Cruise delights fans with autographs marathon

He had promised to sign autographs for every fan who wanted one, and Tom Cruise stayed true to his word at the premiere of his new movie.

The Hollywood superstar came to London for the British premiere of new blockbuster The Last Samurai.

And he delighted 5,000 fans in Leicester Square last night by treating them to a marathon signing session.

He arrived just before 6pm with Spanish girlfriend Penelope Cruz.

Cruz, dressed in a red Valentino gown with plunging neckline, disappeared into the cinema after 15 minutes.

But Cruise remained outside for two hours – chatting, posing for pictures and making his usual phone calls to fans’ mothers.

The day before the Oscar-nominated actor promised: “Hey, if anyone shows up and wants my autograph, they can have it.”

It is now customary for the 41-year-old star to go on lengthy walkabouts in Leicester Square.

His last visit was for Minority Report in 2002, when he spent 90 minutes with the crowd. The year before that he went on an hour-long walkabout for Vanilla Sky.

Cruise was so determined to sign every autograph and shake every hand that the screening was delayed by an hour.

Celebrities including Bill Wyman and Nell McAndrew were kept waiting in the cinema while he met fans, many of whom had queued since the morning for a chance to speak to him.

By the time he had spoken to journalists lining the red carpet, Cruise had been outside for a total of two-and-a-quarter hours.

The actor had told fans they could each ask him two questions as he worked his way through the crowd.

He said: “I’ve had people asking me places I’ve been, people asking me to speak to their friends and relatives – and a few marriage proposals.

“I don’t know how long I’ve been out here because I’m not timing myself and I’ve no idea how many hands I’ve shaken, but it’s been really fun.”

Cruise has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in The Last Samurai and is strongly tipped to earn an Oscar nomination.

He plays Captain Nathan Algren, a disillusioned American Civil War veteran hired to train Japan’s first modern conscript army in the late 19th century.

The Emperor and his advisers want the army to eradicate the Samurai as the country opens up to trade with the West.

But when Algren is captured by Samurai leader Katsumoto, played by Japanese star Ken Watanabe, he finds himself impressed by their ancient code of honour and joins them in a last stand against the Emperor’s forces.

The film also stars Billy Connolly and Auf Weidersehen Pet actor Timothy Spall.

Cruise trained for eight months for his role in the movie epic and spent a further four months researching Samurai history.

The actor has been nominated for an Oscar three times – for Born on the Fourth of July, Magnolia and Jerry McGuire – but never won.