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The Truth About Tom Cruise's Character In 'Tropic Thunder'

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Love him or loathe him, there's no denying that Tom Cruise basically stole Tropic Thunder. While the movie was filled with controversy, such as Robert Downey Jr.'s character's acting choices , the 2008 film remains beloved. In the film, Tom Cruise played a vile Hollywood mogul named Les Grossman. Given Tom's incredible filmography , it makes sense that he brought this character to life so well. But given Tom's recent set outburst as well as his not-so-clean reputation among some in Hollywood perhaps his casting was even more calculated. Either way, Tom Cruise absolutely knocked this role out of the park. Thanks to a fantastic article by Grantland , we now know how he was able to do this...

Tom Was Supposed To Play Ben's Role Until He Gave A Very Specific Script Note

Tom Cruise needed to repair his image in 2007. Years of conflict with marriages, jumping on couches, and squabbles with the studio making his Mission Impossible movies put him in a bad light. Ultimately, Tropic Thunder was the film that helped (momentarily) rehabilitate his image. But Tom wasn't supposed to play Les Grossman, the vicious studio executive who clearly believed actors were disposable. Actually, Tom was supposed to play the leading role that Ben Stiller ended up taking. It made sense that Ben wasn't initially interested in the lead role. After all, he was already directing it and writing it with Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen.

"Justin Theroux and I had been working on the script on and off for eight years," Ben Stiller said to Grantland. "We had an outline and about half a script. I knew how it should end. Then we brought Etan on and got a full draft."

When Etan Cohen came on in 2002, he basically came up with the idea that would lead Tom Cruise to essentially create Les Grossman.

Related: Amidst The Tom Cruise Controversy, Katie Holmes Seems Unbothered And Is Focusing On Christmas

"We were still figuring out why the actors would get abandoned and no one would notice that all these stars were gone," Etan Cohen said. "So I had written this throwaway thing at the side of the document that said: 'Maybe the studio has an insurance policy on production. When the director dies they recoup all their expenses, so the studio doesn’t care about the actors.' Then we totally went away from that for years."

By that time, Tom Cruise had already read the script and claimed that there was a need for another villain. In fact, he even stated that it could use a greedy studio exec who 'represents the gross part of Hollywood'.

"His idea to show the studio head actually fixed a problem we had for a long time. We never cut back to the real world for any of the previous drafts. All the Grossman scenes totally fixed the plot holes" Ben Stiller claimed.

Related: Tom Cruise Trolled For 'Social Distancing From His Daughter' After Fiery Audio Leaks

Soon after, a new draft was written and Ben gave the role of the studio exec to Tom, who couldn't take it due to scheduling conflicts. But there was no name for the character at first. In fact, it took an entire year for 'Les Grossman' to officially be created.

"Ben decided he was going to play Speedman, and then he got a phone call from Tom, who said he just couldn’t get the script out of his mind. Tom asked, 'What else is open?' And Ben said, 'Well, we haven’t cast the Les Grossman role yet.' Tom was like, 'I’d play that,'" producer Stuart Cornfeld said.

Les Grossman's Look Was Half The Performance

While Tom brought a certain amount of energy to the role, his hair, make-up, and prosthetics were really what made the performance memorable. After all, Tom was barely recognizable.

"I was Tom’s go-to makeup person from Interview With the Vampire on. I did a lot of big, iconic looks for him," makeup designer Michèle Burke said. "I got a text saying, 'Tom wants to have hairy arms.' And I was thinking, Oh, OK, we can get hairy arms. Then they were like, 'We want him to have a hairy chest.' Then suddenly it was like he’s going to have big hands, and I’m sitting there thinking, This is getting bigger than I expected. Then they started sending me pictures of other people who looked a bit like this. You know, with the gold jewelry, the hairy chest. I thought, OK, now I’m beginning to get the picture, this is full-on."

Then, of course, there was the fat suit which was a bunch of custom pads made out of foam and beading from the inside of a pillow. This beading accurately mimicked the jiggle that human fat makes when it moves; something that was vital for the dance number...

All About Tom Cruise Dancing

"We’re doing the makeup test and it’s the first time Tom’s in the Les Grossman outfit. He stops and says, 'Maybe I should dance in this. You know, I haven’t danced in a movie in a long time,'" producer Stuart Cornfeld said.

The Mission Impossible and Eye Wide Shut star ended up choreographing all of his own dance moves which just made everyone on the set burst out laughing.

"I remember him standing off in a corner just working on his moves," co-star Bill Hader explained.

The outrageous costume, hair, and make-up, the hilarious lines (mostly written by Justin Theroux), as well as the performance and energy that Tom Cruise brought to the role, ended up creating a truly memorable character.

Next: Why Did Tom Cruise Agree To A Cameo In 'Austin Powers'?

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Tropic Thunder

Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying. Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying. Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

• Ben Stiller
• Justin Theroux
• Robert Downey Jr.
• 744 User reviews
• 325 Critic reviews
• 71 Metascore
• 10 wins & 47 nominations total

• Tugg Speedman - Hot LZ

• Jeff Portnoy - Hot LZ

• Kirk Lazarus - Hot LZ

• Snooty Waiter - Fatties Trailer

• Platoon Sergeant Shot in Head - Hot LZ

• Kevin Sandusky - Hot LZ

• Alpa Chino - Hot LZ
• Chopper Pilot - Hot LZ

• Damien Cockburn - Vietnam Crew

• Damien's Assistant - Vietnam Crew

• Cameraperson - Vietnam Crew

• First Assistant Director - Vietnam Crew

• Script Supervisor - Vietnam Crew

• Cody - Vietnam Crew
• Special Effects Assistant - Vietnam Crew

• Studio Executive Rob Slolom - Vietnam Crew

• Four Leaf Tayback - Vietnam Crew
• Speedman Assistant - Vietnam Crew
• (as Jeff Weideman)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Ben Stiller said nearly all aspects of the Les Grossman character were developed by Tom Cruise , including the dancing and the look of the make-up. Stiller said that in addition to the more obvious make-up effects applied to Cruise's face and head, and the extra hair on his chest and arms, Cruise also decided to play the character wearing oversized prosthetic hands.
• Goofs The north Vietnam flag appear early in the film (the read flag with yellow star). But in South Vietnam, it was not used by the VC. However, the Tayback story is set in an NVA (North Vietnamese Army) prison camp, thus it is accurate for them to have a North Vietnamese flag.

Les Grossman : First, take a big step back... and literally, FUCK YOUR OWN FACE! I don't know what kind of pan-pacific bullshit power play you're trying to pull here, but Asia Jack is my territory. So whatever you're thinking, you'd better think again! Otherwise I'm gonna have to head down there and I will rain down an un-Godly fucking firestorm upon you! You're gonna have to call the fucking United Nations and get a fucking binding resolution to keep me from fucking destroying you. I'm talking scorched earth, motherfucker! I will massacre you! I WILL FUCK YOU UP!

