London: Tom Cruise is following in the footsteps of his Beverly Hills neighbour David Beckham by buying a mansion on the island of Malta. However, the 49-year-old actor has set his estate agents a daunting task, as he wants a living room that measures 2,000sq ft.
The ‘Mission Impossible’ star has hired Milan property firm Allessandro Proto Consulting, which had helped him find homes in London and Italy, to find a “suitable residence” on the Mediterranean island.
“Tom always wants to buy a new property to his exact specifications, even if that entails knocking down a few walls,” a leading daily has quoted a source as saying. Apparently, Cruise fell in love with the island last year when he visited Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who were renting Guarena Palace, an 18th-century fortress-like villa in Qrendi, while Pitt was filming ‘World War Z’. The source also revealed that Malta could turn out to be the location for two sci-fi thrillers Cruise is planning to shoot this year, including ‘We Mortals Are’.
“Tom likes the idea of having both a vacation home for his family and a permanent working residence in a region noted for its great location backdrops and natural light,” the source said.
“He almost certainly wants the living area so it can also be used as a meeting and entertaining room,” the source added.
His wife Katie Holmes, 33, and their daughter Suri, six, are also said to have fallen in love with Malta.
ANI