Family & Companions
Thomas Cruise Mapother, Iv
Syracuse, New York, USA
The biggest star in the world for decades, Tom Cruise stood atop the Hollywood pecking order thanks to his charisma, movie star looks, and consistent box office success. Beginning with "Risky Business" (1983), he became the industry's biggest draw in the wake of the blockbuster "Top Gun" (1986). Following a compelling turn opposite Paul Newman in "The Color of Money" (1986), Cruise conti...
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
American Made (2017)
Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman (2015)
Rain Man (1988) -- (Movie Clip) There's Four Left In The Box
Rain Man (1988) -- (Movie Clip) I've Never Dealt With These Lamborghinis
Rain Man (1988) -- (Movie Clip) Don't Walk
Rain Man (1988) -- (Original Trailer)
Firm, The (1993) -- (Original Trailer)
Actor. Dated in 1982.
Actor. Involved during and after filming of "Risky Business"; lived together for 2 1/2 years (c. 1983-85).
Actor. Married on May 9, 1987 (with Emilio Estevez as best man); divorced in January 1990.
Actor. Born on June 20, 1967; married on December 24, 1990 in Telluride, Colorado (this time with Dustin Hoffman as best man); first appeared together in "Days of Thunder" (1990); later co-starred in "Far and Away" (1992) and "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999); announced separation in February 2001; Cruise filed for divorce on February 7, 2001; divorce finalized on August 8, 2001.
"Cruise: The Unauthorized Biography"
Frank Sanello, Taylor (1995)
On May 2, 2001, Cruise filed a $100 million lawsuit against porn actor Kyle Bradford (aka Chad Slater) charging that Bradford/Slater had issued a false story claiming that he and Cruise had engaged in a homosexual relationship.
In June 2001, Cruise filed a second $100 million lawsuit, this time charging defamation against Michael Davis, a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur who allegedly offered to sell a videotapes which he claimed showed Cruise engaging in homosexual activity.
The biggest star in the world for decades, Tom Cruise stood atop the Hollywood pecking order thanks to his charisma, movie star looks, and consistent box office success. Beginning with "Risky Business" (1983), he became the industry's biggest draw in the wake of the blockbuster "Top Gun" (1986). Following a compelling turn opposite Paul Newman in "The Color of Money" (1986), Cruise continued to knock it out of the park with "Rain Man" (1988) and "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989). Equally compelling was his string of marriages, starting with Mimi Rogers and followed by Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes. It was his marriage to Kidman that would dominate tabloids for the next 10 years, making theirs one of the more celebrated unions in Hollywood. During that heady time, Cruise reigned supreme with hits like "The Firm" (1993), "Jerry Maguire" (1996) and "Mission: Impossible" (1996). He had further critical success with a supporting turn in "Magnolia" (1999). Following his split from Kidman, Cruise's career seemed to hit a rough patch. He did have hits with "Minority Report" (2002) and "Collateral" (2004), but the cracks began to show in 2005 when he was criticized for his promotion of Scientology and his couch-jumping histrionics over then-girlfriend Holmes who became his third wife in 2006. Never one to back down, Cruise maintained his star status with "Mission: Impossible" sequels, an unexpected supporting role in Hollywood satire "Tropic Thunder" (2008), hard-hitting action movie "Jack Reacher" (2012), science fiction dramas "Oblivion" (2013) and "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014) and political thriller "American Made" (2017) - all of which proved he was truly made of durable stuff despite occasional box office disappointments like "The Mummy" (2017).
