Tom Cruise returned to Chicago – site of where he famously jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa to declare his love for Katie Holmes. This time, however, his visit was to declare his admiration for Steven Spielberg during a surprise appearance at a Saturday night Chicago International Film Festival gala honoring the moviemaker. Cruise reportedly was unaccompanied at the event, and there was no talk of Holmes or their daughter, Suri. Walking out from the wings and handing Spielberg the Golden Hugo award after festival founder Michael Kutza kidded that he couldn’t find it, Cruise spoke of his admiration for the director of Jaws, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List and Cruise’s own War of the Worlds. "I had the great pleasure of meeting Steven," Cruise said, reports CBS News. Then, addressing Spielberg directly, he added: "You took me to dinner when I was a young actor. I’ve seen every one of his films many, many times. I actually study his films."
And though there had been reports that Spielberg, 59, and Cruise, 44, had clashed over the star’s behavior while on the promotional trail for last summer’s War of the Worlds – during a Today show interview, Cruise notoriously lashed out at Brooke Shields over her use of anti-depressants to treat her postpartum depression – there was no sign of any friction between the two men on Saturday.
People