Cruise's son makes film debut

2008-12-19 17:21

New York - Tom Cruise's 13-year-old son will have a six-day jump on his father at the box office.

Connor Cruise makes his big-screen debut in Seven Pounds, which opens on Friday. On December 25, his father's Valkyrie hits theatres.

It's a small, supporting role for Connor, one of two children from Cruise's marriage to Nicole Kidman. Cruise also has a daughter, Suri, with his wife, Katie Holmes.

In a recent interview, Cruise said he's very proud of Connor, but was careful not to pressure him.

"Who knows what he's going to do?" Cruise said. "He's grown up on (acting). I've always had my kids there, in hair and make-up, just always around the sets. They've worked on sets."

Cruise said he's played acting class games with his children, and they've often watched him develop characters.

The 46-year-old actor said driving Connor to his audition for Seven Pounds was a "great father-son moment", but the audition was more difficult. Cruise and the film's star Will Smith, who are friends, were in the room when director Gabriele Muccino ordered them to leave.

Said Cruise: "(Muccino) looked at me and Will, and Will and I were like, 'How's he doing?' And the director just said, 'Out!' So we were standing in the hall for about half an hour or something, wondering, `What's going on in there? What's happening?"'

But Connor got the part. He plays a young Ben Thomas, Smith's character, in the movie.

- AP