Former UFC star Chael Sonnen has ripped veteran actor Tom Cruise for performing the majority of his stunts. Sonnen feels Cruise is risking his life for no reason. Especially, in times when AI can do those stunts for him.
Sonnen is a former title challenger from UFC’s middleweight and light heavyweight classes. He called time on his combat sports career back in 2019. The announcement followed back-to-back defeats to both Lyoto Machida and Fedor Emelianenko.
In the time since, the Oregon native has featured on the big screen himself. He most recently landed a role in Nevada Heist. Even during his career in the Octagon, Sonnen featured in Here Comes the Boom. ‘The Bad Guy’ also featured in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Touching on the subject of AI (artificial intelligence) in a recent tweet on his X account, Sonnen blasted Mission: Impossible and Eyes Wide Shut star, Cruise. Notably featuring as his own stuntman on a slew of his prior movie roles, Cruise came under fire for risking his life — apparently needlessly, according to Sonnen.
In one instance, Cruise performed a stunning skydive from a motorcycle over a massive canyon and emerged unscathed. However, Sonnen claims artificial intelligence could easily have taken his place.
“He (Tom Cruise) almost died spending millions on a shot GRONK (sic) could create for free right now,” Sonnen posted on X — confusing the actual name of X’s artificial intelligence program, Grok.
Previously, Sonnen batted for Cruise during the coronavirus pandemic. Hitting out at his fellow crew during a filming session back in 2020, Cruise lambasted them for breaking social distancing protocols during filming, putting the movie at risk.
Chael Sonnen defended Cruise amid filming rant
Launching a spectacular rant aimed at crew members, Cruise claimed each and every member who broke social distancing protocols would simply lose their jobs — a threat to fire them.
In the days following the leak of the breakdown from Cruise, Sonnen defended the Hollywood star. Noting how insurance would not cover the staff, crew, or set if protocols were broken, Sonnen defended Cruise’s expletive-filled rant.
“Tom Cruise is 100% correct,” Sonnen said on his podcast. “He’s on a set in the middle of a pandemic, and he tells the people that he has created a job for and an opportunity. You have to follow the rules, which largely just means put on your damn mask.”
Chael Sonnen is spot on about Tom Cruise going off: pic.twitter.com/kIKs7fACEY
— Kevin Meiz (@kevin_meiz1988) August 27, 2024
“I am on the phone every day with the insurance company. The insurance company finds out you’re not following the rules in a pandemic, they will pull the bond. And this whole movie’s done. The only person on that set who cannot be replaced is Tom Cruise.
“You can get a new director, you can get a new video guy, you can get new editors, you can get new stuntmen, new stunt coordinators, a new guy for wardrobe, somebody to make the coffee and park the trailers. The only person you can’t replace is Tom Cruise.”
