Cruise consistently appears in lists of Hollywood’s top earners. According to Forbeshe made more than any other actor in 1997, then again in 2006, then again in 2012. As an actor and producer, he has earned over $100 million from a single film on three separate occasions – Top Gun: Maverick, War of the Worldsand Mission: Impossible 2. Money has always been a touchy subject for the actor, at least according to a 1992 interview, when he was hesitant to talk about it.

“I don’t have a fixed price,” he said defiantly Rolling Stone. “To me, every movie is different. The people who own the studios didn’t get where they are by being stupid business people. They’re not going to pay me a penny more than I’m worth, especially in this marketplace. They wouldn’t pay that if I wasn’t worth it. And the day I’m not, they won’t be.” The interview, which hilariously describes Cruise as “pushing 30” as if nearing the end of his run, is fascinating with the power of hindsight.

As Cruise said, movie studios aren’t run by idiots. The suits know that one bad decision can tear a hole right through their profits, so every choice is made carefully, especially when it comes to who fronts their next big project. Famous actors are what get people through the gate, and Cruise knew full well he was a big draw when he gave that quote. Amazingly, this was before the likes of Mission: ImpossibleCruise’s biggest franchise, or Interview with the vampireone of the films that broke away from his established formula and still made tons of money.

By far the most interesting part of the interview is when Cruise says, “And the day I’m not, they won’t be.” Hollywood is a fickle business that lets go of stars as if they were hot garbage as soon as they are no longer profitable. But that’s the thing. The day of reckoning never came for Tom Cruise. Even when individual films have faltered, his overall body of work remains as desirable as ever. Where so many other middle-aged action stars have embarrassed themselves with second-rate sequels and direct-to-DVD fodder, Cruise seems more bulletproof now than ever before.

As long as his movies continue to make money, the man behind Ethan Hunt will continue to be a prominent figure in all of our lives. Whether through his insane work ethic, his devotion to old-fashioned stunts, or the fact that he’s just damn watchable, Cruise has defied the odds and continues to be one of the The faces of Hollywooddecades past what should have been his prime. The only question is when will he stop?

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