“Couldn’t Believe All the Physical Stuff He Did”: Tom Cruise’s Unrealistic Performance in Mission Impossible Was Called Out by Hulk Fame in 2019

Published 11/26/2022, 9:00 AM PST
Lou Ferrigno, a legendary bodybuilder cum actor, is equipped with an enormous amount of knowledge and experience in the sport. He appeared in the Incredible Hulk, Sindbad of the Seven Seas, Hercules, and the latest, ‘The Offer’. Given his experience on-screen across different eras, the 71-year-old once shared his insights on action heroes performing stunts in the olden days versus now.
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Ferrigno began bodybuilding after seeing strong and muscular characters in comic books. Also, his passion showed him a way to pursue the sport when he couldn’t afford the equipment. He made it himself using a broomstick and pails of cement. The former Mr. Universe is an encyclopedia of experiences. In a 2019 interview, he gave a critical review of Tom Cruise’s performance in his action-packed movie, Mission Impossible.
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Lou Ferrigno shared his honest views about Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible
The former professional bodybuilder is a contemporary of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Undeniably, his opinions are based on experiences rather than assumptions. The host asked Ferrigno whether the days of the real masculine superhero-type actors are gone.
Speaking of which, the Hercules actor shared that the heroes of today use cables and wires, and “I don’t really believe it.” Regarding the stunts in the Mission Impossible movie, he said, “Tom Cruise may be a good actor.” However, the action sequences seemed believable rather than natural. “Couldn’t believe all the physical stuff he did,” he admitted.
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Ferrigno underscored the effort and transformation actors went through in those days to add soul to their roles. He stated examples of Arnold in Commando and Sylvester in Rambo. Comparing the olden days’ movies with the current era’s, he said, “the special effects are dominating everything.”
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Ferrigno shared his views on bodybuilding in the modern era
The legendary bodybuilder’s life is a classic example of achieving greatness by starting from scratch. Similarly, the Incredible Hulk star recalled, “everyone had a story about themselves and we were all unique.”
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Moreover, he affirmed that guys in those days gave their best performance solely based on their “symmetry and natural talent.” But the modern era “is all being the biggest and heaviest onstage.” Also, he said that money was not a deciding factor.
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