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born on July 3, 1962, the only son of a hardscrabble family that would grow to include three sisters. Mapother III was an electrical engineer, abusive and prone to losing his jobs, which forced the family to move several times a year to look for work. Cruise was born in Syracuse but lived in Louisville, KY; Winnetka, IL; and Ottawa, Ontario before his mother finally had enough of her "bullying" husband. She left Mapother in 1974, taking her children back to her hometown of Louisville. Cruise was enrolled in a total of 15 schools during his nearly 12 years of education, and his constant outsider status - coupled with a diagnosis of the then little-understood disorder, dyslexia - made school life a constant challenge. His mother worked three jobs to support a family of preteens, with many a Christmas coming and going without presents. Her determination to survive rubbed off on her hard-working kids, and her future movie star son would often cite her as a source of personal inspiration. Cruise spent his freshman year at a seminary boarding school in Cincinnati, OH on a scholarship. Despite appreciating the respite of stability he received at the seminary, he concluded that the priesthood was not for him. He settled with his mother and new stepfather in Glen Ridge, NJ, and started to pursue athletics at his new school until he suffered a knee injury during a wrestling match. In response to being sidelined, Cruise turned to the drama department, having been a lifelong movie fanatic and the family comedian. He was a natural, appearing in school productions of "Guys and Dolls" and "Godspell." With can-do determination, Cruise dispensed with high school during his senior year and instead headed to New York City in 1980, where he landed a job as a busboy and began hitting the audition circuit.
Still reeling from the 18-year whirlwind that was his life up to that time, Cruise's intensity and hunger for success left an overwhelming impression on commercial casting agents looking for fresh-faced, non-threatening teens to represent their products. Within a year, Cruise was in Los Angeles, where he met Paula Wagner, an agent at Creative Artists Agency who would subsequently guide his film career. After making his feature debut in a small role in the notorious Brooke Shields vehicle "Endless Love" (1981), Cruise gained attention for a supporting role as an increasingly lunatic cadet in "Taps" (1981). He had originally been cast in a small three-line role in the film, but the director was so taken with his intensity, that he bumped Cruise up to a more visible role alongside stars Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton. In 1983, a mere three years after bussing tables, Cruise burst onto the scene with four major studio features. His rough and tumble roots took hold as one in a pack of "Greasers" in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders," memorable for its gaggle of up-and-coming heartthrobs including Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon and Patrick Swayze. Cautious not to limit her client to typecasting as an angry rebel, Cruise's agent focused on his athleticism and boyish charisma with a role opposite "older woman" Shelly Long in "Losin' It" (1983), a coming-of-age comedy. "Risky Business" (1983), however, turned Cruise into an overnight sensation. In his portrayal of an anxious, affluent suburban teen poised precariously on the brink of adulthood, Cruise created a resonant protagonist for young Reagan-era audiences. He even put on some extra pounds to emphasize the softness and vulnerability of the character who flirts with illicit capitalism. In his star-making scene, Cruise, clad in a button-down Oxford shirt, boxer shorts, and Wayfarer sunglasses, played air guitar and danced wildly to Bob Seger's anthem, "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll." Audiences lapped it up, the Golden Globe Awards recognized him with a nomination, and it was enough to woo co-star Rebecca De Mornay, who embarked on a two-plus year relationship with the breakout star.
Cruise performed well in a more naturalistic mode in "All the Right Moves" (1983), a sober high school football drama which pitted him against hot-headed coach Craig T. Nelson. His next move was not as wise for a growing sex symbol - growing his hair long and donning green tights for Ridley Scott's fantasy "Legend" (1985), a critical and commercial flop. Already ready to break the mold, Cruise solidified his star status and established his onscreen persona with the film most heavily identified with him: "Top Gun" (1986). With flying sequences cut to the rhythms of pop tunes, the film functioned as both a Navy recruiting ad and a glossy romantic adventure between Lt. Maverick and his Top Gun instructor, Charlie (Kelly McGillis). No longer the engaging boy-next-door, Cruise's Maverick was a prototype for Cruise roles to come: a cocky loner who plays by his own rules, confronts a crisis, and is then triumphantly transformed by his success. While "Risky Business" might have made him a known commodity, it was "Top Gun" that made him the biggest movie star in the world.
