Michael Caine Reveals What Advice Tom Cruise Asked Him for as a Young Actor: He Had ‘Something Special’

Michael Caine is looking back on his earliest encounter with Tom Cruise — when the latter was just a “very polite” young actor.

In an except from his new book, Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life, shared by The Sunday Times on Sunday, Nov. 3, the two-time Academy Award winner, 91, reflects on a few of his many career highlights, as well as his first memories of longtime friend Cruise, now 62.

Caine, who writes that he’s known Cruise for “over 40 years,” remembers running into the actor at an event for Caine’s 1983 comedy-drama Educating Rita. “I turned around and there was this young actor, very polite, asking questions about how not to be just a flash in the pan,” Caine writes. “That was Tom, probably around the time of Risky Business.”

“I can’t remember what I said, but it obviously didn’t do him any harm,” says Caine in the Sunday Times excerpt.

Caine, who indeed was photographed with his wife Shakira Caine and Cruise at a September 1983 screening of the film, adds in the excerpt that there was “something special” about the then-young star. By September 1983, Cruise had already appeared in Risky Business, The Outsiders and Losin’ It — and was just three years before his major role in Top Gun.

“He had a great attitude, this sense of poise. What interests me is that he is really one of the last true stars in movies,” Caine writes in his book, as excerpted by the Sunday Times. “People will go to see a film just because he’s in it.”

Elsewhere in the excerpt, Caine shares that Cruise joined him for a special birthday celebration just last year when he turned 90. The surprise was orchestrated by Caine’s wife, he writes, adding that he was “touched” by Cruise’s attendance.

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The legendary actor’s birthday celebration in March 2023 was also attended by Mission: Impossible writer Chris McQuarrie and Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams.

Previously released photos from the outing showed Cruise with his arm around Caine’s shoulder as the duo smiled together. At the time, Loose Women‘s Denise Welch provided some comedy at the West London birthday bash. “Such an honour to be asked by Shakira to say a few words at Sir Michael Caines’ 90th birthday!!!” she wrote in a caption last year. “He loves a dirty joke and so does @tomcruise it appears!!!! Great night and amazing company.”

Cruise and Caine appeared in Austin Powers in Goldmember together in 2002.

Caine revealed this summer that he’ll be releasing his new non-fiction book on March 25, 2025 in the U.S. and Canada. The title will be a follow-up to his 2018 memoir Blowing the Bloody Doors Off.

“I’ve seen a new generation grow up, among them my own grandchildren, facing the world with all its challenges and problems,” Caine previously told PEOPLE of the book. “I hope they’ll find Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life helps them to be optimistic — and shows that anyone can blow the bloody doors off.”