- Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise are old friends
- They starred in 'The Outsiders' together
- THIS is their "fight" that Lowe remembers most
Check out this nostalgic journey as Lowe recounts a spontaneous boxing session that left him floored, literally, and discover the competitive spirit that fueled their friendship during the filming of 'The Outsiders.'
The Ultimate Showdown: Lowe vs. Cruise
Back in the day, when mullets were in and the internet was just a twinkle in the world's eye, Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise were just a couple of teen heartthrobs taking Hollywood by storm. Their battleground? The set of Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders," a film that would mark the beginning of their storied careers. But it wasn't all scripts and screen tests; oh no, these two took competition to a whole new level!
Imagine this: two future Hollywood legends, headgear on, gloves up, duking it out in a hotel hallway. Sounds like a scene straight out of a movie, right? According to Lowe, this was just another Tuesday.
"He’s so competitive that we used to box in the hallway of the hotel we were staying at during Outsiders," he said. "So much testosterone. We’re 18-year-old guys stuck on location. So we would have headgear, and we’d have mouthpieces in, but we would legitimately spar."
Lowe recalled having "pipe cleaner arms" at the time, compared to a jacked Cruise, who was like a "beast." Somehow, Lowe managed to get a "real clean" shot in.
"I rang his bell, and the next I knew, I woke up — I was coming to, on the floor," Lowe told Eisen. "And he, like, completely knocked me out. His eyes just went black, but that’s the stuff we did," Lowe added. "That’s what guys do. Like Fight Club."
But their rivalry wasn't just physical. Lowe shared a laughable moment from their 'The Outsiders' days when Cruise went "ballistic" upon finding out they'd be roommates.
"All of the L.A. people survived the L.A. auditions, and then the hand-picked people had to go to New York to face the New York version," he said of auditions for The Outsiders. "So it was me and Tom Cruise and Emilio [Estevez] and C. Thomas Howell."
"[It was the] first time I ever stayed at The Plaza Hotel, and we check-in and Tom finds out that we’re sharing a room and just goes ballistic," Lowe said while laughing.
It's these moments of intense competition, mixed with genuine camaraderie, that Lowe looks back on fondly. Despite the occasional clash, Lowe admires Cruise's unwavering focus, a trait that has undoubtedly contributed to his colossal success.
Fast forward to today, and both actors are still at the top of their game. Lowe, with his hit shows 'The Floor' and '9-1-1: Lone Star,' and Cruise, fresh off his latest 'Mission: Impossible' installment, prove that a little friendly competition never hurt anybody. In fact, it just might be the secret to their enduring success.
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So, what's the takeaway from this trip down memory lane? Whether it's a boxing match in a hotel hallway or competing for roles on the big screen, a little rivalry among friends can push you to be your best. And who knows? You might just end up with some epic stories to tell.