Cruise selected his next roles and planned his career carefully, teaming with talented directors and co-stars for "The Color of Money" (1986) and "Rain Man" (1988). The former, Martin Scorsese's sharply made, nicely textured sequel to 1961's "The Hustler," cast him as a talented but arrogant small-time pool hotshot opposite Paul Newman's Fast Eddie Felson. They made an eclectic pair, with Cruise's boisterous All-American boy versus Newman's seasoned con man, and though the older actor picked up the Best Actor Oscar, he was clearly passing the mantle to the younger stud. Off-screen, the actor fell in love and married actress Mimi Rogers in what was seen as an odd pairing, not due solely to the couple's age difference. The marriage lasted less than three years (1987-1990) but Rogers' legacy lived on through Cruise's lifetime affiliation with Scientology, which she introduced to her husband. In 1988, Cruise broadened his serious dramatic credentials with director Barry Levinson's "Rain Man," playing another self-centered hot shot who begrudgingly forges a relationship with his autistic brother (Dustin Hoffman), only to find it changes his entire outlook on life. Again, Cruise's co-star took home the Oscar, but Cruise was equally important to the Best Picture win and Hoffman pointed this out to anyone who would listen.
Time spent working with the politically-active Newman on "The Color of Money" had a profound consciousness-raising effect on Cruise, who next chose Oliver Stone's anti-war "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) to counter his contribution to the jingoistic "Top Gun." For Stone's "Fourth of July," he earned a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination for a hard-hitting portrayal of paraplegic Vietnam veteran activist Ron Kovic. Cruise stumbled a bit with his next two projects, but "Days of Thunder" (1990) did introduced him to the next love of his life, Nicole Kidman, and inaugurated a long-term association with screenwriter Robert Towne. Scalded by critics, it still raked in $166 million worldwide. In December 1990, the co-stars were married, helping make the then unknown Aussie actress a star overnight. But there was no upside to "Far and Away" (1992), a period romance also co-starring Kidman and directed by Ron Howard. Cruise returned to box office clover by successfully confronting an iconic Jack Nicholson in Rob Reiner's court-martial drama, "A Few Good Men" (1992). Cruise's wunderkind lawyer bent on toppling his corrupt bosses in "The Firm" (1993) could have been a brother to his "A Few Good Men" character. Despite a stellar supporting cast including Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook and Holly Hunter, he carried the smooth adaptation of John Grisham's giant bestseller, tackling the deceptively difficult character with a vibrancy that led to box office success. The same year, Cruise and his agent Paula Wagner formed Cruise/Wagner Productions in an effort to garner the actor more creative and financial control over his projects. The production company negotiated an exclusive partnership with Paramount Pictures; a rarity at that time.
Cruise raised eyebrows - and more than a few hackles - by accepting the central role of the vampire Lestat in Neil Jordan's "Interview with the Vampire" (1994). Many balked at the idea of the All-American playing the decadent, ambisexual European predator of Anne Rice's novel. Rice herself was the harshest critic, as she traveled about the country trashing the casting decision while on a book tour. Sporting blond locks and blue contact lenses over his green eyes, Cruise eventually won Rice's approval, and the film earned mixed reviews while doing brisk business. In 1996, Cruise/Wagner Productions rolled out their first feature, the post-Cold War espionage "Mission: Impossible" (1996). Based on the 1960s TV show, the project had languished in various development hells before Cruise became involved, and rumors abounded of his clashing with director Brian De Palma over budgetary and story matters. Nonetheless, despite international location shooting, high-tech stunts, computer-generated visual effects and last-minute rewrites by an assortment of writers (including Towne), "Mission: Impossible" came in on time and under budget at approximately $67 million, with Cruise deferring his $20 million actor's salary. The mixed reviews did not inhibit ticket buyers, proving the actor could attract crowds to a movie on name alone.
