Post by Taxigirl on Jan 7, 2004 10:31:48 GMT
Actor Tom Cruise spent two hours meeting and greeting ecstatic fans at the UK première of The Last Samurai in central London on Tuesday.
As the actor scribbled his hundredth autograph and posed uncomplainingly for yet another photo, his hordes of admirers were unanimous - Cruise is one of Hollywood's good guys.
"He's just so genuine," was the consensus among the 5,000 fans thronging Leicester Square as Cruise spent the best part of two hours chatting and signing their pictures.
This observation was trailed closely by: "Ooh... Isn't he short?" And alternatively: "He's not that short, is he?"
Short or otherwise, genuine or merely incomparably PR-savvy, Cruise knows how to work a crowd like few other showbiz A-listers.
That Tom Cruise - what a nice bloke!
He has effectively cornered the market in the extended walkabout, displaying a stamina and a chutzpah that politicians and minor royals can only watch and weep with envy.
Closely accompanied by his female publicist and two discreet security men, he performed what has become his customary red carpet marathon outside The Odeon cinema.
It lasted almost as long as his new Japanese war epic, The Last Samurai, which was getting its first British showing for an exclusive crowd inside.
Cruise arrived shortly before 1800 and began his tour as his girlfriend Penelope Cruz, dressed in a stunning red Valentino dress, did likewise for 15 minutes before disappearing into the cinema.
The actor, in dark suit, polo neck and stubble, spoke to stunned fans on their partners' and friends' mobile phones, snuggled up for group photos, and honed in on one couple waiting with their "beautiful" baby, exclaiming: "Sleepless nights!"
He spoke to a delighted Roni Steiner, 26, at her home in Israel, via husband Efi's mobile.
"I was just thrilled," she said. "I couldn't believe it, it was such a surprise and a shock. I've loved him since I was a young girl."
It was the same story for Julie O' Connor's sister, Jackie, 34, who took a call at her home in Wolverhampton from Julie's mobile.
"She was gobsmacked," said Julie. "He said, 'hello Jackie, how are you, have you had a nice day, happy new year!'"
Gavin Todd, nine, had a red carpet encounter with the star after being hauled over the barriers at Cruise's request.
"He said to me, 'how are you, did you get squashed, are you OK?'" said the shell-shocked youngster.
Cruise chatted to Gavin's mother Karen about the film, saying he enjoyed working with Billy Connolly, and telling her the script for Mission Impossible III had not been finalised.
Marta Ziba, 25, on her first visit to London from Albania, also experienced the Cruise magic first-hand as he signed her piece of paper.
"I was just so happy," she said. "He shook hands and was very friendly."
Cindy Veloso, 32, and her daughter Isabelle, 14, visiting the UK from Sao Paolo, Brazil, were bowled over.
"I started saying, 'I love you, I love you, take a picture of us please'," said Isabelle - and Cruise obliged.
Amid the pandemonium of the security barriers and screaming, the star also managed a brief word with BBC News Online.
"It's great, wonderful," he said of the rapturous greeting he had received from his British fans.
"The welcome is beautiful," he added, nodding slowly to emphasise the words.
Close up, his charisma is evident and, yes, the smiles do seem genuine as he does his rounds, signing his name with a flourish using his own black marker.
Two hours later and - was it just me, or were his crew looking a little relieved as Tom - finally - paced energetically into the Odeon?
An epic journey - and that was before the opening credits had even rolled.