Cruise had been tipped to play opposite Kidman

Nicole Kidman is getting rave reviews for her performance in Cold Mountain opposite Jude Law but it has just been revealed that her ex, Tom Cruise was originally set to play her leading man in the film.

According to the movie’s producer, Sydney Pollack, the deal fell through over salary negotiations because they couldn’t agree on an acceptable fee.

“It was a combination of timing and egos,” he says, adding that eventually “Tom said ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’,”.

Cruise, currently starring in The Last Samurai, maintains he actually wasn’t interested in making the film at that time.