The sweetly offbeat romantic comedy "Jerry Maguire" (1996), in which he played a shallow, back-stabbing sports agent, provided a sort of mid-career breakthrough for Cruise. For years he had portrayed irresistible smoothies, turning the world on with his smile while piloting fighter jets and driving race cars. Though it was a classic Cruise performance, bursting with the usual cocky charm, there was an added dimension of desperation and a new maturity to his screen persona. He had played characters who were up against the ropes before, but perhaps never so convincingly. This time, critics and moviegoers reached consensus, and Cruise garnered a Golden Globe win and his second Best Actor Academy Award nomination. Three years would pass before he returned to the screen, though in 1998, he and Wagner produced "Without Limits," screenwriter Towne's biopic about fabled long distance runner Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup).
Cruise took himself out of the blockbuster game at the height of his career to work on a series of riskier, more artful ventures, beginning with director Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," in which he starred opposite his wife for the first time since "Far and Away." The couple relished their time working with the cinematic genius who was known for his perfectionist, obsessive filmmaking vision. The film was controversial for its sexual content, requiring editing to achieve an NC-17 rating in the U.S. Following the arduous shoot and mixed reaction to "Eyes Wide Shut," Cruise took on a pivotal role in Paul Thomas Anderson's ensemble drama "Magnolia" (1999). Playing a cocky sex guru who runs seminars designed to empower men, the actor offered a charismatic turn that was alternately chilling and humorous, earning him another Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination.
Cruise segued back to leading parts in more mainstream work, reprising his heroic role as Ethan Hunt in the big-budget, special effects-laden "Mission: Impossible: II" (2000), directed by John Woo. The international espionage thriller centered around the containment of a deadly virus and grossed over $420 million dollars. With the actor's lucrative production deal, he enjoyed a $75 million pay day. Next, Cruise reunited with Crowe for a remake of the perception-bending Spanish film "Abre los ojos" (1997). It was during the making of that film, titled "Vanilla Sky" (2001), that Cruise endured a very public and acrimonious split from Kidman as he entered into a relationship with "Vanilla Sky" co-star Penelope Cruz. Cruise and Kidman later amicably worked out their divorce battles for their two adopted children's sake, but the initial split was bitter, with Cruise simply stating "Nic knows what she did" as his explanation for divorce just shy of 10 years of marriage.
Cruise returned to his more familiar heroic territory with Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" (2002), a crackerjack collaboration filled with skillful action sequences and a thought-provoking expansion of sci-fi author Phillip K. Dick's premise of a future where police use precognitives to prevent murders before they happen. And as usual, Cruise insisted on doing almost all of his own stunts, lending even more authenticity to his action star status.
Cruise turned in one of his more nuanced performances for director Ed Zwick in "The Last Samurai" (2003), playing Capt. Nathan Algren, an alcoholic veteran of Custer's battles with Native Americans who travels to Japan to help Westernize the Imperial army. His hot streak continued unabated with his portrayal of coldhearted assassin Vincent, who hijacks a L.A. cabbie (Jamie Foxx) to drive him on his deadly rounds in "Collateral" (2004). Wearing a grey wig and beard stubble, Cruise used his trademark intensity to his advantage in a rare villainous role, while his inherent charm also gave the character a compelling quality.
In 2005, Cruise's personal life began to overshadow his professional career in a PR nightmare that would taint the leading man's reputation for years to come. After breaking things off with Penelope Cruz, he replaced his publicist of 14 years, Pat Kingsley, with his older sister Lee Anne DeVette, an active Scientologist. Since 1990, Cruise had been a proponent of the Church of Scientology founded by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, having credited his studies there with "curing" him of the dyslexia, among other benefits. Cruise's affiliation had been generally accepted as a movie star eccentricity - that is, until he used his faith to back an attack on "Endless Love" co-star Brooke Shields, who had recently released a biography that described taking antidepressants to relieve her postpartum depression. Based on the Scientology belief that psychiatry is a "pseudo science" that "kills," Cruise publicly criticized Shields and suggested that vitamins would have been a suitable treatment for her diagnosis. Shields - not to mention legions of mothers, mental illness sufferers and the psychiatric community - were outraged.
