In a surprising turn of events, Tom Cruise did something relatable — he professed his love for Janet Jackson.
The skydiving, couch-jumping star talked with “Entertainment Tonight” about his admiration for the “Rhythm Nation” musician while at the world premiere of “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” in Rome on Sunday. Cruise mentioned that he used his day off last month to go to Jackson’s Together Again tour in Charlotte, N.C.
“That was my night off, that was my last break,” he said. “ I just wanna tell you, go see Janet.”
The “Scream” artist kicked off her highly anticipated tour in June at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., with an epic, 40-plus song set list and a guest appearance from “Today” co-host Sheinelle Jones.
The “Top Gun” actor insisted that he’s just like any other fan when he goes to Jackson’s concerts, saying, “I’m right in there, yeah, come on! It’s Janet, she’s a legend.”
But unlike the average fan, Cruise has a personal relationship with the “Control” singer. After attending her performance in May, the onscreen thrill seeker took a photo with Jackson that was shared on her Instagram.
“T, it was so good seeing you and nice spending some time together 😊,” Jackson captioned the duo’s backstage picture.
When asked whether “T” was a common nickname that others call him, Cruise clarified that Jackson has special privileges.
“She can call me whatever she wants. She’s Janet Jackson,” the “Jerry Maguire” star said. “She’s a goddess. She’s amazing. I love her, I love her music. She’s also just an extraordinary person.”
Elsewhere in his ET interview, Cruise reflected on his career and the “unbelievable” experiences he’s had along the way.
“I do pinch myself every day, I don’t take anything for granted,” he said. “I remember being 18 years old making ‘Taps’ and I remember being 4 years old and thinking I want to make movies and I want to travel the world. I am constantly like, ‘This is so out of body. What is happening?’ This is wild and it’s something that I’ve never taken for granted … I just feel very privileged.”
The 60-year-old actor also addressed the news that Scarlett Johansson recently told the Hollywood Reporter that Cruise was the actor she most wants to work with.
“I’d love to make a movie with her!” he said. “I’ve been wanting to make a movie with her. She is enormously talented. So charismatic, versatile. She has great physical ability, obviously.”
