|
Fans greeted him with whoops and hollers and
the French Air Force aerobatic team Patrouille de France flew
overhead, spraying the sky with coloured smoke trails in red,
white and blue.
Cruise was in the city to promote the long-awaited "Top Gun:
Maverick" movie sequel, which was held back for two years
because of the coronavirus pandemic. A big ticket draw, it has
added considerable buzz to the world's largest film festival as
it marks a splashy return for its 75th anniversary edition.
In a tuxedo and black bowtie, the American star worked the crowd
lined up along the red carpet, signing photos and posing for
selfies.
He posed with fellow actors Jennifer Connelly and Miles Teller,
clapping festival director Thierry Fremaux on the back when the
jets flew over head.
Cruise had arrived earlier in the day, stepping out of a black
car to the chants of "Tom! Tom!"
Some fans had been camping out since breakfast.
"I was like, 'I must see him, absolutely, one way or another!'"
said Oriane Holz, 22. She held up a sign asking for tickets to
the screening of the film.
Katy McNulty, 46 and Joanne Routledge, 52, had been on the road
since before dawn. The pair were up at 3 am and travelled from
the north of England to Scotland, taking a plane from Edinburgh
to Nice, and then a train to Cannes to arrive in time for
Cruise's appearance.
What were they angling for?
"A selfie with Tom because we promised them at work that's what
we'll deliver - and they told us we wouldn't," said Routledge.
Stan Hamilton, an American student learning French in Cannes,
said: "Me and my father watched 'Top Gun' when I was a child. I
wish he could be here with me now."
(Reporting by Mimosa Spencer and Michaela Cabrera; Editing by
Jane Merriman and Rosalba O'Brien)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.]
|
|
