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Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s Long-Rumored Feud is Over? Here's What We Know
Despite decades of rivalry rumors, Cruise is now singing Pitt’s praises as they prepare to face off at the summer box office.
Hollywood has long speculated about a simmering tension between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, sparked during their time filming Interview with the Vampire in 1994. With both stars gearing up to release major blockbusters this summer—Pitt with F1 and Cruise with the final Mission: Impossible installment—whispers of rivalry have reignited. However, Cruise's recent public comments paint a different, much friendlier picture.
At 62, Cruise has surprised many by warmly praising Pitt, calling him "my friend" and reminiscing about their go-kart races during downtime on Interview with the Vampire. "He’s a hell of a driver," Cruise said, expressing excitement for Pitt’s upcoming racing film.
Despite Cruise's graciousness, their shared history hints at past friction. Sources recall that Pitt, then considered a rebellious Hollywood "bad boy," struggled with his constrained role as Louis, resented playing second fiddle to Cruise’s intense Lestat, and clashed with Cruise’s relentless positivity. At the time, their lifestyles diverged significantly: Cruise was a major star married to Nicole Kidman, while Pitt was indulging in a wilder phase, dating co-stars like Thandie Newton.
The casting of Cruise as Lestat had been controversial, with author Anne Rice originally opposed to the decision. Yet Cruise delivered a standout performance, winning over critics and filmmakers. Pitt, however, later admitted that Cruise’s intensity grated on him, confessing that the actor's energetic approach created an undercurrent of competition that hampered real connection.
Even after Interview with the Vampire, tensions surfaced sporadically. When Pitt's Inglourious Basterds and Cruise’s Valkyrie released in close succession, a comment by Pitt calling Valkyrie "silly" was quickly walked back by his publicist to avoid further conflict.
However, in more recent years—particularly following Pitt’s split from Angelina Jolie—Pitt seems to have developed a newfound respect for Cruise, admiring his work ethic as a producer and champion of cinema. Despite their vastly different personal worlds—Cruise’s dedication to Scientology and Pitt’s artistic, bohemian lifestyle—the two reportedly share a mutual respect, bonded in part by a love of speed and fast cars.
Director Neil Jordan, who helmed Interview with the Vampire, acknowledged their contrasting methods—Cruise being methodical and precise, Pitt more instinctive—but ultimately praised both as exceptional talents.
Today, with Cruise enthusiastically promoting Pitt’s F1 alongside his own movie, it’s clear that whatever tensions once existed have faded into a genuine, if unlikely, camaraderie. As Hollywood’s two icons prepare to dominate the box office once again, fans may finally put the feud rumors to rest—and maybe even look forward to a summer where Cruise and Pitt are not competitors, but champions of each other's success.
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