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Cruise Mister Impossible
The Sun, 23 August 2006
By VICTORIA NEWTON and IAN KING TOM Cruise has been dumped by Hollywood bosses who accuse him of "creative suicide" after his recent bizarre behaviour. Paramount Studios refused to renew the Mission: Impossible star's contract, claiming his antics hit box office takings. Chairman Sumner Redstone said: "As much as we like him personally we thought it wrong to renew his deal. "His recent conduct has not been acceptable. "We don’t think someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot. "It’s nothing to do with his acting ability, he's a terrific actor." [picture caption: 'Over the top' ... Tom on Oprah] He said Cruise, 44, went "over the top" recently when he went on Oprah Winfrey’s show and jumped up and down on a sofa, declaring his love for fiancée Katie Holmes. He has also snogged the actress in public. Box office figures for Mission: Impossible III were well below expectations and Redstone blamed Cruise’s antics. He said: "It was the best of the three movies in the series. But while it will still be profitable, it grossed less than the other two movies." A spokeswoman for Cruise yesterday hit out at Paramount’s decision to axe him after 14 years on the studio’s books. [picture caption: Madly in love ... snogging Katie] Production partner Paula Wagner said: "This is outrageous and disrespectful." She said Cruise’s backers have raised £53million to go it alone, and will set their next project at a rival studio. Wagner said Cruise’s agency CAA ended talks with Paramount earlier in the week. Two other agents for Cruise called Redstone’s remarks "shockingly offensive and graceless". In a further blow to Cruise, some members of his bizarre Scientology cult have distanced themselves from him. One Hollywood source said: "Many members don’t want him going round spouting off all this mad stuff. They think it is putting people off Scientology." v.newton@the-sun.co.uk
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