Are Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller Still Friends?

Ben Stiller's action comedy Tropic Thunder was released in 2008, but the idea for the movie was developed long before that, back in the 1980s. It was around the same time that Stiller met Tom Cruise, who became his life-long friend and, years later, starred in Tropic Thunder as an erratic producer in charge of a movie Stiller's character was supposed to star in.

Let's delve into Cruise and Stiller's heart-warming bromance, which the stars have shared for decades.

When the two met in the 80s, Stiller was just beginning his career as a comedian and writer, while Cruise had already established himself as a prominent actor with his role in 1986's Top Gun. Trying to break into the screenwriting industry, Stiller created The Hustler of Money, a 10-minute parody of Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money, starring Cruise. The short film was shown as a sketch on Saturday Night Live, and Cruise reportedly enjoyed the young writer's spoof.

In 2000, the MTV Movie Awards presented a new sketch in which both actors appeared together, with Ben playing Tom's stunt double during the filming of Mission: Impossible II. Check out how well Stiller nailed his friend's impersonation in the sketch:

When Cruise was still married to Katie Holmes, they were friends with Ben and his wife Christine Taylor. The couples' daughters, Suri and Ella, also enjoyed spending time with each other at the time.

'[Suri's] amazing and [Tom and Katie] are terrific. And when little kids get together, you just let them do their thing, there's no outside elements. Ella likes being the older sister — and we haven't had many [play-dates] but whoever's children that they're playing with, it's always a great thing to see your kids connecting,' Christine Taylor shared in 2008.

In 2013, Tom Cruise accompanied his friend at the handprint ceremony as Stiller sank his hand- and footprints into the Grauman's Chinese Theatre courtyard.

While the two actors haven't shared any updates on their friendship in recent years, we can assume they are still good mates, enjoying their bromance outside of the paparazzi's glare.

Source: Observer.