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Why Tom Cruise Is To Blame For Katie Holmes' Box Office Failure On Broadway
Posted by Molly Friedman at 11:05 AM on July 3, 2008
It didn't take long for Katie Holmes to prove she cannot compare to Nicole Kidman when it comes to Broadway appeal. Months before she even sets foot on stage, Tom Cruise's replacement wife is striking out at the box office, managing to sell only $1 million worth of advance tickets to her September theatrical effort in All My Sons. That may sound like a decent take in the world of steadily declining Broadway sales, but it doesn't even come close to Kidman's number, which was $4 million. So why the distant gap in interest between seeing Holmes hack through Arthur Miller and Kidman feign sex live? It's not just a matter of full-frontal cartwheels...
As Us notes, Kidman opened in both London and New York productions of The Blue Room at the same time as Eyes Wide Shut was gearing up to open in movie theatres. The only Stanley Kubrick film to open in the number-one spot, the ritzy S&M flick had more than freaky costumes going for it -- Kubrick passed away before its premiere, the film itself wasn't too shabby and, most importantly, Tom Cruise and Kidman were enjoying their final year as Hollywood's golden couple. People went to see his movies and couldn't wait for the chance to see both in the same one. He used to be an actor! One the Academy considered worthy of an Oscars nom! So Holmes' failure isn't really hers -- well, in so much as her miserable confinement as a prisoner of Scientology isn't really her fault, either.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Claire
Posted July 3, 2008 7:53 PM
At least Holmes isn't dropping her clothes in every role like Kidman does. Didn't EWS end up tanking at the box office?
Karen
Posted July 4, 2008 6:16 AM
If Katie had kept her long hair and impetuous laugh, she would not have bombed.
NotReadyForPrimeTime
Posted 11:31 AM 3/7/08
@hummingpenguin:
Agreed. Besides, that fake Jackie-Kennedy-whisper voice of hers is not going to help.
NotReadyForPrimeTime
hummingpenguin
Posted 11:28 AM 3/7/08
There's the pesky little problem of actual talent as well. Kidman is watchable, at least. Holmes is a total non-entity.
hummingpenguin
Greasy Thumb Guzik
Posted 12:30 PM 3/7/08
Rent "The Gift".
Katie is topless in that turkey.
Greasy Thumb Guzik
NotReadyForPrimeTime
Posted 1:38 PM 3/7/08
@Greasy Thumb Guzik:
Yes, but that was before Tom turned her into a robot, so it doesn't count.
NotReadyForPrimeTime
TootieFields
Posted 1:59 PM 3/7/08
Seeing her boobs is completely negated by her horrible accent in that movie.
"Wassah mattah? You see sumthin' baaaahd?"
TootieFields
burn_this_into_your_brains
Posted 6:56 PM 3/7/08
the film itself wasn't too shabby...
(!!!!!)
burn_this_into_your_brains
gwendolyn
Posted 1:36 AM 4/7/08
Doesn't Ms. Holmes-Arrest exist solely because of something I once heard about called 'Dawson's Creek'?
I would think her talent (see 'lack thereof') would have disqualified her from even a mediocre Arthur Miller play like 'All My Sons' so her casting would surely have to be based on her B'way B.O. potential.
Having been quite disappointed in Kathleen Turner's take on Maggie the Cat (a role she seemed perfect for) on Broadway in the '90's, I got over thinking the stars you admired onscreen would only be that much more exciting live.
Also, ticket prices even then were enough to choke this horse.
So if Katie disappoints with advance sales, I imagine Tom Tom Clod doesn't have to worry about her slipping out the side door of a theater during intermission and hailing a cab for Newark Airport ever again.
gwendolyn
TheQuestion
Posted 2:46 AM 4/7/08
@TootieFields: The Mute button is your friend.
TheQuestion
Wendy_Kroy
Posted 4:22 AM 4/7/08
@hummingpenguin: She USED to be watchable. Back circa Dead Calm/ Malice, she was a really cool presence on screen. But once she immobilized her face all that talent was for nought - it doesn't matter if you have insight into a character, if you know exactly how to play a scene for maximum impact, if your face doesn't work anymore. It's like a musical virtuoso trying to play the piano in mittens.
Wendy_Kroy
raincoaster
Posted 9:39 PM 4/7/08
@Wendy_Kroy: This is my new favorite blog:
[nicolekidmansforehead.blogspot.com]
raincoaster
"Good" Crazy...
Posted 9:42 AM 5/7/08
.. and that was my first post after account approval, bless you Defamer Overlords, songs of your greatness shall be sung late into the night in these halls.
"Good" Crazy...
"Good" Crazy...
Posted 9:40 AM 5/7/08
I'm going with the little talent point, although anyone who hooks up with Cruiser is off my payroll for obvious reasons, far far far before the couch surf 'incident'.
Yes, even Nicole...
"Good" Crazy...