Tom Cruise Checks Out Vintage Warplanes

Courtesy of SplashNews.com

The lure for Tom Cruise's 24-hour trip to New Zealand was vintage warplanes not award-winning director Peter Jackson – or at least in that order. The Hollywood superstar was said to have flown across the ocean from Australia to New Zealand for a lightning-quick meeting with Jackson.

Cruise did bunk down at Jackson's mansion in Wairarapa but the visit was not to talk shop. Jackson took Cruise to Masterton's Hood Aerodrome to look at his collection of planes. A retired pilot, Robert Thurston, said: "These two chaps came walking past and said 'G'day.' Afterwards someone pointed out that one of the guys was Tom Cruise. It's not every day that happens, but it was all very secret what they were doing there. Peter's not one to like much publicity." Wellington's Oscar-winning special effects guru, Richard Taylor, said Cruise, who filmed The Last Samurai there in 2003, "obviously loved New Zealand. He is a very amazing individual and really gracious and engaging". He also added that Cruise was very complimentary about his new TV series, The WotWots – for toddlers.

Provided by: Philippa Bourke / Splash News

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