December 10-11, 2007 – Tom Cruise played best friend to Will Smith in a cross-country media push surrounding Smith’s new movie, I Am Legend.  On Monday, Cruise was one of the family when Smith did the hand-and-footprint ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.  Tom greeted Jada Pinkett Smith’s family, and Will’s family, and sat with the Smith children during the ceremony.  We overheard Tom offering rides from L.A. to New York for the next day’s I Am Legend premiere.  Smith’s goofy charm made the often-dull handprint ceremony a lot of fun; he posed for photos with fans, shouted and laughed and was just very animated. 

As expected, we met the whole extended family – along with Tom Cruise - the next day in NYC, where Madison Square Garden was the only venue big enough to hold the giant premiere.  Will again exhibited that delightful exuberance, yelling and greeting friends, while introducing the movie to the excited crowd.  “I want to apologize to all of the citizens of New York City”, Smith said, for closing down city streets while shooting the film.  “Some of you gave me a very distinct American symbol of displeasure as you were riding by in your cars”, he added.  “My wife is here, my mom is here; the whole family”, he said, without mentioning Cruise. 

The premiere also drew Mary J. Blige, rocker Pete Wentz, rappers Bow Wow and Omarion, Ice T and Ron Howard.