Rob Lowe has paid tribute to his co-stars in 'The Outsiders' by branding them his "frat brothers"

Rob told People: "I turned 18 on-set in Tulsa... those (co-stars) are my guys, my homies, my frat brothers.

"We all were deadly serious and super-competitive. Tom (Cruise) being Tom took it to another level.

"He was just born with that kind of commitment and was inspiring."

The movie was an adaptation of SE Hinton's 1967 novel 'The Outsiders', and Rob added about how the film transformed the rest of his life: "It's funny, the movie meant different things to me over the years. As it was happening, it seemed perfectly natural, (and) that was my fraternity.

"And now with time, and with so many generations growing up and accepting the movie, and it being a part of their lives... to be part of it is really special."

Rob added about his bond with 'Young Guns' star Emilio, 62, in and beyond the film: "Emilio helped me navigate where this was all going, (and) it was good to have a best buddy going through highs and lows of being a young actor in Hollywood.

"It was an amazing moment in time... and ('The Outsiders') felt really special. "The seriousness with which Francis and everybody, all the actors, took it, was really ahead of its time."

Rob - who went on make his name in shows including 'Parks and Recreation' - added about his co-stars becoming famous: "All of us brought our individual things that you would see later in our careers.

"I think my character (in 'The Outsiders') is sort of funny on his feet, and good-natured and light, (and) if you look at something like 'Parks and Recreation', you can see elements of Soda Pop Curtis even in that."