27-04-2025
Why Tom Cruise is a very British movie star — by those who know him best
In spring 2021, at the tail-end of the pandemic, Dean Bartle was mopping the floor of his showroom of Porsches and Ferraris near Church Fenton, north Yorkshire. His business, DMB Collection, backs on to Leeds East airport, where Bartle's gaze was caught by a svelte black helicopter. The lead passenger, an American, bellowed out, 'Hey man, what's DMB stand for?' The sun was bright, his figure a silhouette, and his face was covered by aviators and a Covid mask. Bartle said it was just his initials, but added, because he had been warned against starting a showroom, that some say it stands for 'Dean's Massive Balls'. The American laughed wildly. It was Tom Cruise.
'He was here for over an hour, talking about cars because
