Tom Cruise ‘Sees Movie Star Potential’ in Robert Irwin, Wants ‘DWTS’ Champ to ‘Do a Screen Test’

Tom Cruise may have found a new wingman!

According to a source, the Top Gun: Maverick star, 63, “sees movie star potential” in Robert Irwin and would “like to see him do a screen test and see how that goes.”

But he’ll need to get mom Terri Irwin‘s “blessing” first, says Star‘s source.

“He could easily go to Robert’s agents, but he wants Terri on board,” the source explains. “Everyone in Hollywood knows that [she] has always liked to have a say in what her kids do, and even though Robert is well over 18 now, Tom is planning to stick to that code.”

After winning season 34 of Dancing with the Stars, Robert, 22, signed on to host the hit competition show’s upcoming spin-off, Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.

His dream, though, is to star in an action movie and do his own stunts, per a New York Times profile from November, which also revealed that the wildlife conservationist sees himself “more rooted in the arts and working, at least part-time” in the United States going forward.

However, as Star previously reported, a source says Robert loves life in U.S. so much that he’s started talking about setting up there permanently, which is Terri, 61, and sister Bindi Irwin‘s “worst nightmare” and not just because he plays a “huge part” in the “massive operation” that is the Australia Zoo.

“They’re a very close family,” said the source. “They don’t want him a million miles away.”