Tom Cruise has revealed he landed the role of an ageing rock star in his new film because of his daughter Suri's obsession with the musical Hairspray.
The 49-year-old superstar said he cornered director Adam Shankman at a friend's house and asked, "Where's my musical?".
The Hairspray director did not know if Cruise was joking but thought if the Mission Impossible actor could sing, then he would consider him for the role of Stacee Jaxx in his new film, Rock Of Ages.
By all accounts, Cruise astonished everyone with his voice.
Unbeknown to Cruise, Def Leppard were on set when he sang their hit Pour Some Sugar On Me. Apparently they were pretty impressed.
Cruise said it was a challenge, but added he had always wanted to star in a musical and he knew with a bit of coaching, he could deliver.
"I applied the principles of how I learn anything. I started with the vocal coach and he just taught me the same way that preparing for a stunt, I work with the stunt team," he said.
"I'm just learning how to move air through the body, because really that's what singing is - developing those muscles.
"So I learned technically how to sing and then I really had to find that rock voice."
Russell Brand also attended Sunday night's European premiere at London's Leicester Square.
At one point he lost his temper with revellers in the crowd who heckled him, shouting that he looked like Jesus and a homeless person.
Brand retorted: "I'd like to play Jesus, and wasn't he homeless for a while too?"
The former drug addict admitted his role as a booze-swilling, hard-partying rocker in the film had reminded him of his past.
Brand said: "When I was lying on the toilet floor I thought, hello, here we are again... on my own."
He also revealed he gave his character a brummie accent as a tribute to Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy Osbourne.
"I thought I'd give it a bit of Ozzy. They didn't know the difference to tell you the truth.
"It's all the same to them (Americans); Birmingham, Essex. They think I talk like this all the time."
Some critics in America are already talking about the potential for an Oscar nomination for Cruise.
The star shrugged off the speculation: "I'm in the middle of filming this other movie and tonight I just want to enjoy this premiere.
"I mean it's really nice that they're saying that because it's got such a great cast and it's a really fun movie."
The film, released in cinemas on Friday, also stars Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta as the lead couple, and Malin Akerman as Cruise's love interest.
