Smith-Levin brought up how Viacom’s then-chairman, Sumner M. Redstone, announced Paramount Pictures was ending its 14-year relationship with the actor’s production company nearly three decades ago, noting he heard that Priscilla worked behind-the-scenes to get Cruise back in Hollywood’s good graces.
“As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal,” Redstone had told The Wall Street Journal in a statement as they parted ways. “His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount.”
The host explained how Redstone and Paramount were distancing themselves from Cruise over his “antics.” At the time, Cruise’s reps denied the firing, claiming he had already lined up $100 million in financing to produce movies on their own.