• Crazy credits Movie begins with advertisement and fake trailers where the "actors" appear.
• Alternate versions There is a director's extended cut which is available on the 3-disc special edition in the UK which contains more footage - runtime of overall film is 116 minutes on back of DVD case.
• Connections Edited into Yoostar 2: In the Movies (2011)
• Soundtracks I Love Tha Pussy Written by Darryl Farmer , Ronald Jackson , Brandon T. Jackson , Cisco Adler & Micah Givens Performed by Brandon T. Jackson

User reviews 744

• Sep 20, 2020
• How long is Tropic Thunder? Powered by Alexa
• Is "Tropic Thunder" based on a book?
• Are any of the characters based on real people?
• What is "blackface"?
• August 13, 2008 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• DreamWorks / Paramount (France)
• DreamWorks (United States)
• Sấm Nhiệt Đới
• Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA
• Dreamworks Pictures
• Red Hour Films
• Goldcrest Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $92,000,000 (estimated)
• $110,515,313
• $25,812,796
• Aug 17, 2008
• $195,703,351

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 47 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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(CNN) -- Truly, it's been a summer for jokers -- and I'm not just talking about "The Dark Knight."

"Tropic Thunder" stars Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. as self-absorbed actors.

When the bat's been away, Steve Carell ("Get Smart"), Will Ferrell ("Step Brothers") and Seth Rogen ("Pineapple Express") have all come out to play, and notched up lucrative returns, too.

Ben Stiller's sometimes hilarious "Tropic Thunder" is easily the biggest of the summer's blockbuster comedies -- and certainly the goriest. It's a high-concept meta-movie about an all-star Vietnam War picture (also called "Tropic Thunder") that goes very, very wrong. Stiller's "Tropic Thunder," on the other hand, gets it mostly right. Which is just as well, because it looks like it cost an arm and a leg to make.

The movie-within-a-movie is directed by Damian Cockburn (Steve Coogan) and stars chubby clown Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), rapper Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), action beefcake Tugg Speedman (Stiller) and Aussie method man Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.). The latter is a temperamental chameleon who takes his craft so seriously he has undergone skin pigmentation treatment for his role as a black GI. (Any resemblance to Russell Crowe is entirely superficial but can hardly be coincidental.)

Cockburn quickly loses the trust of his ferocious, potty-mouthed studio boss (in one of the film's more inspired insider gags, he's played by a real-life studio boss you may just recognize as Tom Cruise). So when disabled Vietnam vet "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte) -- the inspiration for the movie -- suggests dropping them into the jungle and shooting the picture with hidden digital cameras, "guerrilla-style," it seems like a stroke of genius. That is, until the stars lose contact with the outside world and find themselves in a firefight with Golden Triangle drug lords.

Stiller does milk it, but the protesters are missing the point. If there's one group who should be protesting this movie it's the Screen Actors Guild. The heart-rending, soul-searching, consciousness-raising commitment we prize in our movie stars, particularly around Oscar time -- it's all beautifully travestied and lampooned.

• 'Tropic Thunder' pushes envelope and then some

An early bad-taste highlight has Tugg messing with his director's head. Literally. And the strained relationship between Alpa and Kirk -- who proves incapable of breaking out of his African-American character -- is terrifically juicy.

Downey's blackface performance is an appalling mixture of Mr. T and Uncle Remus, but at the same time he endows the actor with enough straight critical intelligence to appreciate the severity of their situation. The effect is simultaneously funny and a little disturbing.

Lazarus is the one character who leaves an indelible impression among some overly familiar caricatures. The Asian characters, in particular, rightfully belong in some third-rate "Deer Hunter" knock-off.

Which doesn't mean that "Tropic Thunder" -- which was written by Stiller, Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen -- isn't funny. It can be scattershot, even with its fairly safe targets, but when it hits it hits dead-on. (It's not wildly original and outrageous, though, to anyone who's seen Coogan in "Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story" or watched the Ricky Gervais series "Extras," in which Stiller played himself in one episode.) iReport.com: Share your thoughts on 'Tropic Thunder'

But after an hour or so the movie's one big joke starts wandering around in circles and we're stuck watching a painfully unfunny Jack Black flailing about in mock heroin withdrawal; Tugg reprising Simple Jack, yet again; and a silly, authentically B-movie climax which involves everyone shooting blanks.

Still, if it doesn't live up to its full potential there is more than enough to keep you smiling, not least its production values. The film was photographed by John Toll, who shot "The Thin Red Line," and he gives it a look to compete with the Vietnam movies it has in its sights ("Platoon," especially, gets a ribbing). There's also the now-cliched '60s jukebox soundtrack to go with it.

And though some of the caricatures wear thin, some of the acting rises to a high level. There's Downey, of course, but also Jackson and Jay Baruchel's nicely gauged supporting turns, and a blitzkrieg of celebrity cameos including Tobey Maguire, Matthew McConaughey and Jon Voight.

As for Mr. Cruise, he's still the best mover and shaker in Hollywood. He should try this stuff more often.

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Tropic Thunder  rewatched and reconsidered, 10 years later

The summer of 2008 broke history, and rebuilt it. America suffered through a bitter presidential election on the road to a globewrecking financial crisis. In theaters, cinematic generations were rising — and falling. Superheroes, Will Smith, George Lucas, Guillermo del Toro, Emma Stone, Mike Myers, Sisterhood s and Step Brothers , Batman, and ABBA, adaptations of TV shows we still tweet about, new installments of movie franchises studios won't stop rebooting: everything Hollywood was before, alongside everything it still is.

In our weekly column Two Thousand Late , we'll explore the big hits and curious flops from a summer that has never really ended. Next week: Summer ends and a new era dawns with The House Bunny . This week: critic at large Leah Greenblatt and TV critic Darren Franich on Tropic Thunder .

DARREN: We've revisited a lot of movies this summer, Leah. But I have to admit, nothing made me more anxious than the prospect of rewatching Tropic Thunder.

For director-star Ben Stiller, this was magnum opus territory: A big-budget comedy about big-budget excess, stuffed with hard-R ultraviolence and offensive-on-purpose material. Stiller was an influential cult-comedy voice in the '90s before he became a full-blown franchise-launching megastar across the 2000s. On Thunder , he assembled an all-star lineup from across the cinematic universe of humor: fellow comedy star Jack Black, Apatow-adjacent Jay Baruchel and Danny McBride, stand-up Brandon T. Jackson, eternal "he's much more popular in Britain" talking point Steve Coogan. And that's not to mention Tom Cruise under heavy makeup, Robert Downey Jr. under heavy makeup, and Matthew McConaughey in the wilderness years.

Tropic Thunder was a phenomenon upon initial release. It was the movie that finally pushed The Dark Knight off the top of the box office, maintaining a No. 1 position in domestic theaters through Labor Day. And thanks to Downey, it became the rare comedy hit to receive Oscar attention, earning the star a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Downey's role-within-a-role might be the big talking point here. As a vaguely Crowevian method actor Kirk Lazarus, Downey spends most of the movie exhibiting "pigmentation alteration" — meta-blackface, basically.

It seems impossible that any actor would play a role like that today, though on some level "wouldn't happen today" is the vibe of the whole movie. Tropic Thunder opens with a comedy assault, fake trailers, fart symphonies, a Brokeback ish Oscar parody, the sight of Stiller's hands exploded into Sarlacc-y stumps. The opening scene openly quotes Platoon and Apocalypse Now , two films which symbolize an earlier era of auteurist overreach.

