Being one of the biggest stars in the history of Hollywood, it’s no wonder that working with Tom Cruise is considered to be a big achievement for many since his films both critically, and especially commercially have performed exceptionally well. This naturally gives other stars a chance to be a part of that greatness and make a name for themselves in the process.

Tom Cruise
So far, he has worked with some of the most talented stars in the industry, who have all managed to lift their careers to even greater heights after having worked with Cruise. But somewhere along the way, there have been many missed opportunities for many, like how Winona Ryder was once ready to be cast alongside him, but him being Tom Cruise, had to go to the bottom of it, which led to his exit from the project.

Tom Cruise Got Himself Out Of Working With Winona Ryder

Johnny Depp in and as Edward Scissorhands
May it be a film from the action genre or may it be a movie about romance and drama, there is no grnre of cinema that Tom Cruise has not explored and left his mark on them. This successful track record has given him the title of the biggest star in the industry. What makes him so respectful in the eyes of his peers and co-stars is his ability to lift them and their careers to new horizons, something that has been proven countless times before. But if not for his inquisitive nature during his scouting for Edward Scissorhands, Winona Ryder may have been able to work with him.

In a past interview with Dazed, Caroline Thompson, the scriptwriter for the aforementioned film, talked about how they were looking for stars who could play the role of the titular character in the film. She said that apart from the Top Gun star, the production was also considering stars like Jim Carrey and Tom Hanks for the role which ultimately went to Johnny Depp. The only reason why Cruise wasn’t selected for the role was because he was asking too many questions about the character that should not have been relevant. She said:
“[Cruise] wanted to know how Edward went to the bathroom, he was asking the kind of questions about the character that can’t be asked for this character! Part of the delicacy of the story was not answering questions like, ‘How does he go to the bathroom? How did he live without eating all those years?’ Tom Cruise was certainly unwilling to be in the movie without those questions being answered.”
His nature to go deep into the thick of it is what cost him the chance to become part of such a classic film, and Ryder the chance to work with him.

What Was Edward Scissorhands About?

A still from Edward Scissorhands
From the beautifully twisted imagination of Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands tells the tale of a scientist, who manages to create a reanimated human being named Edward. But before assembling him to resemble a proper human, the scientist dies, leaving Edward with sharp talons that look like scissors.

After a long while, he is discovered by a kindhearted woman named Peg, who takes Edward home to take care of him. As they reach home, Edward looks at Peg’s daughter and instantly falls in love with her. But being with her is close to impossible for him because he’s an outcast.

Edward Scissorhands, streaming on Max.

Source: Dazed