Colorblind Artist Left ‘Starstruck’ After Meeting Tom Cruise to Hand-Deliver His Portrait
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A colorblind artist, Wilf Elliott, drew the portrait of Tom Cruise. Little did he know, it would lead him to a personal meeting with the Hollywood icon himself.
Wilf, an artist from Clacton in East England, has been wowing people with his stunning charcoal portraits of celebrities such as soccer star Gareth Bale, pop sensation Zara Larsson, and Eurovision favorite Sam Ryder. But after watching Top Gun: Maverick in 2022–a film he describes as “one of the most enjoyable“ he‘s ever seen–he decided to create a portrait of its lead star, Tom Cruise, just for fun.
Making a bold leap, Wilf contacted Cruise‘s management team to see if the Top Gun actor might want the drawing. To his surprise, the portrait journeyed through several hands before reaching Cruise, who was so impressed that he requested to meet Wilf in person.
Fast forward nine months of anticipation, and it placed him face-to-face with the legendary actor. They spent 20 unforgettable minutes together, talking about life, art, and the impressive career of Wilf.
“He asked about my work and told me how impressed he was,” Wilf said, still glowing from the encounter. “I shook hands with him multiple times. I‘ve met some amazing people, but this… this was beyond anything I could‘ve ever imagined.”
Just as the day seemed to get no better, Cruise pulled another surprise: Wilf had brought with him a second portrait present, but Cruise would have none of it, instead insisting Wilf keep it in memory of their meeting. They chatted for a few pictures and parted ways with Cruise‘s staff carefully taking the cockpit-themed drawing.
On the drive home, Wilf couldn’t contain his excitement and immediately called his parents. “They’re incredibly proud,” he shared. “Looking back, all the pieces have been leading to something like this. I’m so grateful to everyone who made this happen. It was the best day of my life.”
As for what‘s next? Wilf has a few more dream faces he‘d love to capture–think Post Malone, Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller, and Adam Sandler. But after meeting Tom Cruise, one thing is certain: Wilf Elliott‘s artistic journey is just taking off.
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