You're primed for a scathing satire of Hollywood…and then the film never really lives up to that prologue. There are some isolated bits in Tropic Thunder I really enjoy. I forgot just how fully committed and semi-psychopathic Jack Black was in the part of a druggy tabloid star. On some deeply pathological level, I will always think it's hilarious when Tom Cruise says bad words. But there's something a little backpatty in the film's tone, halfway to Entourage. You feel everyone's very proud of everything they're getting away with — and the fact that Stiller ends Tropic Thunder with his character's Oscar victory feels like meta-narcissism falling backwards into light egomania.

What was your experience watching Tropic Thunder this go-round, Leah?

LEAH: Mine was the same honestly, though maybe I enjoyed it just a smedge more than you did? Or the first 45 minutes at least; much like Ben Stiller's biceps, the last hour is the kind of swole that you makes you think, "That is a whole lot of effort, for my mere mild amusement." Especially when you remember that this is the same director who made his debut less than 15 years earlier with Reality Bites , where his character purposefully represented all the smash-cut emptiness of modern pop culture that Winona and her scrappy little band of gas-station bohemians were trying to get away from. The student has become the blaster.

But there are so many moments in Thunder that I still love, too: the loony cameos (don't tell me that Tobey Maguire's performance as the homoerotic priest in the Kirk Lazarus trailer-within-a-trailer doesn't deserve at least a Cable Ace award), Jack Black and his jellybeans; Danny McBride's reverse lightning-bolt mullet; RDJ's "never go full retard" speech. And you're so right, even rewatching that speech scene alone on my laptop, I felt uncomfortable; I don't feel great even typing the words now. But there is real Academy wisdom in that speech too — and his delivery is perfect.

I actually enjoy this Downey performance way more than anything he's done in spandex over the last few years; it's so goofy and free. But to me the biggest revelation in this movie is probably Tom Cruise — not strictly because of the acting, necessarily, or the fat suit, though he works hard for both, but just that this is the last time I remember him distinctly not playing himself. He's a hairy-knuckled bear-daddy Diet Coke-head with a nuclear rage problem, and he looks like he's having so much fun. I don't know that I've enjoyed him this much as a pure actor, and not as a dude playing the dude who is always Tom Cruise™, since Magnolia .

I also just realized, is there a lady in this movie with a line of dialogue besides "Please hold"? Not that every script has to pass the Bechdel test , but man that is a low ratio, when secondhand Maria Menounos on a closed-circuit TV beamed over the hotel breakfast buffet is your main female.

DARREN: You've also got Tyra Banks, Christine Taylor, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Alicia Silverstone in steadily more cameo-ish cameos. Which could be the point! Like the same summer's Step Brothers , the overriding vibe here is dudely self-destruction. Stiller wrote the screenplay with Etan Cohen and (hello!) Justin Theroux, and it almost feels like they aligned their core characters with the Seven Deadly Sins. Stiller's Tugg Speedman envies Lazarus. Lazarus is a white actor prideful enough to think he can play a black man. Black's Jeff Portnoy is a glutton, like a chocoholic, but for heroin. Grossman's greedy. Brandon Soo Hoo's teen guerilla Tran is all wrath. And, um, is that seven yet?

In a lot of ways, this movie seems like the apex of a particular moment in comedy, sitting alongside 2005's dirty-joke shockfest The Aristocrats and 2006's Borat feature. Back then, it felt like the point of movie comedy was to push past every possible barrier of good taste. (This was also the era when the horror genre slipped into torture porn, a correlation proving nothing except that the 2000s were a weird, dark time.) It's a kick to see how far Tropic Thunder wants to push itself, no doubt. Along with the "full retard" speech (god help me, I laughed again!), there's that bit when Grossman decides the best business move is to let his lead actor die.

We're halfway to Network territory there — but you feel the kid gloves come on after that, like the movie can't get too sharp in its showbiz satire, like there's this quality of safely laughing with instead of dangerously laughing at . I guess it's a tricky question of our age, Leah. Even when a movie explicitly sets out to deconstruct powerful Hollywood men, will it inevitably wind up celebrating them? It looks fun to be a powerful asshat! It's like that old Francois Truffaut line, how there's no such thing as a truly anti-war film, because war inevitably looks awesome on the big screen. I know, I know, quoting Truffaut now are we? , but that could be some ultimate point of Tropic Thunder , too. These dudes go to the jungle looking to make a sober war epic, lose their movie, lose their minds, and still wind up with awards-y financial success. Huzzah for failing upwards!

Cruise as Grossman is a delight. Also, maybe we're just all the way through the rabbit hole here, but I forgot how much I enjoyed McConaughey as Stiller's agent! I've just seen a lot of his Serious Face stuff post-McConaissance, so it's a kick to watch his anxiously fratty agent face off against magisterial Grossman. Can we reunite these two characters in a spinoff? Written by, like, Tina Fey?

LEAH: Darren, this is in my top-three McConaughey performances for sure; my Mconaugh-three. He's not doing Kate Hudson romance or gaunt Oscar bait, but he is acting out the perfect flipside of his '90s John Grisham types: he has a noble cause and he will fight to the death for it! Except the cause is the Tivo clause in his client's set rider , and he will fight unless the death of that client means he gets his own G5.

It's funny what you say about the movie pivoting from satire to self-congratulation, because as two people who work adjacent to show business (and by "adjacent" I mean, like, the seagulls in the dumpster behind the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion), do you think you and I are more susceptible in general to this kind of inside-baseball shenanigans?

Thunder 's whole plot obviously hinges on some knowledge of Hollywood self-regard, but it's not setting a super high bar: Any steady pop-culture consumer would recognize those tropes (like the opening string of fantastically bad fake trailers); they're like an action-movie amuse-bouche that Stiller and Theroux gave us eight years before Deadpool .

Now that you brought up Tina Fey though, the script does feel like a sort of feature-length cousin to one of her and Amy Poehler's Golden Globes monologues: a big, winky pin in the bloated balloon of industry ego. I think they might be better at it than Justin Theroux — but of course 10 killer minutes onstage is not the same as sustaining a whole movie. (And 10 great minutes is about exactly what Sisters had.)

As far as men being both the only target and, in the end, the only heroes here, Cruise's turn did make me think for a minute about another one of my favorite left-field casting coups: Tilda Swinton's ruthless lad-mag editor in Trainwreck . She's just pure, venal joy with no real redemption arc at all, and I loved that.

I'm not really sure how to end this thing, so I'll give you the one of the seven deadly sins you missed: Sloth! I'm tapping out. But I'm glad this assignment made us rewatch and reconsider a movie I probably wouldn't have gone back to without, say, a long weekend in a log cabin with a very limited DVD collection.

My final takeaway is: Brandon T. Jackson is underrated. Cruise and McConaughey definitely need to get weird more often. And if there's going to be any kind of spin-off, I vote for RDJ and Kate McKinnon just jabbering their crazy Australian accents at each other for two straight hours. Fin.

Complete Summer 2008 Schedule:

May 2: Iron Man and Made of Honor

May 9: Speed Racer

May 16: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

May 22: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull

May 30: Sex and the City

June 6: Kung Fu Panda

June 13: The Happening

June 20: The Love Guru

June 27: WALL-E

July 2: Hancock

July 11: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

July 18: The Dark Knight

July 25: Step Brothers

Aug. 1: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Aug. 13: Tropic Thunder

Aug. 22: The House Bunny

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Ten Years On, Tropic Thunder 's Still a Brutal Kick In Hollywood's A--

Five reasons ben stiller's controversial, career-reviving satire still sticks in the memory and in the industry's craw..

