NEWSTom Cruise 'Punched' Jack Nicholson While Filming Iconic 'A Few Good Men' Courtroom Scene, Costar Says
Kevin Pollak recalled Tom Cruise playfully punching Jack Nicholson in the shoulder after their intense courtroom scene in 'A Few Good Men.'
Oct. 25 2026, Published 9:44 a.m. ET
Tom Cruise had an unexpected response to Jack Nicholson's antics while filming their famous courtroom confrontation in A Few Good Men, according to their costar Kevin Pollak.
"Tom stayed in the pocket and finished the scene and then punched Jack Nicholson in the shoulder," Pollak recalled on the "Still Here Hollywood" podcast with Steve Kmetko.
Nicholson Pulled a Prank During the Courtroom Scene
Nicholson pulled exaggerated, clown-like facial expressions as Cruise moved toward him, demanding answers during the tense courtroom confrontation.
Pollak, who played Lt. Sam Weinberg in the 1992 film, remembered the moment while discussing the climactic confrontation between Cruise's Lt. Daniel Kaffee and Nicholson's Col. Nathan Jessup.
During the scene, Kaffee moves toward Jessup while demanding answers.
The camera was positioned beside Nicholson's face, capturing the confrontation from his character's perspective. "And Tom's coming in, camera shooting, and this is what Tom's looking at during the scene. Jack is doing this, making the most ridiculous clown face you've ever seen," Pollak recalled.
Cruise Finished the Take Before Hitting Nicholson
Tom Cruise kept his composure through the take before breaking the tension with a playful shoulder punch that left both actors laughing.
Despite the distraction, Cruise continued performing the scene without breaking character. He waited until the take was finished before responding to Nicholson's antics.
The punch, as Pollak described it, was followed by a light moment between the two performers. "Uh, and they both laughed," recalled Pollak. "So, that was Jack and my experience."
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The Director Encouraged the Cast to Enjoy the Work
Kevin Pollak recalled director Rob Reiner's advice to the cast about keeping filmmaking enjoyable.
Despite the film's serious subject matter, Pollak remembered that director Rob Reiner wanted the cast to enjoy the process of making it.
"The big thing with Rob was just, if we're not having fun, there's no point in any of this," Pollak said in an interview.
"And he said that while we're doing a very intense courtroom drama," emphasized the actor, adding that the advice stayed with him.
"It was a great lesson and a great way to work," he declared.
'A Few Good Men' Became a Courtroom Classic
'A Few Good Men' earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Jack Nicholson.
Released in 1992, A Few Good Men follows a military court-martial involving two Marines charged in connection with a fellow serviceman's death at Guantanamo Bay. Defense attorney Daniel Kaffee examines the circumstances surrounding the incident and an unofficial military punishment known as a "code red."
The case brings Kaffee into conflict with Col. Nathan Jessup, a senior officer whose testimony sparks a tense courtroom showdown. Their exchange culminates in Jessup's famous declaration, "You can't handle the truth!"
Directed by Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin, the film also stars Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland and J.T. Walsh.
The movie received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Nicholson.
