By 1988, Tom Cruise was arguably the biggest movie star on the planet after leading hit films like Top Gun and The Color of Money. Yet, millions of fans have watched the classic 1988 Brat Pack Western Young Guns without ever realizing the action icon made a secret appearance.
How the Secret Appearance Happened
Cruise’s connection to the set started years earlier on the 1983 film The Outsiders, where he became close friends with star Emilio Estevez (who played Billy the Kid in Young Guns). While Young Guns was shooting on location in New Mexico, Cruise visited his old friend on set. Instead of remaining behind the camera, Cruise threw on a costume, stepped right into the production, and joined the movie as an uncredited extra.
Where to Spot Him
- The Role: Cruise plays an anonymous corrupt U.S. Army soldier working for the villainous rancher Lawrence Murphy (played by Jack Palance).
- The Disguise: He is hidden under a low-slung cowboy hat, thick facial hair, and heavy gunsmoke.
- The Moment: Charlie Bowdre (played by Casey Siemaszko) shoots him directly. Frame-by-frame, his unmistakable face reveals itself right before he takes the fall.
The Hollywood Payback
The secret cameos didn’t stop in 1988. Years later, Emilio Estevez returned the favor by making an uncredited appearance in Cruise’s 1996 blockbuster Mission: Impossible. Estevez played IMF technician Jack Harmon, who meets a gruesome death on top of an elevator during the movie’s iconic opening sequence.
What’s Special About the Movie?
Made on a modest $11 million to $13 million production budget, Young Guns turned out to be a solid box office hit when it debuted in August 1988. Driven by the massive star power of its “Brat Pack” cast, the Western opened at number one at the US box office with over $7 million in its opening weekend and went on to gross roughly $45 million domestically (and over $56 million worldwide), more than quadrupling its original budget and spawning the 1990 hit sequel, Young Guns II.
Next time you stream Young Guns, keep your eyes on the chaotic final shootout to catch one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets!