(Photo by © DreamWorks)

In 2008, Tropic Thunder hit screens like a dynamo, shocking audiences with its stunt casting and blunt satire and racking up $110.5 million in domestic box office receipts. Ten years on, it still stands out as an audacious and controversial piece of American comedy – and we’re digging into why.

Written, directed, and produced by Ben Stiller, the movie sits Certified Fresh at 82% on the Tomatometer and earned  Robert Downey Jr. a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Kirk Lazarus, a white Australian method actor portraying a black character, Staff Sergeant Lincoln Osiris, in a fake movie. It was also blessed by  Tom Cruise ’s brilliant cameo as ostentatious douchebag Hollywood agent, Les Grossman.

Performances are one thing, substance is another. Tropic Thunder might have been just another big studio comedy when it landed in theaters on August 13, 2008, but it had weight to it and stuck in our memories in a way that few comedies-of-the-week do. Here are some of the reasons it cut through, and holds up.

1. It Surpassed Some Of Its Most Notable Influences

Chances are, you’ve seen 1999’s Galaxy Quest , a Star Trek parody so funny, rich, and solid that some Trekkies even hold it among the canonical Star Trek movies. (Critics liked it too – it sits at 90% on the Tomatometer.) The film told the story of a band of down-and-out actors from a  Star Trek -like   series who are forced to play their TV roles when they’re kidnapped by a beleaguered alien race that thinks their TV reruns are real-life documentaries. Chances are, too, that you’ve herd of  Three Amigos! , released 13 years earlier, which also saw a band of actors mistaken for their onscreen characters, this time South of the Border. The two films’ influence on Thunder – in which, yet again, the story of actors mistaken for their characters is used to skewer aspects of the movie-making business – is such that some online writers have dubbed them an unofficial trilogy. The trilogy’s finale, though, takes its satire to the darkest place: the very heart of the dream factory.

If Galaxy Quest captured Star Trek and its surrounding culture in a nutshell, Tropic Thunder captured Hollywood itself. Stiller’s script held a funhouse mirror to his contemporary actors, portraying its entitled prima donna actor characters with zero self-awareness about themselves, their peers, or their impact on audiences. More, Stiller held that same mirror to the Hollywood industrial complex, with the characters’ agents being varying degrees of oblivious, short-tempered, and manipulative. Despite all this, nearly every character in Tropic Thunder learns to get over themselves in a Sullivan’s Travels sort of way (yep, it even had a very Hollywood ending). While Galaxy Quest posits that even disposable entertainment has intrinsic value, Tropic Thunder argues that most folks in Hollywood, while often misguided, ultimately have the best intentions at heart.

Well, everyone but Les Grossman.

2. It Gave Tom Cruise a Much-Needed Post-Couch Big Win

The mid-2000s were rough for Tom Cruise’s image. Mission: Impossible III   didn’t exactly light up the box office, Lions for Lambs bombed outright, and then there was the Oprah couch incident. It seemed like the impossible had happened: Cruise’s star was fading. That was until his explosive performance as Hollywood agent Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder . Rumored to be based on Harvey Weinstein, Grossman was a hilarious, over-the-top deconstruction of the stereotypical Hollywood executive: brash, profane, arrogant, egotistical, manipulative, greedy, and grandiose. He might be a bit much to swallow – and a bit harder to watch, given what we know about the man who some say inspired him – but his meme-able dance moves go down smooth.

3. IT WAS PART OF THE “YEAR OF ROBERT DOWNEY JR.”

Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Kirk Lazarus, who plays the black Sergeant Lincoln Osiris in the movie-within-the-movie, is one of Tropic Thunder’s most memorable — and infamous — elements. Already riding a big career uptick following 2005’s Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang   and 2007’s Zodiac , Downey Jr. had a truly banner year in 2008 with the releases of  Iron Man and Tropic Thunder . The actor proved he could lead a blockbuster with the MCU’s first entry, but Tropic Thunder  reminded people that he also had range to spare. It was an uproarious and uncomfortable satire of Hollywood whitewashing and the industry’s often problematic casting decisions – and let’s face it, one that is still relevant today.

4. IT HELPED KICK OFF THE MCCONAISSANCE

Make no mistake, we were riding the Matthew McConaughey train well before  Tropic Thunder – he was a rom-com king in  Failure to Launch ,  How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days , and Fool’s Gold , and he gave us a decent villain in the apocalyptic Reign of Fire . But he was rarely given serious consideration for roles that were, shall we say, more challenging. He changed that perception in Tropic Thunder  playing Rick Peck, a comically oblivious agent who was absolutely hellbent on getting his client a TiVo. From there, McConaughey enjoyed a string of successes including Mud , Magic Mike , and Dallas Buyers Club , and notably on TV’s True Detective .  Prior to  Tropic Thunder , he starred or appeared in just five Certified Fresh movies across a span of 15 years; in the 10 years since the movie’s release, he’s been in nine.

5. IT WAS WOKE AS HELL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TIME

Another infamous element of  Tropic Thunder ? Ben Stiller’s action star Tugg Speedman formerly played the titular character in  Simple Jack , an in-universe critical-and-financial failure centered on a young man with learning disabilities. As with the Tropic Thunder ‘s treatment of blackface, the concept of Simple Jack held Hollywood’s feet to the fire, skewering the way able-bodied actors have portrayed people with disabilities to earn those awards-season accolades. Tropic Thunder also featured Brandon T. Jackson as Alpa Chino, a hyper-masculine – but closeted – rapper-turned-actor. When he accidentally comes out to his co-stars, he is met only with encouragement. We also got to see Chino with his boyfriend at the end of the film in a heartwarming moment.

The 2000s saw their share of important comedies, with Superbad , The 40 Year Old Virgin , and Knocked Up digging into a number of issues on the tip of people’s tongues, but Tropic Thunder  cracked the egg of Hollywood itself. For that – and for its rollicking deconstructions of entitlement, race, fame, the creative process, and self-actualization – it won’t soon be forgotten.

Tropic Thunder was released in theaters August 13, 2008

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Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie planning a musical and the return of Tropic Thunder ’s Les Grossman

The duo also want another action movie with "franchise potential".

The creative partnership between Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie is easily one of the most successful in Hollywood, if only because McQuarrie’s work as writer (and now director) on the Mission: Impossible movies has completely salvaged Cruise’s status as a movie star (and that was even before Top Gun: Maverick became the biggest movie of his entire career). So it makes sense that they have a lot of plans for the future—even if not all of those plans for the future make sense themselves.

According to a new Deadline report , Cruise and McQuarrie have three “very different projects” in “the early stages” of development, and that’s in addition to existing movies from the two of them (like Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part Two and the thing Tom Cruise wants to film in space ). The first of the new projects is said to be “an original song and dance-style musical” that will be a “star vehicle for Cruise,” with Deadline noting that Cruise has been “long interested” in doing a musical and that he learned to sing for Rock Of Ages 10 years ago.

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Project the second is the most mysterious , with Deadline just saying that it’s “another original action film with franchise potential,” which could mean anything, but it’s worth noting that McQuarrie had a hand in The Mummy , Edge Of Tomorrow , and Jack Reacher , all of which were action films with franchise potential and only one of which actually got a sequel (and McQuarrie was only a producer on that completely forgotten sequel, so that tells you something). Basically, the two of them have been trying to launch another original action film with franchise potential for a decade, so this is nothing new.

