During their relationship, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman appeared together in three films: Days of Thunder, which marked the beginning of their romantic involvement, Far and Away, and Stanley Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Even after more than twenty years, Eyes Wide Shut's intriguing and provocative nature continues to fuel frequent discussions, primarily due to its unique and captivating storytelling and its daring portrayal of sexual content. Now Frederic Raphael, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of the 1999 erotic drama, has taken aim at the pair of Hollywood icons in his latest book Last Post, unleashing a scathing attack on the actors.
Now 91, Raphael's book revisits his tumultuous experience working with the late Shining director on the enigmatic film, which starred Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman in one of her best performances. In his book which is structured like imaginary letters to people who impacted his career, the screenwriter writes to Kubrick, accusing the Top Gun: Maverick actor (along with the late director's wife Christiane Harlan and her brother Jan Harlan) of attempting to erase his contributions to the movie's final version and even tampering with his Wikipedia page. In the book, via the Daily Mail, he alleges:
I have never been called a liar by anyone as I have been by the Harlan clan and by Tom Cruise, egocentric control freak to whom I have never spoken.
After filming wrapped, the screenwriter accuses the actor of attempting to manipulate him with a job offer. He also took a dig at the Mission: Impossible star's association with Scientology, suggesting that the actor's need for control extended beyond the film set. With no hesitation, Raphael alleges:
He [Cruise] did offer me a job though, soon after you finished shooting; the better to have me on a leash, no doubt. In his turn, he too seems to need the control he finds in Scientology.
Raphael questions Kubrick’s intention of capitalizing on the real-life passion and authenticity between the Hollywood power couple, implying that their real-life marriage might not have translated as convincingly as expected on-screen. He continues:
Was there something just a touch naïve in your idea that casting a married couple as a married couple would enable you to put ‘the truth’ on the screen? One thing you can be pretty sure of: whatever any conjugal duo may disclose in public about their relationship, they rarely let any crucial cat out of the bag. Did you honestly suppose Cruise and Kidman were bound in genuine passion, rather than embraced in a careerist merger?
Following the film's 1999 release, Kidman and Cruise's marriage ended, and a few years later, the Australian actress tied the knot with Keith Urban in 2006.
While much of Frederic Raphael's criticism was directed towards Kubrick and Cruise, he also aimed a sharp remark at the Cold Mountain actress, questioning her star power and lack of successful films up to that point. He imagines writing to Kubrick:
Kidman has been a star for many years for many people: can you think of a single movie of hers you wanted to see again?
Coincidentally, Kidman's on-screen success soared in the years following Eyes Wide Shut, culminating in an Academy Award win for her remarkable portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours. Additionally, she graced the silver screen in blockbuster hits like Moulin Rouge! And one of the greatest one-off horror movies of all time, The Others, solidifying her status as a major Hollywood star.
Despite the accusations and animosity between Frederic and the two Hollywood A-listers, both Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have remained busy in their careers. Cruise is currently celebrating the success of yet another box office hit, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part I, which had a solid opening week. Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman can be seen starring alongside Zoe Saldana in Taylor Sheridan's latest series, Special Ops: Lioness, a show available for viewing with a Paramount+ subscription.
Make sure to check out our 2023 movie release schedule to plan your next trip to the cinema.
