HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

Fans are convinced Tom Cruise's interview with Letterman inspired Christian Bale’s 'American Psycho'

"The first time I saw a picture of Christian Bale in 'American Psycho' I thought it was Tom Cruise," one fan said.

From pulling off death-defying stunts to delivering scene-stealing performances, Tom Cruise is a man of many talents. While Cruise usually appears in public with a cool-as-cucumber demeanor, there have been moments when he lets things go out of control. In one such instance, Cruise was seen in a different avatar during a 'Late Night Show with David Letterman.' Not only did the appearance raise eyebrows, but it led many netizens to compare Cruise’s behavior to Christian Bale’s unhinged 'American Psycho' character.

Cruise made an appearance on the 'Late Show of The David Letterman,' back in 2004. The interview started innocently, with Cruise recounting a story about flying at high altitude with a co-pilot. However, things took a bizarre turn when Cruise revealed that they had turned off the oxygen for the passenger in the back to reach a higher altitude, as per The Things. Laughing hysterically, Cruise explained that once the oxygen was cut off, the passenger would simply fall asleep. A bewildered Letterman responded, visibly stunned, and questioned, "Isn't that attempted manslaughter?"—but to everyone's dismay, this only made Cruise laugh even harder.

As Cruise attempted to finish the story about his landing, he was unable to get through it, laughing uncontrollably at himself. His infectious laughter soon had Letterman and the audience joining in. While the moment was undeniably funny, it was also awkward considering why Cruise found it so amusing. Fans obviously quickly picked up on the bizarre energy, comparing his laughter to the iconic film character.

Additionally, 'American Psycho,' director Mary Harron previously confirmed that Patrick Bateman was loosely based on Cruise. Harron revealed that Christian Bale's inspiration for 'American Psycho' came from none other than Cruise, as per Black Book. Bale called Harron after watching Cruise on 'Late Night with David Letterman,' noting his "very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes."

Struck by this energy, Bale felt it was the perfect fit for Patrick Bateman’s unsettling persona in the film. Cruise’s intense energy, exaggerated movements, and ever-present grin have led some to view his demeanor as forced, much like the classic character in American Psycho, as per CBR. While co-stars praised his enthusiasm, others see a superficiality in his behavior—one that  Bale found perfect to channel into his portrayal of Bateman.

Netizens were thrilled with Cruise’s demeanor and linked it to Bale’s deranged 'American Psycho' character, Patrick Bateman, in a Reddit thread. One person wrote, "It is weird. Cruise seems like such a nice guy but at the same time, it's like he's hiding something or there is something off. I can't picture him doing anything normal in his real life." In a similar vein, another said, "That's a strange coincidence as in the novel Tom Cruise and Patrick Bateman live in the same building. There's even a part where they are in an elevator together." One fan commented, "I swear the first time I saw a picture of Christian Bale in 'American Psycho' I thought it was Tom Cruise!"