Finally, and this is the most “lol wut” of the three, Deadline says that Cruise and McQuarrie are “fixated” on Les Grossman, the fat suit-wearing, foul-mouthed movie studio executive that Cruise played in Tropic Thunder . Deadline doesn’t know if that means they’ll craft an entire movie around Grossman or “borrow him” for either the musical or the action movie with franchise potential.

All of that is absurd for a few reasons, the least of which being that the few minutes of screen time that the character has in Tropic Thunder were already more than enough, and stretching it out beyond that in a way that isn’t excruciating sounds impossible. Also, in a world where people in Hollywood are speaking out against “Jewface,” are we really going to go ahead with Tom Cruise playing Les Grossman again? It just seems like a wild choice for these guys to make in 2022, especially if he shows up in a musical or an action movie with franchise potential—but especially if he shows up in his own solo movie. Just make up a new character with a different name!

Tom Cruise's Best Tropic Thunder Scene Required One Person's Permission

"Tropic Thunder" features Tom Cruise, Hollywood's last great action star , in the surprisingly goofy role of studio exec Les Grossman. One of the best scenes in "Tropic Thunder" is in the film's closing moments, when Grossman is seen grooving and dancing to Ludacris' "Get Back" -- a hilarious and fitting track to wrap up such a chaotic, action-packed film. Ludacris himself approved the use of his 2004 track after director and co-writer Ben Stiller privately screened the film for him. "Not only did he seek approval, respectfully, he invited us to watch the movie before it came out and it was literally just me, him and my management and we watched the whole movie," Ludacris told Sean Evans while appearing on  "Hot Ones."  

"Just to see at the end for [Stiller] to ask me, 'Is it OK to clear this?' And I was like, 'Absolutely,'" the "Fast and Furious" star said, adding that he was thrilled to have received the opportunity to watch the film in advance as he was a fan of Stiller's work. "Tropic Thunder" went on to become box office gold in 2008, grossing over $191 million worldwide. Robert Downey Jr. also notably received a best supporting actor nod at the Oscars for starring in the comedy. 

Beyond box office glory and awards clout, "Tropic Thunder" stands out as one the most interesting films in Cruise's filmography, a rare comedic offering for the superstar who is most well-known for his action films and death-defying stunts. 

Read more: Improvised Lines That Changed Roles Forever

Tom Cruise Came Up With The Role Of Les Grossman

A parody of Hollywood bigwigs, Cruise's Les Grossman stands out as a sleazy, conniving, temperamental foil to the film's main roster, which includes Ben Stiller and Matthew McConaughey. To bring Grossman to life, Cruise wore a fatsuit and a bald cap, resulting in a jarring look. Known for having considerable creative input on the projects he works on, Cruise himself is responsible for Grossman's appearance in "Tropic Thunder." 

While speaking with Esquire , Stiller explained Cruise thought that a studio exec should serve as an antagonist in the film. "That part did not exist. [Cruise] said, 'Well, there's no studio executive and that would be really fun to be that guy.' And he had this whole idea of what the guy should look like," Stiller said, before adding that it was the actor's idea to have Grossman dance. "And I remember when we did a makeup test, someone handed him a Diet Coke and then he just started moving," the director added. 

The character has proven to be so popular that Cruise is expected to return as Grossman in a brand new project , though concrete details haven't materialized. While we never got to see "Tropic Thunder 2,"  the flick is immortalized as one of the best comedies from the 2000s -- thanks in part to Cruise's wicked dance moves. 

Read the original article on Looper

Jack Black wants Tropic Thunder co-star Tom Cruise to do another comedy with him

Exclusive: Jack Black talks to Total Film about Tom Cruise's role as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder

Over multiple decades, Tom Cruise has shown us the money, felt the need for speed, and everything else in-between. One of his most beloved roles, Tropic Thunder's wildly obnoxious movie executive Les Grossman, also proved he has comedic chops in spades.

Speaking to Total Film in our new issue , which features Dune 2 on the cover and is out this Thursday, co-star Jack Black recounts the character for our 'My Life in Pictures' feature.

"Tom Cruise was unrecognisable as Les Grossman. He was really channelling some angst, I think, about some studio executives that shall remain nameless," Black says. 

"I just didn’t know he had that gear in him. I guess he had done some comedy but not like this, with such broad strokes. And not such a character that he totally disappeared into."

Might we see Cruise tap into his funny bone once more? If so, he has a willing and ready comedy partner in Jack Black. 

"It does make you wonder when he is going to bust out and do some more comedy," Black says. "If he does, he should let me know. I’ll jump on board that choo-choo train."

• Pre-order the Dune 2 issue of Total Film

Elsewhere in our conversation, Black also opened up his thoughts on the reviews of The Super Mario Bros. Movie , as well as about his role in the upcoming Minecraft film . "They’re both video game related but in terms of approach, live action is a different ball of wax," Black adds.

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You can hear more from Jack Black, and a whole lot else besides, in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, February 1. Check out the covers below:

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. You'll get every issue before it's in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers.

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Tropic Thunder

Streaming in:

We checked for updates on 249 streaming services on June 19, 2024 at 4:18:29 AM. Something wrong? Let us know!

Tropic Thunder streaming: where to watch online?

Currently you are able to watch "Tropic Thunder" streaming on fuboTV, Paramount Plus, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Hoopla or for free with ads on Pluto TV. It is also possible to rent "Tropic Thunder" on Microsoft Store, Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Spectrum On Demand online and to download it on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, AMC on Demand.

Where does Tropic Thunder rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Streaming charts last updated: 6:00:42 AM, 06/19/2024

Tropic Thunder is 106 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 73 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Fall but less popular than Deadpool 2.

A group of self-absorbed actors set out to make the most expensive war film ever. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys.

Videos: Trailers, Teasers, Featurettes

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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10 Unexpected Roles from Famous Actors, According to Reddit

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Moviegoers are used to seeing popular actors and actresses in roles typical for them. For example, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is always the physical hero type that saves the day, and Will Smith the charming comic relief. However, Johnson showed complexity in his skills by starring in the underrated sleeper hit Ballers , while Smith stepped away from his usual roles and won an Oscar for King Richard .

Viewers are often surprised at these transformations, although Johnson and Smith are just two of many examples of acting versatility. Reddit users in the r/movies thread started one such discussion - the surprising roles of certain typecast actors. The ten actors they voted on the most showed massive changes from their usual roles, which were worth mentioning for Redditors.

10 Tom Cruise in 'Tropic Thunder'

One of the most surprising roles from an A-list actor was delivered in Tropic Thunder . No, it's not Robert Downey Jr. as the Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus - it's Tom Cruise as the studio hotshot Les Grossman. Ben Stiller , Tropic Thunder's director, and actor, said that Cruise invented Grossman , adding that the movie needed an evil studio executive to work.

RELATED: Tom Cruise’s 7 Greatest Cameos and Minor Roles, Ranked

Redditors agreed this was one of Cruise's most surprising roles, even adding that he was hysterical in it. The user xxmindtrickxx wrote this about the performance : "Try and say this whole monologue, out loud without laughing with the same emphasis as Cruise, it's impossible I crack up hysterically everytime."

