Tom Cruise pays tribute to Tony Scott

Tom Cruise has spoken out about the death of British director Tony Scott.

The pair worked together on ‘Top Gun’, the film that made Cruise a superstar, and ‘Days of Thunder’.

[Related gallery: Tony Scott - A career in pictures]

Cruise called the 68-year-old a "creative visionary whose mark on film is immeasurable".

"Tony was my dear friend,” he continued, “I will really miss him... My deepest sorrow and thoughts are with his family at this time."

An autopsy was carried out last night and while the results won’t be known for several weeks, the coroner did deny earlier reports that the director had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour shortly before his apparent suicide.  

Tom Cruise wasn’t the only star of Scott’s films to speak about his death. Gene Hackman, who starred in ‘Crimson Tide’, said Scott "was always sensitive to the needs of an actor. We've lost a wonderful, creative talent."

‘True Romance’s Christian Slater said: “Shocking and devastating news. He was the best and will be greatly missed."

Keira Knightley, who starred in his 2005 film ‘Domino’ called him "one of the most extraordinary, imaginative men I ever worked with," and "one of the world's true originals".