How an accident on set proved that Tom Cruise was the perfect Jack Reacher

When it was announced that Tom Cruise would play the legendary detective Jack Reacher in a remake, some fans reacted skeptically.

But according to Lee Child, the character’s best-selling author, the A-list celebrity is just as tough as the tough character… and proved it on set.

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(Related story: Cruise defends his role as Jack Reacher)

At an exclusive event for the film hosted by Yahoo! Movies, where Cruise, Child and director Chris McQuarrie answered questions from fans, the author told us about the moment he knew Cruise was the perfect Reacher.

Watch the video below.

“I’m going to embarrass Tom now,” he said. “But people talked a lot and said, ‘Oh, is he right for the part?’ … but he was injured in one of the car crashes (on set). His left hand was swollen like a football. Remember that? It looked really bad.

“As a friend, I would have said, ‘Take two days off and go to the hospital.’ As a union representative, which used to be my job, I would have said, ‘Take a week off!’ But he just said, ‘Yes, The is nothing.’ To me, that’s Reacher. Reacher will do the job or die trying.”

The star did all the stunts for the film’s signature chase scene himself, but wouldn’t admit how much the insurance cost. “We don’t send the footage to the studio straight away,” he said. “If the camera isn’t in danger, it’s not worth shooting. It was very exciting.”

Cruise also felt a strong connection to the character, a former military man and loner who lives away from civilization and spends his time solving gruesome crimes.

He said he would like to experience Reacher’s simple lifestyle for a while. “I like staying in hotel rooms. I like traveling the way he travels. I would DEFINITELY get rid of my phone… and I do sometimes.”

“Jack Reacher” will be released in the UK on December 26, 2012.