9 Will Ferrell in 'Stranger Than Fiction'

Everyone's used to Will Ferrell being silly. From Ron Burgundy to Ricky Bobby, his satirical roles are hilarious and over the top. Some people can't even keep a straight face when they see Ferrell, which could be negative for an actor like him. This is especially true if they put on Stranger Than Fiction ,thinking it's just another Will Ferrell movie.

People were pleasantly surprised at Ferrell's acting chops in Stranger Than Fiction , and it's not the last time he got serious for a role. However, it was one of the first instances of fans seeing him in a different light. The Reddit user Yackemflaber agreed , saying: "I love how he was able to restrain his silliness to a more realistic level while mixing it with a great dramatic performance."

8 Matt Damon in 'Eurotrip'

Matt Damon 's sense of humor hasn't gone unnoticed. Although he's the king of Dad movies , people were surprised to see him in a teenage comedy about high school grads going on a trip around Europe. Adorned in face piercings, neck tattoos, and black-painted nails, Damon became the face of Eurotrip . Many folks still sing "Scotty doesn't know" when he's mentioned.

Redditors agreed that Damon surprised them here, although he is known to take on smaller roles and cameos, seemingly, for the thrill of it. No matter which of Damon's hilarious cameos Redditors picked, the user named ThatRandomIdiot wrote: " This is still my favorite Damon cameo ."

7 Steve Carell in 'Foxcatcher'

Although fans see Steve Carell and think of The Office , Carell continuously proves he's more than Michael Scott. Although it's tough to imagine him in more serious roles when he's created such an iconic character, Carell's career is full of them . Foxcatcher was the first time wider audiences saw his serious side, believing he can nail any role he's cast in.

RELATED: Why Steve Carell's Best Dramatic Performance Is in 'Little Miss Sunshine'

In Foxcatcher , Carell is unrecognizable for a couple of reasons - one is his prosthetic nose, but the other is his performance. Commenters on Reddit mentioned the movie as a big surprise role for him. Still, after several other mentions, including The Big Short , the user roboticbrady wrote: "At that point, I think people understood he has a lot of range . I certainly don't recall anyone being surprised."

6 Matthew McConaughey in 'True Detective'

Matthew McConaughey hasn't surprised people as Rust Cohle because he was typecast - it was because of the immense range he showed throughout. Before True Detective , McConaughey starred in Dallas Buyers Club , earning him an Oscar win. However, True Detective is a modern cult classic and the first time wider audiences saw McConaughey knock it out of the park, performance-wise.

McConaughey transformed people's opinions from being a mostly unserious actor to one to watch. People connected with Rust Cohle, maybe the first time anyone connected to any of his characters. This may be why people loved Interstellar later on and attached him to bigger roles. The user HenroTee agrees, saying: " True Detective was what his career had been building towards. "

5 Ryan Gosling in 'The Nice Guys'

Ryan Gosling started off as a heartthrob; audiences swooned over him in The Notebook , often lauding him as the sexiest man alive. Then, in 2016, he starred in The Nice Guys alongside Russell Crowe and showed why he's bigger than his pretty boy roles. Gosling is hilarious in The Nice Guys, with impeccable delivery and a physical comedy sense.

It seems like, after The Nice Guys , Gosling's been able to embrace his comedic side and agree to bolder roles (Ken in Barbie is the freshest example). The user LivinDavideLoca said this about his performance in The Nice Guys : "Can't remember laughing as hard in a cinema ever as at that toilet scene. Amazing physical comedy."

4 Robin Williams in 'One Hour Photo'

The world's favorite comedic actor, Robin Williams , surprised many after starring in a serious leading role in One Hour Photo . He plays a photo film developer who becomes obsessed with one of the families that bring in their films. This nuanced role helped people see a more serious side to Williams. A fun fact says that, when the film aired at Sundance Festival , audiences didn't notice Williams was the lead at first, which helped him break the mold.

RELATED: Robin Williams' 10 Best Movies, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes

The commenter randomaccount178 said in a thread : "It's something people unfortunately tend not to realize, the key to being a great comedic actor isn't being a great comedian, but being a great actor." Williams' later performance in David Fincher 's Insomnia gave him the great versatile actor credential.

3 Chris Evans in 'Captain America' and 'The Avengers'

Chris Evans played another cocky, self-assured guy when The Fantastic Four made him an international star. Besides the hate for that film overall, Evans was typecast, which is why he was an unusual choice to play Captain America in his next Marvel adventure. However, he turned out to be perfect for the role. Redditor legochemgrad agreed: " Most people had only seen him play cocky guy stereotypes . People didn't think he could play a genuine good-hearted guy without hamming it up."

Evans leaned into being Steve Rogers while staying true to himself; Rogers is just and serious but charming nevertheless. After Cap, Evans was able to get more serious roles, like in Snowpiercer , The Iceman , and The Red Sea Diving Reso rt .

2 Jim Carrey in 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'

Similarly to Robin Williams, people weren't used to seeing Jim Carrey without expecting him to pull a funny face or a gag. Having to be in that sort of persona all the time put him in a box. Although he's caused many laughs, Carrey impressed folks more after starring in the widely beloved Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind .

Written by Charlie Kaufmann , Eternal Sunshine became more famous for being Carrey's biggest serious role. Although The Truman Sho w and Man on the Moon had already happened, audiences (and possibly studios) still found his best work limited to comedy . Redditor johnnytightlips2 expressed their opinion on this, adding: "Jim Carrey doing straight acting is so much better than Jim Carrey doing comedy."

1 Heath Ledger in 'The Dark Knight'

Heath Ledger is among the most praised actors on Reddit. The Dark Knight has a wide dedicated audience, but Ledger's performance as The Joker is the thing that swept people off their feet. He brought dimensions to a villain who was thus far played with a villainous demeanor and without clear motivation. He created a character that defines many people's love of TDK .

Ledger's prior roles were serious, but somehow not serious enough. Although he was fantastic in Brokeback Mountain , the jokes regarding his casting in TDK were pretty awful; people (and the media) didn't believe he'd be able to pull it off. Even Redditor LayzeeLar confessed: "" Brokeback Batman is going to suck! " I ate those words. I suck."

NEXT: 11 Movies Where the Stars Died Before Its Release, From 'The Crow' to 'The Dark Knight'

This Unexpected Cameo Is Tom Cruise’s Best Performance Ever

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To say that Tom Cruise is one of the biggest Hollywood celebrities ever to exist would either be hyperbole or an understatement, depending on the era and measurement. His career thus far has spanned three decades and is about to exit Earth’s orbit - literally . He is known for pushing the boundaries of what his body and skills can portray on film, such as the incredible stunts he regularly performs for his mega-franchise Mission Impossible, or the meticulous training he puts himself through to perfect a character . His global celebrity has restricted him to only a few chances to let his hair down and have fun for a change, but when he does the result is unforgettable. In fact, arguably his best performance ever given was just such an occasion when he played Les Grossman in 2008’s brilliant Tropic Thunder.

