Lost's Scariest Character Has A Real-Life Connection To Tom Cruise
It is hard to put into words what an absolute phenomenon ABC's "Lost" was. Following the survivors of Oceanic flight 815, which crashes on a deserted island, "Lost" was must-watch television because of the serialized way it expanded on the island's mysteries. One plot point still shrouded with mystique to this day is the exact motives of Ethan Rom. Played by William Mapother, Ethan is the first face that represents the somewhat villainous group known as the Others. Ethan inspires abject fear after abducting Claire (Emilie de Ravin), and his experiments on her unborn baby remain a mystery for seasons.
But other than playing the scariest character on "Lost," the Ethan actor has another claim to fame. Mapother also happens to be first cousins with Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. That's right — Mapother is related to none other than stunt-happy blockbuster king Tom Cruise.
The two actors share not only a blood connection but films as well. Early in Mapother's career, he and his cousin collaborated on many of Cruise's definitive films. His first acting credit was in "Born on the Fourth of July," and he's since also had roles in "Magnolia," "Mission: Impossible II," and "Minority Report." Since these collaborations, their careers have diverged significantly. Cruise will likely play Ethan Hunt until "Mission: Impossible" hits double digits, while Mapother's focus on indie fare made him a standout in "Lost" Season 1.
Ethan was season-defining
William Mapother plays Ethan for a total of only 11 episodes over the six-season run of "Lost," but he makes his mark from the onset. When Ethan first appears, he raises the stakes for the survivors. At a time when the show has no context for who the Others are and Ethan is the only identifiable part of the group, Mapother is an insidious inclusion. When the core group realizes Ethan is not on the flight manifest, it is a race against time to save Claire. He kidnaps her before hanging Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) as a warning. In later seasons, his character is fully fleshed out as someone who cares about his patient, which is one reason why Ethan is so compelling.
This element is also what made the character fascinating to the actor. "It was a ball playing Ethan," Mapother posted on a Reddit AMA. "I have a whole defense as to why he wasn't a villain, ie, we never saw him actually hang charlie, he didn't start the fights with charlie and jack, the injections he gave claire turned out to be beneficial, as we learned from Juliet, etc., etc. I beg you, don't get me started!"
Even after Ethan dies in the middle of Season 1, he reappears in flashbacks to other parts of the "Lost" timeline. The audience learns that kidnapping Claire was a life-saving attempt to protect her from dying in childbirth. The Others are retooled in later seasons, but that doesn't diminish his terrifying performance in Season 1.