The incident was followed by a curiously timed announcement that Cruise and actress Katie Holmes - who was 16 years younger than Cruise - were madly in love, though neither could give a direct answer to just when they had met and how long before declaring undying love to one another. Cruise's uncharacteristically animated antics and the couple's often unconvincing physical interaction fueled speculations that the romance was a massive publicity stunt, intended to offset the Brooke blunder and highlight the stars' upcoming summer film releases: Cruise, in the Steven Spielberg-directed "War of the Worlds" and Holmes in "Batman Begins." Cruise made a bizarre appearance on Oprah Winfrey's talk show (syndicated, 1986-2011) to proclaim his love for Holmes, jumping on the host's furniture and dragging a seemingly reluctant Holmes before the cameras. Holmes, who had been quoted years earlier as saying that as a girl she dreamed of marrying Cruise, presented him with a career achievement award on the MTV Movie Awards. Both appeared separately before David Letterman to further spin their love story. By all accounts, it was showy, uncharacteristic behavior for the actor who had a highly professional reputation onscreen and off. (Unsubstantiated rumors persisted that Holmes was one of several actresses who had basically auditioned for the role of Cruise girlfriend, in exchange for instant A-list ascension.) There was no denying the speed with which the relationship took off, what with meeting in April 2005 and marriage proposal in June. The hard sell of how much "in love" they were with one another effectively backfired with a very skeptical public.
Much to the dismay of everyone involved with "War of the Worlds" - particularly Spielberg, who knew focus was no longer on his film; but on its star's latest public hijinks - Cruise continued to defend his attack on Brooke Shields in a sharply worded exchange with "Today Show" (NBC, 1952- ) co-host Matt Lauer. During the infamous exchange in which he continually called Lauer "glib," he aggressively derided psychiatry as a "pseudo-science," provoking a formal rebuke from the American Psychiatric Association. Around the same time he was also reportedly instrumental in opening up the secretive church and inviting journalists to sample its practices. Holmes began taking Scientology courses, and suspiciously dumped her Hollywood handlers in favor of his. Nearly lost in all of Cruise's public appearances was the release of "War of the Worlds" (2005), the fourth film adaptation of the classic H.G. Wells story. In spite of the media brouhaha - or perhaps because of it - "War of the Worlds" was Cruise's top-grossing film up to that time at over $590 million dollars worldwide.
The media saturation lasted beyond the run of the summer blockbuster, especially when it was announced in October that Holmes was pregnant with his child. In November, Paul Bloch replaced DeVette as Cruise's publicist, and though the move was reportedly made to enable his sister to focus on managing her brother's philanthropic affairs, it was perceived as damage control in light of the hit Cruise's image had taken since her installment. For a spell, Cruise's outlandishness seemed quelled until an episode of the animated series "South Park" (Comedy Central, 1997-), which satirized Scientology and made not-so-veiled jokes questioning Cruise's sexuality - a persistent rumor that had dogged the actor since he sued several parties in 1998 and 2001 for publishing allegations of his homosexuality. Under pressure from its parent company Paramount - also Cruise/Wagner Productions' parent company - Comedy Central yanked the episode after only one airing, lead to speculation that Cruise exerted his power behind the scenes; an assertion that was publicly denied. The show's fearless creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker were not afraid to call out Cruise on his power play, which was being dubbed "Closetgate" by the Los Angeles Times. They even took out ads, proclaiming tongue-in-cheek that they themselves were "servants of Xenu" and that the "million-year war for Earth" had only just begun.
After months of fawning and speculation, Cruise and Holmes - dubbed "TomKat" by a smug media - had a baby girl named Suri on April 18, 2006. Meanwhile, Cruise began making the media rounds for his next film, "Mission: Impossible III" (2006). The third installment in the franchise depicted a retired Ethan Hunt (Cruise) living a slower-paced life while training new IMF agents until he is called back to action to do battle with Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an international weapons dealer who may turn out to be Hunt's toughest adversary yet. The film's opening weekend receipts fell short of expectations and a USA Today/Gallup poll showed that only 35 percent of those surveyed held a "favorable opinion" of the actor, the vast majority voicing disapproval over his Scientology proselytizing and the incident with Brooke Shields.