Undoubtedly known as a serious actor and an action star, Tom Cruise rarely puts himself in comedies of the magnitude that is Tropic Thunder . The outrageous and hilarious spoof brought out the best of Cruise’s comedic talent and teased audiences to a future movie that sadly never materialized. Tropic Thunder starred Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, and several other Hollywood celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Nick Nolte, Bill Hader, and Dany McBride. Though controversial in many regards, it became a global success and one of the funniest comedies of the early 21st Century. This already perfect comedy is elevated by sneaking in Tom Cruise behind a fat suit and a bald cap!

RELATED: These Movies Are Perfect Parodies Of 80s And 90s Action

“Mm, That’s Good Satire”

Tropic Thunder operates on many layers of comedy, satire, parody, and unintentional real-life irony. First, as a comedy, it is a movie about making a fake movie that turns “real life” dangerous. Second, in satire, it skewers the bloated Hollywood organism . Third, the characters parody a range of Hollywood types like the cocaine-addled comedian, the overzealous Oscar hound, and the chiseled action star diva. Figures behind the camera are also parodied like the first-time director type, the brown noser executive assistant, and the high adrenaline power-mad Studio Executive. All these types so common to Hollywood are turned into caricatures on screen for the industry and audiences’ amusement.

A fair example of how Tropic Thunder 's once-praised satire has not exactly aged well is Robert Downey Jr.’s character. This is where it gets ironic as well. 2008 is the same year Downey starred in the first Iron Man . He was regaining his celebrity after recovering from years of addiction abuse. He was already a marquee actor from his Oscar nomination sixteen years earlier for Chaplin (1992). Most likely just for kicks, he decided to star alongside Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder as the Australian method actor and five-time Oscar winner Kirk Lazarus.

Lazarus is such a serious actor that to portray the black soldier Lincoln Osiris he undergoes a skin alteration to change his own skin color black. He deepens his voice as well to play Osiris, but it is a naïve, misunderstood, offensive, yet almost innocent to the point of gross stupidity, performance. Lazarus is so “focused” and “committed” to the role that he blindly dives headfirst into blackface. Despite the fact that the movie is supposedly making fun of the idea of blackface, at the same time, it is still doing it. This is the sort of "satire" that has (thankfully) fallen out of favor with audiences.

Lazarus is so dedicated to winning another Oscar that he creates an unrestrained, horrible, racist stereotype of a character – the exact opposite of what would get him nominated for another Academy Award. The unintended irony to all of this is that in real life, Robert Downey Jr. then gets an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing Kirk Lazarus playing Lincoln Osiris in Tropic Thunder .

Tom Cruise as Les Grossman

Tropic Thunder is already an unrivaled comedy by those chops alone , but to feature a cameo from Tom Cruise in a role so debauched as Les Grossman is just unbelievably awesome. Cruise has played in comedies before, such as his brief appearance playing Austin Powers in 2002’s Goldmember but never with the same commitment and depth as Tropic Thunder. Never before or since, sadly.

Originally, Cruise was supposed to play Ben Stiller’s agent Rick Peck ( ultimately played by Matthew McConaughey ). Instead, Cruise offered up a new character of his own invention. Wearing a fat suit, a bald cap, enlarged plastic hands, and a whole lot of chest and arm hair, Cruise became Les Grossman, the Studio Executive providing the money behind the movie who is also a raging foul-mouthed ogre. The personality of Grossman and the villainous role he would play in the film was all initiated by Cruise and developed alongside Ben Stiller. This proves that on top of everything else Cruise can do on camera , he can also be an original source of enormous comedy.

Les Grossman could be considered Tom Cruise’s best performance because he essentially erases himself in the character. If one was not told that Les Grossman was played by Tom Cruise, one would have a very hard time recognizing the actor. The mannerisms, the dance moves, the look are all out of the ordinary for a superstar like him, which is why the performance is such a magnificent sight to behold. Grossman is such a unique character it highlights the talent of Tom Cruise to a new degree. The fact that he never played a role like this again is a heavy loss for the greater movie-going public.

Tropic Thunder is a brilliant high watermark for comedy. To quietly contain Tom Cruise’s best performance ranks it even higher on the scales as one of the best movies ever made. Hopefully, after Tom Cruise finishes with the Mission Impossible franchise he launches the Les Grossman Cinematic Executive Universe .

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Tropic thunder: why rdj's blackface wasn't controversial.

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5 Reasons Why Tropic Thunder Was Ahead Of Its Time (5 Things About It That Didn't Age Well)

10 best movie references in tropic thunder, 10 best movies like tropic thunder.

• RDJ's blackface portrayal in Tropic Thunder was a satire of a fictional white actor using blackface, not a genuine return to the repugnant practice of blackface in cinema.
• Tropic Thunder mocked Hollywood's problems, including whitewashing and using serious subjects for profit, with the RDJ blackface being portrayed as part of the overall outrageousness of the industry.
• While the RDJ blackface didn't receive major backlash, Tropic Thunder faced controversy for its portrayal of a differently abled character and the use of a derogatory slur, highlighting the narrow line between poignancy and offensiveness.

The Tropic Thunder blackface was a memorable moment from the movie, but didn't receive a major backlash or cause any real controversy for Robert Downey Jr. or the movie. The 2008 movie was a hit comedy that satirized Hollywood in some pointed and hilarious ways. One of the subjects addressed was the tendency of "method actors" to take their roles incredibly seriously and go to great lengths to achieve authenticity with their sometimes bad behavior only earning them more praise for their dedication.

Robert Downey Jr. plays Kirk Lazarus, a fictional five-time Oscar-winning Australian method actor who is cast as African-American Staff Sargent Lincoln Osiris. Lazarus undergoes a controversial "pigmentation alteration" procedure to darken his skin and, being method, he's in the habit of never breaking character until after he's done DVD commentary. The move was a bold choice for the actor following Robert Downey Jr's comeback role in Iron Man . However, Downey Jr. didn't suffer any career setbacks for the Tropic Thunder blackface, and there are clear reasons why.

Tropic Thunder is available to stream on Paramount+.

Tropic Thunder 2: Will It Happen? Everything We Know

Tropic Thunder 2 has been rumored for over a decade, but the original cast is talking about it more and more, and it could be close to development.

The RDJ Tropic Thunder Blackface Was In-Universe (This Matters)

The blackface is a commentary on the problematic use of black actors in hollywood.

Tropic Thunder is making a firm statement against how Black characters are both portrayed and overlooked in mainstream action movies...

Robert Downey Jr. isn't playing a Black character in Tropic Thunder — he's playing a white actor who decides to portray a Black American in the fictional war movie . Kirk Lazarus is clearly portrayed as white at the start of the movie, and the distinction matters. The Tropic Thunder blackface was a depiction of a fictional white actor using blackface and rightly being called out for it, rather than a return to the repugnant genuine use of blackface from eras gone.

Given the incredibly racist history of blackface in cinema, it's understandable that — without context — shots of Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder would prompt a response. However, it's clear on viewing that Tropic Thunder is making a firm statement against how Black characters are both portrayed and overlooked in mainstream action movies of the era. Robert Downey Jr. was even nominated for an Oscar for the role and has continued to defend it since, and the lack of controversy is due to the movie's satirical approach.

The brilliance of Tropic Thunder is that nothing is sacred. This includes holding up a mirror to the lengths some actors, just like the fictional Kirk Lazarus, will go to land that career-defining role — and the ethical considerations some will readily put to the side in taking it.

Chino doesn't let Kirk off the hook for the blackface Lazarus dons, and even claims that he's making the movie to offer some "real representation."

