Tom Cruise Teleconference 2 - War of the Worlds Previous Kylee Dawson: Not to take up too much time but can you kind of compare it to just working with Kubrick with working with Spielberg (inaudible)? And they were supposed to work together on “AI” as I remember. So you could tell me about that? What were the differences in working with both directors? Tom Cruise: You know, every single director is totally different. It is just like every single person I meet is very different. The thing that you look at a Kubrick…you see his voice in that same way the originality of Spielberg and he has his voice; the power of their ability as artists. Both of them absolutely understand the media -- every aspect of it thoroughly. Each one then is just an extension of who they are. They both have the power to create what they want to create.   Certainly I know that during that experience in ”AI” and I discussed with “AI” with Stanley -- you know I worked with Stanley for a year and a half - extensively. I looked at the drawings and Steven and I have been great friends for many, many years. Stanley and Steven were great friends. So I know when Steven actually made “AI” it was as if…it was still in collaboration with Stanley because he had worked and known about this project and had many, many conversations with Stanley. So the input on the movie it was Kubrickian. Most definitely Kubrickian.   You could tell when you study all of Steven's movies as unique and as different as each one of them are, you can look at “AI”…and I know Stanley and I are looking at it and going I know what Steven did in terms of paying tribute to that story and creating it with Stanley; those two artists creating that picture together. That is really what “AI” is.   Kylee Dawson: Could you tell me more about how they direct their actors because supposedly Kubrick doesn't direct his actors. Is that true? Tom Cruise: No, that is not true. Each director directs in a different way. There is no standard way how to direct your actors. It is can you get the performances? Stanley most definitely directed his actors. You look at the performances that Kubrick liked. Kubrick was the first one to use those wide angle lenses in the way that he did because he really liked the depth of the room. Like any filmmaker you are creating a reality with the movie and we are using the power of the storytelling and the lens and how you can communicate what you want to communicate. He mostly definitely directed his actors but just different.   It is very hard to say how because each director that I have worked with there is a different dialogue that you have with them. Each movie is so different. It is hard to kind of describe it. The process certainly was a longer process with Stanley but that was his process.  With Steven, the speed and accuracy of his creative ability is very, very exciting to me. Also, Steven was a much younger man than when I was working with Stanley but that is just Steven. He has great certainty on what he is creating. I am not comparing Stanley and Steven because Stanley did also but just different men; different artists. Kylee Dawson: Thank you so much for that.  I really appreciate it. Tom Cruise: I am actually right now sitting here. I am looking at the Stanley Kubrick's archives book that just came in from Taschen. It is here on my desk.   Kylee Dawson: Have you read it yet? Tom Cruise: Oh, yes. I have. Next		Home Interviews Antoine Fuqua Interview King Arthur Interview Arv Grewal Interview Asia Argento Interview Behind the Scenes of "War of the Worlds" Bernie Goldmann Interview Clive Owen Interview Dakota Fanning Interview Dennis Hopper Interview George A Romero Interview Greg Nicotero Interview The Hulk Press Conference Ang Lee Press Conference Ioan Gruffudd Interview John Leguizamo Interview Kathleen Kennedy Interview Keira Knightley Interview