Rob Lowe shares a story about a boxing match with Tom Cruise on the set of the 1983 film 'The Outsiders', highlighting Cruise's competitive spirit and the camaraderie among the young cast.
- July 18, 2024
AceShowbiz - During an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show", Rob Lowe reminisced about his time on the set of "The Outsiders", recalling an intense boxing match with his then-costar Tom Cruise.
"He's so competitive that we used to box in the hallway of the hotel we were staying at during 'Outsiders'," Lowe said. "So much testosterone. We're 18-year-old guys stuck on location."
Lowe and his fellow castmates, including Cruise, would wear protective gear and engage in legitimate sparring sessions. Despite Lowe's then-scrawny frame, he managed to land a clean punch on Cruise. However, the "Mission: Impossible" star quickly retaliated.
"I rang his bell, and the next I knew, I woke up - I was coming to, on the floor," Lowe recounted. "And he, like, completely knocked me out."
Lowe attributed Cruise's reaction to the heavy hit, quipping, "His eyes just went black. But that's the stuff we did. That's what guys do. Like 'Fight Club'."
The camaraderie among the cast extended beyond their boxing matches. Lowe shared that he and Cruise would often workout and run together, forging a bond that has lasted to this day.
"The notion that an 18-year-old actor with a walk-on part in 'Endless Love' could have that kind of wherewithal? I remember going, 'Wow, this guy is the real deal,' " Lowe said of Cruise's intense work ethic.
"The Outsiders", directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, became a critical and commercial success, launching the careers of several of its young stars, including Lowe, Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio and Matt Dillon.