Citing an apparent wane in Cruise's popularity, Paramount Pictures announced an end to its 14-year relationship with Cruise/Wagner Productions on Aug. 22, 2006. In a bombshell heard round the world, Sumner Redstone, Chairman of Viacom, (Paramount's parent company), declared Cruise's recent conduct had "not been acceptable to Paramount." Hollywood insiders surmised that Paramount's decision was purely financial, as the Cruise/Wagner cut of box office and DVD sales was well above the norm and affecting the studio's profits. Meanwhile Cruise/Wagner Productions claimed that they had recently landed financing from a private investor and had been planning to split from Paramount anyway. In September, another bit of coincidentally-timed publicity took attention away from Cruise's business woes when Vanity Fair gave the public their first view of Suri in a Cruise family photo spread, shot by famed celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz. In November, the couple were finally wed in a ceremony in Italy, and news of the wedding was paired with another happy ending - Cruise/Wagner Productions had struck a deal with MGM to run the ailing United Artists Films.
Back at work and with his nuclear family firmly in place, Cruise seemed poised to put the previous 18 months of turmoil behind him and resume his status as one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. The first release from CEO Wagner and producer Cruise was Robert Redford's "Lions for Lambs" (2007). Cruise took a co-starring role as an ambitious senator in the highly-anticipated film, which sought to explore tough issues about the war in Afghanistan through three interconnected storylines. Despite the timely subject matter and the additional star power of Redford and Meryl Streep, "Lions for Lambs" came and went without much fanfare. Cruise then delivered a finely tuned comic performance in a small but memorable role as a foul-mouthed studio executive in "Tropic Thunder" (2008), which earned him a surprise Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He then had his first starring role in a major studio release in some time, playing real-life Nazi conspirator Claus von Stauffenberg, who plots with other high-level members of the German Resistance to assassinate Adolf Hitler, in "Valkyrie" (2008), directed by Bryan Singer. Though Cruise was seemingly perfect - he was a dead-ringer for Stauffenberg - there were considerable risks playing the part, namely trying to make a Nazi empathetic onscreen while rehabilitating his shattered public image off-screen. Cruise returned to more familiar territory with "Knight and Day" (2010), playing an international super-spy forced to flee the United States with a dangerous piece of technology, while receiving a helping hand from an unsuspecting Midwestern woman (Cameron Diaz). Despite the requisite media blitz, appeal of its two stars and the promise of slam-bang action, "Knight and Day" fizzled at the box office amidst mixed critical reviews.
At the time, it seemed as though Cruise's star had forever fallen, as the damage from the controversy spawned by his "Oprah" visit and bizarre defense of Scientology appeared to be permanent. With nothing left to lose, Cruise went back to his most widely recognized franchise to reprise IMF agent Ethan Hunt for "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (2011), directed by Brad Bird. The fourth installment was widely praised for its exciting action and eye-popping visual effects, but most importantly, the actioner's success marked a badly needed resurgence for Cruise, who found himself back on top once again. For his next film, "Rock of Ages" (2012), an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical about the glory days of 1980s hair bands, Cruise played front man Stacee Jaxx, though his rekindled star power was not enough to turn the maligned film into a hit. Meanwhile, news broke in June 2012 that Cruise and Holmes were divorcing after five years of marriage. While the shocking announcement spread like wildfire across the Internet, both Holmes and Cruise maintained that it was a personal matter in order to protect their daughter. The end of the year saw Cruise returning to his action roots as "Jack Reacher" (2012), a highly skilled ex-military cop drawn into a case involving a deadly shooting spree. Clearly planned as the first entry in a new potential franchise for Cruise, the violent thriller was based on a series of popular crime novels by Lee Child.
