Rob Lowe says The Outsiders castmates such as Tom Cruise ‘are my guys, my homies, my frat brothers’

Rob Lowe compared the cast of The Outsiders – which also included Tom Cruise – to his “frat brothers” in a new interview.

The 60-year-old actor, speaking to People about the Francis Ford Coppola-directed film, in which he starred alongside Cruise, 62, Matt Dillon, 60, Emilio Estevez, 62, Ralph Macchio, 62, C. Thomas Howell, 57, and the late Patrick Swayze, who died in 2009 at age 57.

‘That [costars] “My boys, my homies, my sorority brothers,” said the Charlottesville, Virginia-born star, who noted that he “turned 18 on set in Tulsa” on the set of the film.

“We were all deadly serious and super competitive,” Lowe said of the core group of actors, who would go on to achieve varying levels of fame in the years following the film’s release.

The Emmy-nominated actor, who played Sodapop Curtis in the film, said Cruise, who played Steve Randle, showed moments of genius early in his career.

(L-R) Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Lowe and Tom Cruise on the set of The Outsiders

“Tom was Tom and that took it to another level,” Lowe said. “He was just born with that kind of dedication and was inspiring.”

He added: ‘In Tom you see the intensity in The Outsiders that leaves him hanging from a plane in his late 50s. The embryos of who we became are [evident] if you look closely.’

Lowe said his interpretation of the film, which is based on the 1967 novel by author SE Hinton, has evolved over time.

“It’s funny, the movie has meant different things to me over the years,” Lowe said. “When it happened, it seemed completely natural, [and] that was my student association.’

He continued: “And now, with time and with so many generations growing up and accepting the film, and making it a part of their lives… it’s really special to be a part of it.”

Lowe noted that he received a lot of support from Estevez, a childhood friend he grew up with in Malibu, California.

“Emilio helped me figure out where this was all going,” Lowe said of his fellow Brat Pack member, whose films include The Breakfast Club, Stakeout and The Mighty Ducks.

He added: “It was nice to have a best friend who shared the highs and lows of life as a young actor in Hollywood.”

Lowe said making the film with the young cast and the acclaimed filmmaker “felt really special” and “marked a great moment in time.”

The Emmy-nominated actor played the role of Sodapop Curtis in the film

Lowe said Cruise, who played Steve Randle, showed glimpses of genius early in his career during the film’s production

He added: ‘The seriousness with which Francis and everyone, all the actors, took it was really ahead of their time.’

Lowe said all the artists who appeared in the film gave a taste of their potential for the production of The Outsiders.

“We all had our own ideas, which you would see later in our careers,” Lowe said.

Lowe told the newspaper that he saw some aspects of his character from The Outsiders in his role on the television series Parks and Recreation, where he played Chris Traeger from 2010 to 2015.

“I think my character is funny, kindhearted and lighthearted,” he said. “If you look at Parks and Recreation, you’ll even see elements of Soda Pop Curtis in there.”

Lowe said in April 2020 Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard that Cruise went completely crazy when they had to share a hotel room during production of the film.

Lowe said the incident occurred during the casting process for the film, when actors from across the country were brought together to test their chemistry for the movie.

“All the people from L.A. made it through the auditions in L.A., and then the hand-picked people had to go to New York to see the New York version,” Lowe said. “So it was me, Tom Cruise, Emilio, and C. Thomas Howell.

Lowe, who was pictured on The Tonight Show in July, said making the film with the young cast and acclaimed filmmaker “felt really special” and marked “a great moment in time.”

(L-R) Estevez, Lowe, Howell, Swayze and Cruise pictured on the set of The Outsiders

Lowe said each of the entertainers who starred in the film showed hints of their potential during the production of The Outsiders

‘We checked in and Tom found out we were sharing a room and went absolutely nuts… It made me laugh, it was really intense.’

According to Lowe, Cruise’s reaction was a reflection of his early confidence.

“What I love about the story is that there are certain people who have always been who they are, and that element of them has gotten them to where they are now and the rest is history,” Lowe said. “And the idea that an 18-year-old actor with a supporting role in Endless Love and a seventh lead in Taps could have that kind of ability.

‘I remember thinking, “Wow, this guy is a real star” … he’s had his eye on the ball from day one.’