Fri Jan 16, 1:46 PM ET LISBON (AFP) - Actor Tom Cruise has acted as cupid for a Portuguese couple, appearing on state television to implore a factory worker to marry her longtime cameraman boyfriend, it was reported. According to the weekly newspaper Tal e Qual, Joao Martins, who works for Portuguese state broadcaster RTP, asked the star to make the plea after he met Cruise while covering the Spanish premiere of his latest blockbuster "The Last Samurai" in Madrid last Friday. "Sonia, you have to marry Joao. Please marry Joao. He is crying behind the camera," Cruise said as he looked into the camera. "Name your children after me," the actor added. The cameraman was on the telephone with his girlfriend when Cruise's plea was broadcast on RTP later that same day and Sonia Braz immediately said yes to the marriage request, the paper reported. The couple plans to wed later this year. Martins said he never imagined Cruise would agree to his request. "All my girlfriend asked for was that I get his autograph," he told the paper. Cruise often mingles with fans, and even takes calls on their mobile phones, during walkabouts before his movie premieres.