Rob Lowe shared that his "Outsiders" co-star Tom Cruise got intensely competitive during a boxing match on the set of their 1983 film.
“He’s so competitive that we would box in the hotel hallway where we stayed during filming. So much testosterone,” Lowe, 60, mentioned on the July 15 episode of “The Rich Eisen Show.”
Lowe explained that he and his co-stars, including Cruise, 62, would “wear headgear” and mouthguards and “legitimately spar” with each other.
“We were 18-year-old guys stuck on location. I remember, Tom was jacked, and I had skinny arms,” the "St. Elmo’s Fire" actor recalled. “Tom was like a beast, but I hit him cleanly, and the next thing I knew, I woke up on the floor. He had completely knocked me out.”
Lowe added that Cruise’s “eyes went black” after being punched, reminiscing, “But that’s what we did. It was like Fight Club.”
In an April 2020 appearance on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, Lowe shared that Cruise went “ballistic” when he learned they would share a hotel room during "The Outsiders" auditions.
“The idea that an 18-year-old actor with minor roles could have such determination? I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this guy is serious,’” Lowe said. “It was crazy, but you can’t argue with the results. He’s been focused from day one.”
Lowe and Cruise played Sodapop Curtis and Steve Randle in the coming-of-age film, alongside Emilio Estevez, C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and Diane Lane. In February, director Francis Ford Coppola shared audition footage from the film.
“42 years ago, we cast 'The Outsiders' uniquely. We had all the actors on a soundstage, alternating roles,” Coppola, 85, captioned the Instagram video. “It created a competitive yet respectful environment. The outcome was excellent and reminded me of my camp counselor days.”
Lowe commented on the post, “Feels like yesterday,” while Macchio, 62, who played Johnny Cade, thanked Coppola and S.E. Hinton, who wrote the novel the film is based on.
“These auditions and the film experience still resonate with me. Thank you, Francis (and Susie),” Macchio wrote.
"The Outsiders" is now a Broadway musical, winning four Tony Awards, including Best New Musical, in June. Macchio recently attended a performance and posed for photos with the cast. Sky Lakota-Lynch, who plays Macchio’s original role, shared a photo with Macchio on Instagram.