Rob Lowe Thought He and Tom Cruise Might Not Make It Through One Particular Night While Filming 1983'sThe Outsiders

Mar. 15, 2025

Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez and Patrick Swayze in 1983’s ‘The Outsiders’.Photo:Nancy Moran/Sygma via Getty

Nancy Moran/Sygma via Getty

Rob LoweandFrancis Ford Coppolaare sharing fond memories of making the 85-year-old director’s 1983 filmThe Outsiders— including the interesting ways Coppola helped his young cast get into character.The film, set in 1965, revolves around the conflict between two teenage gangs: the poorer greasers and the wealthier “Socs.” It also boasted a stellar cast ofyoung actors destined to become Hollywood stars, including Lowe in his first feature film role,Tom Cruise,Patrick Swayze,Matt Dillon,Emilio EstevezandRalph Macchio.“You were all young guys who loved acting,” Coppola recalled on the most recent episode of Lowe’sSiriusXM podcastLiterally!. “And you applauded each other, even your competition. It was wonderful. I’ll never forget how positive those casting sessions were and how supportive you were of your own competition.”Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Thomas C. Howell, Patrick Swayze and Tom Cruise in 1983’s ‘The Outsiders’.Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via GettyLowe said that the young cast supported each other even in small ways, like helping each other with their hair and makeup.At the same time, Coppola apparently wanted to make the class dynamic between the greasers and Socs as real as possible for the young actors.“I remember that we gave the greasers less per diem and they had crummier transportation and accommodations than the Socs,” the director said. “The Socs got nice hotels and stuff like that. But the greasers had to live in basement rooms that we found.”Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.C. Thomas Howell, Francis Coppola and Rob Lowe on the set of ‘The Outsiders’ in 1983.Nancy Moran/Sygma via GettyFor his part, Lowe said that while he understood that Coppola was trying to make him, Macchio, Swayze and the other actors playing greasers feel their characters’ struggle, he remembers thinking that “every actor who’s playing a Soc, who’s got more per diem, all they really want to do is be a greaser anyway.”Lowe also remembered Coppola sending some of the cast to stay the night with real former greasers. “We all had to go to their houses,” he said. “And I remember so vividly being on a couch near a furnace, in a basement of these people I did not know, and me and Tom Cruise looking at each other going, ‘They could — they might come down and kill us tonight.’ ”New episodes of SiriusXM’sLiterally! With Rob Loweare available every Thursday on the SiriusXM app and wherever podcasts are available.

Rob LoweandFrancis Ford Coppolaare sharing fond memories of making the 85-year-old director’s 1983 filmThe Outsiders— including the interesting ways Coppola helped his young cast get into character.

The film, set in 1965, revolves around the conflict between two teenage gangs: the poorer greasers and the wealthier “Socs.” It also boasted a stellar cast ofyoung actors destined to become Hollywood stars, including Lowe in his first feature film role,Tom Cruise,Patrick Swayze,Matt Dillon,Emilio EstevezandRalph Macchio.

“You were all young guys who loved acting,” Coppola recalled on the most recent episode of Lowe’sSiriusXM podcastLiterally!. “And you applauded each other, even your competition. It was wonderful. I’ll never forget how positive those casting sessions were and how supportive you were of your own competition.”

Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Thomas C. Howell, Patrick Swayze and Tom Cruise in 1983’s ‘The Outsiders’.Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

Lowe said that the young cast supported each other even in small ways, like helping each other with their hair and makeup.

At the same time, Coppola apparently wanted to make the class dynamic between the greasers and Socs as real as possible for the young actors.

“I remember that we gave the greasers less per diem and they had crummier transportation and accommodations than the Socs,” the director said. “The Socs got nice hotels and stuff like that. But the greasers had to live in basement rooms that we found.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

C. Thomas Howell, Francis Coppola and Rob Lowe on the set of ‘The Outsiders’ in 1983.Nancy Moran/Sygma via Getty

For his part, Lowe said that while he understood that Coppola was trying to make him, Macchio, Swayze and the other actors playing greasers feel their characters’ struggle, he remembers thinking that “every actor who’s playing a Soc, who’s got more per diem, all they really want to do is be a greaser anyway.”

Lowe also remembered Coppola sending some of the cast to stay the night with real former greasers. “We all had to go to their houses,” he said. “And I remember so vividly being on a couch near a furnace, in a basement of these people I did not know, and me and Tom Cruise looking at each other going, ‘They could — they might come down and kill us tonight.’ ”

New episodes of SiriusXM’sLiterally! With Rob Loweare available every Thursday on the SiriusXM app and wherever podcasts are available.

source: people.com