In 2013, Cruise dove all headlong into science fiction, starring in the highly stylized futuristic movie "Oblivion," with Olga Kurylenko and Morgan Freeman as mysterious characters tied to his protagonist's fate. While the production wasn't a huge hit, it appealed to many fans of the genre, particularly for Cruise's solid performance and its impressive visuals. That year, he also filmed the action-heavy alien-fighting tale "Edge of Tomorrow" (2014) with Emily Blunt, with its original title, "All You Need Is Kill," altered to the less-violent alternative. Cruise next returned to the Mission: Impossible franchise with "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" (2015), written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie and co-starring Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Ferguson. That well-reviewed hit was followed by a return to Jack Reacher in "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" (2016). A highly publicized remake of the vintage horror classic "The Mummy" (2017) was greeted with lukewarm responses from both critics and filmgoers, and was followed by the politically-charged drug-smuggling thriller "American Made" (2017), directed by Doug Liman. Filming on the sixth entry in the "Mission: Impossible" series, set for 2018, was halted in August 2017 when Cruise broke his ankle performing a stunt.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Rock of Ages (2012)
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)
Knight and Day (2010)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
War of the Worlds (2005)
Collateral (2004)
Nathan Algren
Minority Report (2002)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Space Station 3-D (2002)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)
A Few Good Men (1992)
Far And Away (1992)
Days of Thunder (1990)
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Cocktail (1988)
The Color of Money (1986)
Legend (1986)
Joel Goodson
Losin' It (1983)
The Outsiders (1983)
All the Right Moves (1983)
Taps (1981)
Writer (Feature Film)
From Story
Ask the Dust (2006)
Elizabethtown (2005)
Shattered Glass (2003)
Narc (2002)
Without Limits (1998)
Music (Feature Film)
Song Performer
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Studio Executive
Cast (Special)
2004 IFP/Independent Spirit Awards (2004)
The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004)
E! Entertainer of the Year 2003 (2003)
Back in the U.S. (2002)
The 2004 ESPY Awards (2002)
America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001)
Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Nickelodeon's 14th Annual Kids' Choice Awards (2001)
The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2001)
The 2001 MTV Movie Awards (2001)
Entertainers 2000 (2000)
Intimate Portrait: Melissa Etheridge (1999)
American Film Institute Salute to Dustin Hoffman (1999)
Ron Howard: Hollywood's Favorite Son (1999)
Fire & Ice Ball '97 (1997)
Barbara Walters Presents The 10 Most Fascinating People of 1996 (1996)
The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (1996)
The 66th Annual Academy Awards Presentation (1994)
And the Winner Is (1993)
Fox/MTV Guide to Summer '92 (1992)
Rock the Vote (1992)
Hollywood Hotshots (1992)
The 63rd Annual Academy Awards Presentation (1991)
The 19th Annual American Film Institute Life Achievement Award: A Salute to Kirk Douglas (1991)
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special (1991)
The 61st Annual Academy Awards Presentation (1989)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Hometown Heroes (1998)
Film Clips
Archival Footage
Met Paula Wagner, then an agent at Creative Artists Agency
Persuaded director Francis Ford Coppola to cast him in "The Outsiders"
Played a goal-oriented high school football player in "All the Right Moves"
Starred in the Ridley Scott-directed fantasy film "Legend"
Played a sexy bartender in the lighthearted drama "Cocktail"
Re-teamed with Kidman for the Ron Howard directed "Far and Away"; played Irish settlers in the American West
Along with former CAA agent Paula Wagner, signed an exclusive production pact with Paramount Pictures to produce his films
Starred in Sydney Pollack's "The Firm" along with Gene Hackman and Ed Harris; based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham
Made TV directorial debut with "Frightening Frammis," an episode of Showtime's "Fallen Angels"
On Aug. 22, 2006, Paramount Pictures announced it was ending its 14-year relationship with Cruise/Wagner Productions
With business partner Paula Wagner, signed a two-year development deal with an investment partnership headed by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder
Partnered with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to resurrect United Artists; starred in and produced films for the studio, and production partner Paula Wagner served as chief executive officer
Portrayed Presidential hopeful Senator Jasper Irving in Robert Redford's "Lions for Lambs"
Portrayed Colonel Stauffenberg, the leader of German army officers who plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in "Valkyrie"; directed by Bryan Singer
Co-starred with Cameron Diaz in the action/comedy "Knight and Day," about a fugitive couple on a glamorous and deadly adventure across the globe
Played mega-rocker Stacee Jaxx in feature adaptation of the stage musical "Rock of Ages"
Featured in the sci-tale "Oblivion"
Reprised the role of Jack Reacher in "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back"
Rain Man (1988) -- (Movie Clip) I've Never Dealt With These Lamborghinis Dealer Charlie (Tom Cruise) and his Lamborghinis are introduced in the title sequence and first scene from director Barry Levinson's Best Picture Academy Award-winner Rain Man, 1988.
