The Story Behind Jennifer Lopez & Tom Cruise's Wild MTV Performance
Jennifer Lopez and Tom Cruise joined forces at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards for a surprise performance that no one saw coming. The Bronx-born superstar and controversial movie star may seem like an unlikely pair, but their dance routine quickly became a pop culture sensation for years to come.
MTV initially approached Cruise about hosting the awards show, but he could not commit as he was shooting "Knight and Day" with Cameron Diaz at the time. Instead, he suggested a unique workaround where he would reprise his standout character from "Topic Thunder." " ... so I said, 'How bout I do Les Grossman — how bout [Les] Grossman produces the show for you?'" Cruise recalled while speaking to "Good Morning America" (via Radar Online).
Cruise had invented the foul-mothed, ego-driven Hollywood executive for the film, and despite only being in a few short scenes, the Grossman character became one of Cruise's most iconic roles. However, Grossman wasn't going to fly solo. Cruise reached out to Lopez, an iconic star in her own right. She was the perfect partner to match Cruise's over-the-top character. Together, they delivered an unforgettable dance performance, sending the audience into a frenzy.
2010 mtv movie awards really gave us tom cruise as les grossman dancing with jennifer lopez and it's still one of the most iconic performances at any award show ever pic.twitter.com/juT1cecohD
— charlie (@charletty_) April 5, 2023
Behind the scenes of Cruise and Lopez's performance
When Tom Cruise approached Jennifer Lopez about collaborating on the surprise performance, she immediately took the lead. During a conversation with Extra, she recounted her conversation with him and her idea to combine her track "Get Right" with Ludacris' "Get Back." "I come out and sing a little and then we dance together," Lopez said. "But [I told him] you have to learn this cane dance that I do in the video."
Cruise's dedication is evident when you watch the performance. He fully committed to the Les Grossman persona, which required hours of makeup to change his face and body. He also took on the challenge of mastering the intricate cane dance routine, which professional dancers typically performed. Lopez admired his commitment, noting how difficult it is to pull off. "But he did it," she said. "He really, really did it. And he did a great job. I was really proud of him." High praise from someone with an extensive background as a dancer before she made it big.
In the aftermath of their collaboration, Cruise expressed his appreciation for Lopez, reflecting that, "It was really fun working on her with that, and she was brilliant" (via Radar Online). The "Cambia el Paso" singer reciprocated these feelings, commending Cruise's dedication to the performance. "I'm such a hard worker, and I'm kind of intense about my job," she noted to Extra, adding that, "It's great to work with someone who is just as intense and passionate and crazy about getting everything right." Their mutual respect and shared commitment to perfection ultimately made their MTV Movie Awards performance a standout moment that fans still remember fondly.