In 1996, Cameron Crowe unveiled the dramatic comedy “Jerry Maguire” after a long writing process. For months, the filmmaker followed Agent Leigh Steinberg to develop the character played by Tom Cruise. And if most of the film’s cult lines are fictional, the businessman and the protagonist have several things in common.
Jerry maguire : when Tom Cruise loses everything
When Jerry maguire released in France in 1997, Tom Cruise is at the top. The superstar has just taken on the role of Ethan Hunt for the first time with Impossible mission, after having passed the sound barrier in Top Gun, dismantled a corrupt society in The firm and quench his thirst for immortality in Interview with a Vampire.
The character he plays in Cameron Crowe’s comedy-drama is experiencing a downfall, unlike his Hollywood success. However, at the base, everything smiles on Jerry Maguire, rich, handsome and renowned sports agent working for Sports Management International. One evening, in a burst of spontaneity, he embarks on writing a note in which he deplores the cynicism of his profession, evoking the meaning he initially wanted to give to his life.
Admittedly touching confessions, but not really in agreement with the company to which he offered his energy and his flair. Licensed, separated from his partner Avery (Kelly Preston), Jerry finds himself almost alone. To try to climb back up, however, he can count on the help of his colleague Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) and footballer Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who remain loyal to him while everyone else has their backs on him.
Jerry O’Connell, Bonnie Hunt, Regina King and Jonathan Lipnicki round out the cast of the box office hit, which is grossing more than $ 273.5 million in worldwide revenue. For his haunted portrayal of a big-hearted loser, Tom Cruise won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. Cuba Gooding Jr. wins Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Leigh Steinberg, the inspiration for Jerry Maguire
In order to perfect his screenplay, which he fine-tuned for three long years, Cameron Crowe was inspired by Leigh Steinberg. As reported Sky Sports in 2020, the future director of Almost famous and New start discovered this agent in 1993, during the draft of the NFL. As the New England Patriots recruit quarterback Drew Bledsoe, the director is focused on the 44-year-old Steinberg tasked with representing the athlete.
For many months, Cameron Crowe follows Leigh Steinberg at many events, studying his behavior, gestures and business acumen. The agent recalls about this period:
Most of the dialogue comes from the creative mind of Cameron Crowe. He followed me for a year and a half, he went wherever I went. (…) He went to a lot of places with me and I told him a lot of stories. What precisely came out of it remains between Cameron and me.
Several points in common
In more than 40 years of career, Leigh Steinberg represents more than 300 athletes coming from American football, basketball, baseball and boxing. He trades more than two billion dollars with his contracts, according to the site All American Speakers. According to Sky Sports, he breaks a record since eight of his clients are among the first picks of the NFL draft, that is to say the first players selected by a franchise during the annual event. But the most important thing for him remains that the athletes join the franchise that suits them best:
What really matters to me is that our players, especially our quarterbacks, join a team with a great group of owners, a great front office and a great coach. Because what is important is that this player has the organization and the tools around him to be productive.
Unlike Jerry Maguire, Leigh Steinberg has always been self-employed according to Screenrant. But like the agent played by Tom Cruise, he has sometimes been overwhelmed by his chaotic lifestyle and faces many relationship problems due to her profession. In the early 2000s, he struggled against his alcoholism, born because of hardships related to his personal and professional life.
In the film, the relationship between the main character and Rod Tidwell is inspired by that between Leigh Steinberg and quarterback Warren Moon, whom he considers “his brother”. They both do a cameo in the feature film by Cameron Crowe. The first features footballer Troy Aikman – from whom he …
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