Filmmaker Mira Nair recently revealed an intriguing detail about Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise, stating that he has a clause in his contracts stipulating that crew members on set are not allowed to look him directly in the eyes.
This claim came up during a conversation with actress Shabana Azmi at the New York Indian Film Festival, where they discussed the challenges actors face in staying connected to ordinary people as their fame grows.
This claim came up during a conversation with actress Shabana Azmi at the New York Indian Film Festival, where they discussed the challenges actors face in staying connected to ordinary people as their fame grows.
Mira Nair, known for her successful Hollywood films like *Amelia*, *The Reluctant Fundamentalist*, and *Queen of Katwe*, asked Shabana how she manages to stay energized between roles. Shabana responded by emphasizing the importance of staying in touch with real life, saying, "An actor’s resource base has to be life. When you’re aware of everything happening around you, that becomes your fuel and experience. As stars become more famous, they tend to isolate themselves from real life, living in an ivory tower without any real-world contact."
Mira agreed, sharing the surprising detail about Tom Cruise. "Tom Cruise has it in his contract that you cannot meet his eyes. You’re not allowed to look at him in the eyes," she said, leaving Shabana taken aback. When Shabana asked why, Mira speculated, "Maybe he believes his energy might be drained by people, so he conserves it for the screen. But this is real."
Shabana wondered if this applied to people in real life or just on set, questioning how one could act without eye contact. Mira clarified with a laugh, "The actors and directors can look at him, but not regular crew members. Anyway, this might have changed. I shouldn’t talk too much about someone I’ve only seen and not interacted with… But it is true."
Tom Cruise is known for being a demanding presence on set, with many co-stars praising his involvement in all aspects of filmmaking. During the production of the latest *Mission: Impossible* film, an audio recording of Cruise berating a crew member for breaching pandemic protocols went viral. In his outburst, Cruise stressed the importance of the film’s success for the industry during a difficult period.