Tom Cruise Redeems Himself at MTV Movie Awards

By Zach Dionne Posted Jun 6th 2010 10:30PM

Tom Cruise Les Grossman MTV Movie Awards

There was a moment there, when Tom Cruise showed up live on the MTV Movie Awards in character as aggressive, dynamite-loud film producer Les Grossman, when we were really, really nervous. Sure, he killed it in 'Tropic Thunder,' and he'd been rocking the taped promos for the awards show but ... live? Seriously?

Seriously. With a three-minute booty-shakin' performance, the actor himself officially ended the era of Tom Cruise bashing. Oprah's couch? Scientology? The eyepatch in 'Valkyrie'? Fuhgeddaboudit! Cruise became definitively cool again with his live appearance, complete with swaggerific undone bow-tie and J-Lo as his dance partner. Watch Tom/Les break it down with Jennifer Lopez in the clip below, and after the jump, the hilarious intro.

PopEater speculated a few weeks back that the national relationship with Tom Cruise was set to careen toward all-out hate or ascend back to love. We're thrilled to say we're all about Tom Cruise again, and we feel just dandy about it.

And so do you, it seems. So far, thousands of PopEater readers have leaned 66% toward "yes, this was amazing" in our poll asking if Tom Cruise is back on the public's good side. As recently as mid-May (in our ongoing love/hate Tom Cruise investigation), 56% of voters indicated they "hate him," while only 19% loved him.

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Crucial in Cruise's redemption is the 47-year-old's newfound ability to walk the tightrope of self-seriousness. With the incident on Oprah's couch in 2005, it looked like he was off the deep end, like he'd never behave like a respectable actor again. In a verbal spat with Matt Lauer that same year, Cruise seemed unapproachable in the opposite regard, taking himself far too seriously.

Then came Cruise's 2008 'Tropic Thunder' cameo, introducing the world to Les Grossman and to the idea that this man might be able to take himself a little less seriously, and still entertain. Resurrecting the character in 2010, and doing it live, cemented the fact that Cruise could laugh at himself with the rest of us, and at the end of the day, flash his million-dollar grin while we sat back and said, Wow.

"He turned his image from Scientology to scatology and added a considerable amount of grease to his stiff-guy stereotype," was the LA Times' dead-on verdict.

Check out the Les Grossman-filled, star-studded intro to last night's MTV Movie Awards:

When the time came for Best Picture, Cruise reappeared as a presenter (as himself) with 'Knight and Day' co-star Cameron Diaz, clearly in on the joke of his amazing performance earlier in the night. Grinning, he offered a quick "love you all," before launching into the prepared spiel. But even introducing the nominees, Cruise could hardly stop cracking up at the Les Grossman-inspired catcalls from the audience. The redemption was palpable.

"It was a lot of fun -- it was a blast!" Cruise told PEOPLE after the show. "You know, I can dance a bit, and we rehearsed. And my wife's a dancer, so I like dancing! [Katie] loved it."

Read more: Behind the Return of Les Grossman | Sandra Bullock's Brave Speech

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Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Actor Tom Cruise attends the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cruise

Getty Images for The US-Ireland

Getty Images North America

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Director/producer/writer J.J. Abrams and actor Tom Cruise onstage during the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** J.J. Abrams;Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Actor Tom Cruise, president of the Irish American Alliance Trina Vargo and author Colum McCann attend the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cruise;Trina Vargo;Colum McCann

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Author Colum McCann and actor Tom Cruise attend the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Colum McCann;Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Actor Tom Cruise speaks onstage during the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Snapshots

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Tags: Les Grossman, MTV Movie Awards, Tom Cruise

Comments

(201)

Wednesday 09 June

By Pam

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OMG!! Tom Cruise is hysterical!!! Go Tom!

Sunday 06 June

By sith queen

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I love him as Les Grossman--this is a great character. It's the only Tom Cruise role I like him in.

Monday 07 June

By vrowe11

THEN YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN FAR AND AWAY...CK IT OUT

By john

Is this author serious? Tom redeems his career on MoronTV appealing to the young dregs and drug addicts of society. No person, young or otherwise, with ANY character would even watch the Hollywierd garbage that airs on MTV. How pathetic that is where this buffoon of an author thinks it would be possible to resurrect a career. Tom better wake up and smell the coffee not the crack and hash.

By Mark

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

JOHN, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A FAN OF TOM CRUISE, IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY BUFFOON HERE. YOU JUST INSULTED EVERYONE'S CHILDREN INCLUDING MINE. THEY ARE NEITHER DRUG ADDICTS OR DREGS AND THEY HAVE PLENTY CHARACTER.

By bdyftns

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Hardly the only 'Buffoon' who likes Tom. That was fantastic. I could care less about his scientology or jumping on Oprha's couch. That's not why I go to the movies to see him. He's made so many great movies from his early years right through the Mission Impossible movies....which millions watched, and watched again. I guess there are a lot of 'Buffoons' out there. You might pay less attention to the National Enquirer and more attention to his acting.

By Susan

My disliking him has nothing to do with his "talent" and everything to do with him being involved in a crazy cult and influencing those amongst us who may not be smart enough to see beyond the movie star image.

By Tessy O'Toole

Just when you think you've heard enough of Tom Cruise ... he's back again!

By Verona

Nothing has changed. I still don't like him!

By ofalaska

About time he doesn't take himself seriously! The obvious is sometimes the only route to getting your mojo back!

By vegimorph

Tom Cruise wearing the eye patch in Valkerye was bad? Give me a break, he was awesome in that movie!

By cindi

Totally agree! he made the movie!

By Elvis

Now we know the only person to see that movie...

By susary

I always wondered what Mr. Cruise would look like without makeup, the skilled use of the knife, the bleached teeth, and the other artifices of Hollywood "movie stars" (as opposed to actors, a category for which Mr. Cruise does not qualify). Now I know.

susary.....isn't that true will all actors and actresses? Some of these women, who look so beautiful on the screen would look like your worst dream without the plastic surgery, make-up. etc, etc. Why trash Tom for what everyone else does for the movies.
You think all these stars were born with pearly white teeth? Hardly.

By BB

Tom Cruise was really great and still so handsome.
So what if he said or did a couple of things that may have upset you. Get over it - he's a nice guy and we have all said or done things that we wish we could undo.
Can't wait to see his latest movie! He's always been a good actor. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are actors that are SO underrated.

By Margaret

You're so right BB. The talent as an actor for good looking men is frequently overlooked. Paul Newman was awesome in Tennessee Williams' movies (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Sweet Bird of Youth, etc.) and other great parts in his early career. He should have gotten the oscar long before he did. I don't think Robert Redford got an oscar (for acting), as well as many other handsome actors. BTW, Cruise was so good in Tropic Thunder that I had no idea it was him until the credits. It's a shame there is no oscar for cameo roles or he'd have gotten it.

By anita

actually bb i just dont like tom cruise its NOT that he said or did anything to offend me i just PLAIN OUT DONT like him

By KC

'Tis not what I see. Tom Cruise is IT ! The IT factor, he's got it ! He's handsome, cool, very nice looking, did I already say handsome? He's the type of guy you'd love to ride on back of his motorcycle with ! I'm getting dizzy... thinking about him lol!

By J

None of my problems with Tom Cruise ever had anything to do with his abilities as an actor or entertainer.

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