Diane Lane has revealed Tom Cruise chipped his own tooth while filming The Outsiders to prove his commitment to his role

Speaking to People, Diane said: "I just remember that story of Tom Cruise making sure that it was evident that his tooth was knocked out in the rumble, and I thought, 'That's impressive. That's commitment.'"

The Outsiders, adapted from S.E. Hinton's 1967 novel, followed Ponyboy Curtis - played by C. Thomas Howell - and his gang of working-class Greasers clashing with the wealthier Socs in 1960s America.

Tom played Steve Randle, a tough mechanic known for his crooked grin - a feature that has become one of the most-discussed details about his role.

Director Francis Ford Coppola later confirmed the lengths Cruise went to for the part.

Speaking to Deadline in 2022, he said: "I was impressed by his willingness to go to extremes in creating a character. If the role called for a chipped tooth, he would willingly chip his tooth."

Rob Lowe, who co-starred as Sodapop Curtis in the film, also addressed the rumour during a 2023 appearance on Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi.

When asked if Tom "purposely" removed a cap from his tooth to make the injury real, Rob replied: "Yes," adding that "there was a lot of one-upping going on" between the ambitious young cast.

Diane said she had a front-row seat to the testosterone-fuelled atmosphere on set, observing how the male actors channelled both camaraderie and competition.

She said: "The night shoots were interesting and long.

"And being the girl in that environment is interesting because you could sit back and just observe the male... the way they're working it out with each other."

She added: "It's interesting because how much were they in character? And how much were they actors, roughhousing or what have you, keeping each other awake during these night shoots?

"There was so much to observe. I'm still kind of back there, people-watching."

Appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show, Diane described working alongside the all-male ensemble as both thrilling and intense.

She added: "It was hot. It was great.

"It was kind of... too much testosterone for one girl. So I kept to myself. But I was definitely pinching myself. I was definitely overwhelmed."

Diane, who was 18 when The Outsiders was released, is now starring in Anniversary, a dystopian drama about a family divided by a political movement known as The Change.

She plays Ellen Taylor, a college professor whose son, portrayed by Dylan O'Brien, begins a relationship with one of her former students.

She said: "I strive to find characters that go through stuff, and she certainly goes through a lot."