Tom Cruise’s Oscar Snub Feels Personal After Realizing He Wrote the Best Monologue in His 82% Rated Movie

Tom Cruise didn’t just steal the scene in Magnolia—he rewrote it, performed it, and made a monologue the most unforgettable part of the film.

Few stars in Hollywood shine as brightly as Tom Cruise. With a career spanning over decades, it didn’t take long for him to become a household name across the globe. In all honesty, he isn’t just an actor; he is a cinematic force of nature, best known for pulling off stunts that no man in his right mind would want to put himself through. But that’s just Tom Cruise for you.

However, while he may be branded as an action star these days, Tom Cruise has charm, wit, and emotions to play any role given to him. Whether it’s the lovable yet emotionally conflicted Jerry Maguire or the cold, calculating hitman in Collateral, he doesn’t just act, he transforms. And that’s exactly what he did in Magnolia, a film for which he deserved an Oscar.

Tom Cruise transformed his character in Magnolia

Tom Cruise in Magnolia (1999) | Credits: New Line Cinema

In Magnolia, Frank T.J. Mackley steps onto the stage with his arms outstretched under the spotlight while the audience cheers for their favorite motivational speaker. With more than 7 minutes worth of monologue ready for the fans, the man just kills it on stage, establishing himself as an unforgettable character in the movie. Despite not being the main character, it’s safe to say that he came to steal the show.

However, did you know that Tom Cruise actually wrote most of the monologue himself? The entirety of Cruise’s truly iconic monologue was not in the original script of the film, which is rated 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. While the script had a few sentences penned down for the scene, the actor had other plans for his character.

He invited the director, Paul Thomas Anderson, to his home under the pretense of a “wardrobe fitting. When an unsuspecting Anderson went over, Cruise put on a performance for him that he would never forget. In his screening room, the actor had arranged for the perfect lighting and music to accompany the “scene.” He then delivered what he envisioned Frank’s monologue to be.

“I basically wrote the opening monologue my version,” Cruise stated, recalling Anderson’s reaction as “What the f*ck?” At the British Film Institute, he stated (via No Film School),

I had a strong instinct for this character. The whole monologue wasn’t there at the beginning. That wasn’t there. There was a couple of sentences. And I said, ‘Look, just come over to my place. Let’s do the wardrobe fitting’…And I lit it…and I had the whole music, and I basically wrote the opening monologue…my version. [Anderson was] like, ‘What the f*ck?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know, this is Mackey to me.

Check out the monologue:

This bold move came entirely from Cruise’s love and care for the character, an emotional process that he applies to most of his characters in a movie. He immerses himself deep in research, developing characters and their nuances that feel natural to him.

Ultimately, Cruise’s dedication to making the character his own resulted in one of his most memorable and surprising performances in his movie catalogue. Too bad he didn’t win an Oscar for it, despite being nominated at the 72nd Academy Awards. Truly a crime if you ask us, especially after that heart-wrenching performance towards the end.

Tom Cruise trusts his instincts, as he should

A still from Magnolia | Credits: New Line Cinema

It’s a known fact that Cruise doesn’t just do what he’s told if he thinks he has a better idea. In fact, having no creative control over his script is exactly what made him regret Ridley Scott’s Legend.

He is not just going to sit back and go with the flow, not when he has so much insight to offer. And more often than not, his judgment seems to do wonders for his movies.

Speaking at BFI, Cruise stated that a lot goes into preparing for the characters he is meant to play, along with conversations about what the role is and what the story is. Despite the discussions, it all comes down to when the cameras are rolling and instinct takes over.

He is not thinking about what to do, he just is the character. He spoke at the BFI,

You get an instinct. When you’re shooting a film, it’s like you prepare, you prepare, & believe me, I prepare everything, and we’re going through it, and there’s a lot of communication and dialogue about character [and] story. But then it’s just…we’re in the moment, the camera’s rolling, and for me, I’m rehearsing…it’s there every take. It’s like, ‘It’s now, it’s now, it’s now.’ And I just can be the character.

In the end, this is what sets Cruise apart, not just his death-defying stunts. He is absolutely committed to the art of storytelling, and he will stop at nothing to make sure he always gives his hundred percent and then some. That’s the legacy he has built brick by brick – a relentless artist who doesn’t know how to settle for the bare minimum.

Rent/buy Magnolia on Prime Video for $2.99 and $7.99, respectively.