Neil Jordan defends the choice of Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire
The director explains why he backed the controversial casting of Tom Cruise despite the criticism.
The filmmaker Neil Jordan recalled that he had made a "dream casting coup" by giving the lead role in Interview with the Vampire to Tom Cruise, alongside Brad Pitt. He admitted that the decision immediately sparked controversy, with Anne Rice, novelist and screenwriter, distancing herself from the actor's selection.
Jordan described this controversy as "a pain" for him. He compared the situation to Jack Reacher, where author Lee Child initially supported Cruise's casting despite a very different physical description, before later acknowledging that readers were right to protest.