‘I was told not to make eye contact with Tom Cruise’: meet the world’s most prolific film extra
‘I was told not to make eye contact with Tom Cruise’: meet the world’s most prolific film extra
As a new film spotlights her 60-year career, record-breaking film extra Jill Goldston discusses turning down Warren Beatty’s indecent proposal and hanging out with David Bowie
As a new film spotlights her 60-year career, record-breaking film extra Jill Goldston discusses turning down Warren Beatty’s indecent proposal and hanging out with David Bowie
The idea that anyone could have the gumption to have lackeys order people not to make eye contact, is breathtakingly shitty.
Even the Queen never ordered that sort of crap.
@Lophostemon well no, as far as monarchs go she was fairly modern.
But it is kind of funny though. Like, what's so scary about eye contact.
Tom Cruise is a piece of shit
@cryostars doesn't seem to have bothered her though:
“Extras are the lowest and you don’t ever speak to a star unless they speak to you. We’ve been told: ‘Tom Cruise is about to come on set. Please do not make eye contact.’” She has always found the strictly enforced on-set hierarchy more amusing than demeaning. “I had self-worth, because I was part of the film. Films would be very boring without extras. You’d get on the tube train, and there’d be no one else in it!”
Other stars who met with Jill’s approval included ex-Bond Timothy Dalton: “He didn’t get on with his co-star Joanne Whalley, so I had to do the love scenes with him. I used to pray, ‘Please, God, don’t let my hands sweat when he holds them!’” And Michael Caine: “He put his jacket over my head to stop me getting wet in the rain. A true gentleman.” She liked Warren Beatty too, though she says he somehow found the time to proposition her for a three-way with him and Jack Nicholson while producing, directing and also starring in the 1981 film Reds. “It might have ended more than friends. But not with Jack Nicholson as well! I said: ‘Sorry, no. I’m happily married!’”
Nobody here has mentioned that "no eye contact" is really common in Hollywood. To the point that various celebrities including Conan O'Brien had that rule for their staff but was totally unaware and as soon as they found out, they put a stop to it immediately.
I'm not saying Tom Cruise didn't know but it's definitely a possibility.
@CaptnNMorgan that's an interesting point.
As far as I can tell she never worked in Hollywood - she lives in the UK and the films mentioned in the article include a lot of British movies.
That might be why the Tom Cruise eye contact thing stood out to her as an example of ridiculous heirarchy.
I wonder if it was a Hollywood studio shooting on location, or some sort of co-pro.
I wouldn't be surprised, especially for A-listers, especially on-set. Eye-contact promotes conversations which, even when they are more stimulating than "Oh wow! You're _____!! I loved you in that thing", eat up time in a very busy production schedule. It's even worse if the star is genuinely nice and personable, and sincerely appreciates their fans. It adds up to hours gone every day in 3-6 minute increments.