Tropic Thunder mocks everything "wrong" with Hollywood: product placement, drug use and addiction, problematic productions, megalomaniacal producers that are more interested in making money than telling stories, and the ludicrousness of Hollywood using serious subjects as money-making fodder.

The Tropic Thunder blackface is no different, as it is shown as part of the same ridiculousness of Hollywood, nor does it go unaddressed in the story. Alongside Ben Stiller and Downey Jr. is Brandon T. Jackson in the role of Alpa Chino, a rapper attempting to break into acting. Chino doesn't let Kirk off the hook for the blackface Lazarus dons, and even claims that he's making the movie to offer some "real representation."

How RDJ'S Blackface Managed To Not Be Controversial

The movie trusted the audience to understand the real joke.

Kirk's method acting ends up playing a pivotal role in Tropic Thunder 's movie climax. After Tugg is kidnapped by the heroin-producing Flaming Dragon gang and forced to perform his problematic film Simple Jack every night, Tugg has a crisis of identity. Kirk recognizes it, having experienced it himself. In an attempt to help Tugg as himself rather than as his character, Kirk finally sheds his mask. It's a hilarious and rather succinct way to also mock the sometimes inexplicable things method actors do.

Tropic Thunder is trying to make audiences laugh with its outrageous comedy, but its other goal was to provide some social commentary on the dark underbelly of Hollywood. By leaning into how ridiculous it is, and making the subject of the joke whitewashing and Hollywood as a whole rather than Black people , the Tropic Thunder blackface was able to avoid causing any real controversy.

Tropic Thunder was ahead of its time here, since terms like "whitewashing" only reached prominence in the last decade, even though the practice has been around since the earliest days of Hollywood and continues to be controversial.

Tropic Thunder was a hilarious comedy that was pretty ahead of its time in some ways but parts of it didn't age well.

How Jamie Foxx Brought Back The RDJ Blackface Discussion In 2022

Can downey jr. pull off the same joke twice.

For his part, Ben Stiller doesn't regret Tropic Thunder to this day, and continues to vocally defend the movie. However, Stiller isn't universally agreed with in Hollywood on this. To some, Robert Downey Jr.'s turn as a method actor willing to don blackface for a movie was not only acceptable but an outright hit. Jamie Foxx reached out to RDJ after Tropic Thunder about playing a Mexican man in his directorial project, All-Star Weekend . According to Foxx,

“I called Robert, I said, ‘I need you to play a Mexican. I said, ‘Sh*t, you played the Black dude [in ‘Tropic Thunder’] and you killed that shit.’ We got to be able to do characters.” (via IndieWire )

Much like Tropic Thunder , the goal of All-Star Weekend was to generate outrageous comedy that would also poke fun at Hollywood's and society's norms. However, due to the ongoing prevalence of cancel culture and heightened sensitivity, Foxx has opted to keep the project shelved for now until " people go back to laughing again. " The outcome of Robert Downey Jr.'s casting as a Mexican man is up in the air, then, but his shockingly non-controversial part in Tropic Thunder remains a topic of debate to this day.

Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder specifically satirizes war films, but it has nods to all kinds of Hollywood classics, from Forrest Gump to Freaky Friday.

Blackface Isn't The Only Tropic Thunder Controversy

Is the simple jack joke satire or offensive.

Robert Downey Jr.s now-infamous " You never go full r****d" line has been a source of memes, but also has unfortunately been brandished against the differently abled

While Tropic Thunder hasn't been pulled from distribution because of Robert Downey Jr.'s blackface, it's fair to say that it wasn't universally accepted as appropriate. As commentators like Jamie Foxx prove, the debate around blackface and Tropic Thunder 's use of it is incredibly nuanced, regardless of the intent.

However, blackface isn't the only controversy surrounding Tropic Thunder, as Black Americans aren't the only marginalized group utilized by Ben Stiller's movie to critique the movie industry of the 00s. When Tropic Thunder was released, multiple advocacy groups for people with disabilities called for a boycott and even removal of the movie from theaters ( via NPR ) .

One of the key moments for Ben Stiller's character in Tropic Thunder, the washed-out actor Tugg Speedman, is when he's captured and forced to re-enact one of his former roles — an exaggerated Forrest Gump-like character named Simple Jack from a fictional movie of the same name.

The use of the R-word has near-unthinkable by 2020s standards, but it was all too common in media in the 00s and even the 2010s.

Not only is Stiller's portrayal of Tugg Speedman portraying Simple Jack seen by many as grossly offensive, but another scene in the movie also contained a line that, to this day, is seen by many living with disabilities as a source of upset. Robert Downey Jr.s now-infamous " You never go full r****d" line has been a source of memes, but also has unfortunately been brandished against the differently abled, especially in school settings.

The use of the R-word has near-unthinkable by 2020s standards, but it was all too common in media in the 00s and even the 2010s. What makes this Tropic Thunder controversy particularly disheartening is that opinion around this word within the groups affected hasn't changed — even when Tropic Thunder was released in 2008, it was generally understood just how demeaning and hurtful the slur was to those with disabilities.

So offensive is the character of Simple Jack that snowboarder Shaun White issued a public apology for dressing as the Tropic Thunder character in 2018, over a decade later ( via CBS ). While this problematic element of Tropic Thunder isn't as widely discussed or dissected as Tropic Thunder' s blackface, it's yet another layer of a highly controversial satirical movie that walks the narrowest line between poignant and offensive that's perhaps ever been seen on screen.

From Team America to Seven Psychopaths, there are many hilarious movies like Tropic Thunder that satirize Hollywood with explosive action.

Being Self-Aware Isn't Always Justification

It's always sunny in philadelphia's use of blackface was met with harsher responses.

Despite the Tropic Thunder blackface issue getting little to no backlash, self-awareness doesn't always justify choices like this. The movie certainly wouldn't work in today's climate, and it's surprising that it was able to slide back in 2008. Another cinematic product tried to use blackface for comedic effect in 2010. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is known for being an irreverent comedy about a bunch of narcissists who own a bar, and the TV series has been panned for being racist on more than one occasion.

Aside from Dee's extremely racist characterizations when she's "performing", the show released 2 separate Lethal Weapon -themed episodes, in which the gang tries to make "Lethal Weapon 5 and 6" on a home video camera. The first episode sees Mac in blackface trying to play Murtaugh, and it's even commented on as offensive in the episode, to which Mac responds "I think it was in poor taste that you were doing Murtaugh in white face."

The gang tries to create Lethal Weapon yet again three seasons later, but this episode sees both Mac and Dee in blackface, as he reprises his role as Murtaugh, and she plays Rianne, his daughter. The episodes are supposed to poke fun at just how ridiculous and out of touch the gang is, but streaming services obviously didn't feel the same as these It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes were pulled from Hulu .

It's strange that the blackface in Tropic Thunder didn't get the same level of pushback when both were effectively making the same critique of blackface with near-identical methods. Either way, it proves that being self-aware isn't always justification for offensive material.

Tropic Thunder

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Written and directed by Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder follows a group of bumbling actors attempting to make a Vietnam War film, who find themselves dropped into a real-life warzone when they are abandoned in the middle of the jungle they are shooting the film in. Stiller also stars in the film, with an ensemble cast that includes Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and Jay Baruchel.