impossible III.' It was the best picture of the three, and it did the worst."
This studio honcho believes he did the best thing for Cruise. "The explosion was good. It sent a message to the rest of the world that the time of the big star getting all this money is over. And it is! I would like to think that what I did, or what we did, has had a salutary effect on the rest of the industry."
Meanwhile we hear Tom’s exes Nicole Kidman (married for 11 years) and Penelope Cruz (dated Tom for 3 years) are reportedly being lined up to co-star in a movie directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar. We hear Penelope is said to be thrilled at the prospect of sharing a screen with Nicole.
Jesse D
