Rob Lowe reveals Tom Cruise went 'ballistic' having to share room during filming of 'The Outsiders'

Rob Lowe has shared an example of Tom Cruise's high expectations. Photo / Getty Images

Tom Cruise went "ballistic" when he had to share a room with Rob Lowe as they were preparing to film The Outsiders.

Lowe recalled how the pair had been asked to go from Los Angeles to New York during the casting process of Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 drama and Cruise was furious about sharing a room at The Plaza Hotel.

Speaking on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, the 56-year-old actor said: "All of the LA people survived the LA auditions, and then the hand-picked people had to go to New York to face the New York version.

Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, Thomas C. Howell, and Tom Cruise on the set of The Outsiders. Photo / Getty Images

"So it was me and Tom and Emilio [Estevez] and C. Thomas Howell.

"[It was the] first time I ever stayed at The Plaza Hotel, and we check-in and Tom finds out we're sharing a room and just goes ballistic."

The West Wing star believes that Cruise's tantrum showed his desire to succeed as an actor and that he demanded high standards.

Lowe explained: "To me, what's great about the story is, there's certain people who have always been who they are, and that element of them has powered them to where they are today and the rest is history. And the notion than an 18-year-old with a walk-on part in Endless Love and like a 7th lead in Taps could have that kind of like wherewithal.

"I remember going, 'Wow, this guy is the real deal.' I mean it made me laugh, it was gnarly. But in the end of it, you can't argue with the results. He's had his eye on the ball since day one."