31 Years Ago, Two Mega Stars Faced Off in a Cult ’90s Fantasy Film and Unique Sport!

In a recent interview, Tom Cruise praised the driving skills of his former co-star, Brad Pitt. Speaking at Cinemacon on April 4, during a Paramount Pictures presentation, the “Top Gun” actor expressed his excitement for F1, Brad Pitt’s upcoming sports movie. He reminisced about their time together on the set of “Interview with the Vampire” back in 1994.

He stated (via CinemaBlend): “Brad is gearing up for a new film with Jerry Bruckheimer and Joe Kosinski. I’m looking forward to watching it this summer. It’s going to be fantastic. It’s great to see Brad drive. He’s really good at it.“

Vampire Kart Racing?

On the same note, Tom Cruise shared a fun tidbit from the filming of their cult classic, “Interview with the Vampire,” revealing that he and Brad Pitt used to race go-karts during their breaks.

“He’s a great driver. Believe me, I’ve raced against him. When we were shooting ‘Interview with the Vampire’, we would finish shooting [for the day] and spend the night racing go-karts,” recounted the “Mission: Impossible” star.

While Tom Cruise holds fond memories of the shoot directed by Neil Jordan, Brad Pitt’s experience was quite the opposite. It’s no secret that the actor described his time on set as “miserable.”

“I was miserable [in the movie],” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2011. “Six months in the dark. Contact lenses, makeup, I played the wretch.” He had initially agreed to participate in the film after being captivated by the role of Lestat upon reading the book… only to find out he was cast as Louis, which he discovered when he received the script “two weeks before shooting began”!

What is F1 About?

In “F1”, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and co-produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Kosinski, and Brad Pitt among others, Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a retired driver who returns to the wheel. According to the synopsis, once dubbed “the greatest that never was,” he was the most promising phenomenon of the 1990s Formula 1 until a track accident nearly ended his career.

Thirty years later, he becomes a nomadic race car driver when he is approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), the owner of a failing Formula 1 team. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back for one last shot at saving the team and becoming the best in the world. He will race alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team’s young promising driver, determined to set his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him, and he learns that in Formula 1, your teammate is your biggest rival, and the path to redemption is never traveled alone…

F1 is set to be released in theaters on June 25, 2025. Meanwhile, ‘Interview with the Vampire’ is available for streaming on VOD.

Watch the F1 trailer below: