Mary Harron Discusses Tom Cruise's Influence on American Psycho

Mary Harron, director of the cult classic film 'American Psycho,' recently discussed the film's connection to Tom Cruise during an interview. Christian Bale, who portrayed the sociopathic character Patrick Bateman, drew inspiration from Cruise's demeanor, noting a perceived 'friendliness with almost nothing behind the eyes' after watching him on a talk show. In Bret Easton Ellis's novel, Bateman and Cruise share an apartment building, which adds an intriguing layer to the character's obsession with appearances, but Cruise does not appear in the film. Harron humorously remarked that while the creative team loved the idea of having Cruise involved, they would never have gotten him to participate in such a 'heinous production.' The film adaptation diverges from the novel in several ways, including the portrayal of Bateman, which Harron believes could detract from the essence of the character. Despite Cruise's absence from the film, his presence is felt through Bale's interpretation of Bateman.