Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has offered a glimpse into working with Tom Cruise, revealing the actor's disciplined routine and collaborative approach on set.

Speaking at a keynote session at a film festival, Spielberg reflected on directing Cruise in Minority Report (2002) and War of the Worlds (2005). The director said Cruise made it a point to begin each day alongside him, often well before the rest of the crew arrived.

"Tom Cruise showed up every morning when I showed up," Spielberg said. "I show up before the crew. So I get to the set sometimes at 6:30 in the morning."

He added that Cruise insisted on using that early time to plan the day's work in detail. "On Minority Report and on War of the Worlds, Tom would insist on getting there when I got there so we would map out the whole day which was really helpful for me," Spielberg said, describing the process as deeply collaborative.

Cruise's work ethic has long been part of his reputation in the industry. In an earlier interview, the actor spoke about constantly expanding his skill set in preparation for future roles. "I will learn a skill, and I know eventually I'm going to use it in a movie," Cruise said, adding that he is "constantly training" - whether it is learning the piano, dancing, parachuting, or flying aircraft.

Director Christopher McQuarrie, who has helmed multiple Mission: Impossible films, underscored that commitment. "Anytime you see Tom in the plane, he's at the controls," McQuarrie said. "He's basically a one-man film crew: operating the camera, acting and flying." Cruise's hands-on approach extended to Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which he co-produced.