Cruise and kids take plunge in Sky Jump spree
17.03.2003 By NATASHA HARRIS

The Sky Tower received a celebrity endorsement yesterday when actor Tom Cruise booked the Sky Jump attraction for two hours for his family’s exclusive enjoyment.

Cruise, daughter Isabella, 10, and son Connor, 8, arrived at Sky City in the afternoon and spent the full two hours enjoying the thrill of the 192m jump.

Sky City media relations manager Delwyn Lewer helped the family to get organised and watched the jumps.

“They all dived out like Superman, and then on Tom’s second jump he did a little run and did a big ‘Whoop’ when he got on the ground.”

Ms Lewer said Cruise stopped to talk to a crowd of about 20 surprised people who had gathered at the bottom of the tower.

“He struck me as a very charming and very friendly man,” she said.

“He seemed very much a family man because he hugged his children after they jumped and he put Connor on his knee while waiting to jump.”

Ms Lewer said the family left at 6pm in a van after spending the day in Auckland. Penelope Cruz, Cruise’s partner, was not with the group.

Cruise is currently living in Taranaki while filming The Last Samurai.

Despite booking the Sky Jump exclusively - it normally costs $195 a jump - his reputation in New Zealand is far from that of a prima donna.

Before Christmas he helped to raise $14,000 for a sunshade for a small school near his Taranaki film set.

He also stopped his car on a Taranaki back-road to offer help to a family changing a wheel.

Thanks Erin!