Glen Powell and Jay Ellis Reveal What You “Wouldn’t Expect” About Tom Cruise

Glen Powell and Jay Ellis detail their bond with Top Gun: Maverick co-star Tom Cruise, exclusively telling E! News at the 2023 Golden Globes that he was a mentor to them.

Working with Tom Cruise was like being on cloud nine for Glen Powell and Jay Ellis.

The actors reflected on the bond they developed with the action star throughout the filming process for Tom Gun: Maverick. And as they exclusively told E! News at the 2023 Golden Globes, they got to know a different side to Tom—including something about the actor that may surprise fans. (See other stars at the Jan. 10 awards show here.)

"He's actually got an amazing sense of humor," Jay told Laverne Cox on the red carpet. "I think most people wouldn't expect that."

Adding that collaborating with Tom was "everything you would imagine," Jay said the 60-year-old became a mentor and a friend.

And Glen couldn't agree more.

"Doesn't get any better than Tom," he said. "He's as cool as it gets."

In Top Gun: Maverick, Tom—who was nominated at the 80th annual Golden Globes for his performance in the blockbuster—reprises his role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell from the 1986 film. To prepare the 2022 sequel's cast members for the high-flying adventure film, Jay revealed to E! News last May that the Jerry Maguire star took them on a "Tom Cruise Bootcamp."

"We're flying all these crazy maneuvers with him every single day," he recalled. "It was just this crazy experience."

The cast also swam with the coach of the U.S. Open Water swim team and attended "culture trips" to learn about the everyday lives of pilots.

"It was just so much information," Jay continued, "but it was also so well thought out and planned where it never felt like you were just getting hit with a ton of stuff. It was just these little incremental steps that you were taking, and then all of a sudden, we were all like, ‘Yeah, we pilots.'"

Keep scrolling to see other stars take the red carpet at the 80th annual Golden Globes.

Margot Robbie

In Chanel, Styled by Kate Young

In Aliétte, Styled by Jason Rembert

Niecy Nash-Betts

In Dolce & Gabbana, Styled by Wayman Deon and Micah McDonald

In Atelier Versace, Styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray

In Christian Siriano, Styled by Bryon Javar

In Vera Wang

In Gucci, Styled by Enrique Melendez

In Prada

In C. D. Greene

In Gucci

In Giambattista Valli Haute Couture

In Dior

In Rosie Assoulin with Brilliant Earth jewelry 

In Saint Laurent

In Saint Laurent, Styled by Wayman Deon and Micah McDonald

In Carolina Herrera 

In Acne Studios

In ALDO & Dior Men

In Valentino, Styled by Kate Young

In Christian Siriano

In Armani Privé, Styled by Jordan Johnson Chung

In Tadashi Shoji

In Oscar de la Renta, Styled by Elizabeth Stewart

In Zegna, Styled by Warren Alfie Baker

In Jason Wu, Styled by Elizabeth Stewart