“I Created a Portrait of Tom Cruise, and He Invited Me to Meet Him!”
An artist described being invited to personally deliver two charcoal drawings of Tom Cruise as “the most surreal moment” of his life.
Wilf Elliott, a 21-year-old tattoo artist from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, was thrilled when Cruise’s team reached out after he previously gifted artwork to singers like Sam Ryder and Zara Larsson.
“I found out that Tom had opened my artwork on set, and I thought it would be a great idea to create another piece,” Elliott shared. “Then, I received a text saying he’d like to meet me in person.”
The young artist expressed his disbelief, saying, “I don’t think I’ll ever have the opportunity to meet someone as big as that again.”
Elliott had been working on a scene from Top Gun: Maverick, one of his favourite films, for about 18 months when he learned of the actor’s interest.
“Actually seeing someone like that and knowing he recognized my work before we met was incredibly surreal,” he reflected.
His journey into art began during the COVID-19 lockdown, which he used as an opportunity to keep himself busy and explore his creative talents.
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Since then, his artwork has gained traction on social media, catching the attention of various celebrities, including former Welsh football captain Gareth Bale.
Earlier this year, Elliott also travelled to Sweden to deliver a portrait of the late DJ Avicii to the musician’s father, Klas Bergling. Looking ahead, he hopes to create artwork for other high-profile figures, noting that rapper Post Malone and actor Jim Carrey are at the top of his “wish list.”
With this recent experience, Elliott’s artistic journey continues to take exciting turns, marking a remarkable chapter in his burgeoning career.