Rain Man (1988) -- (Movie Clip) There's Four Left In The Box Autistic Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) and annoyed brother Charlie (Tom Cruise), at odds with the doctor from whom he's sort-of kidnapped the patient, have a strange encounter with waitress Sally (Bonnie Hunt) in director Barry Levinson's Diner, 1988.
Rain Man (1988) -- (Movie Clip) Don't Walk Shooting in downtown Guthrie, Oklahoma, Charlie (Tom Cruise) is exasperated with his newly-discovered autistic-savant brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) to whom his estranged father left his estate, so, en route to California to dispute the will, decides to look for a psychiatrist, in Barry Levinson's Rain Man, 1988.
Few Good Men, A (1992) -- (Movie Clip) Have I Done Something Wrong? First meeting between principals, Demi Moore as JAG Cmdr. Galloway, who feels she should have been given the case assigned to hot-shot litigator Kaffe (Tom Cruise), Kevin Pollak his colleague, in A Few Good Men, 1992, directed by Rob Reiner from Aaron Spelling's play and screenplay.
Few Good Men, A (1992) -- (Movie Clip) He Had No Code Defense team Kaffe (Tom Cruise), Galloway (Demi Moore) and Weinberg (Kevin Pollak) arrive at Guantanamo Bay, meeting profane Col. Jessup (Jack Nicholson) with Markinson (J.T. Walsh) and Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland), their escort to the murder scene, in Rob Reiner's A Few Good Men, 1992.
Others, The (2001) -- (Movie Clip) You Mean They Just Vanished? Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar's open following moody credits, Nicole Kidman introduced as mistress of a misty Channel Islands mansion, servants Fionnula Flanagan, Eric Sykes and Elaine Cassidy reporting for duty, in the 2001 international box office hit The Others.
Others, The (2001) -- (Movie Clip) One Of The Four Hells High-strung presumably-widowed mother Grace (Nicole Kidman), ensconced with children Nicholas and Anne (James Bentley, Alakina Mann), whom she protects from sunlight because of a rare disease, at their home in the British Channel Islands, 1946, in Alejandro's Amenabar's The Others, 2001.
Color Of Money, The (1986) -- (Movie Clip) Nice Average Bad Neighborhood After a false start or two, veteran hustler Eddie (Paul Newman) brings his trainee pool shark Vincent (Tom Cruise), with girlfriend Carmen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) to an old haunt, meeting friend Orvis (Bill Cobbs), in Martin Scorsese's The Color Of Money, 1986.
Color Of Money, The (1986) -- (Movie Clip) Rich Can Be Arranged Impressed with the talents of Vincent (Tom Cruise), Eddie Felson (Paul Newman, in his Academy Award performance) begins introducing him, with girlfriend Carmen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), to some of the other components of pool hustling, in Martin Scorsese's The Color Of Money, 1986.
Risky Business -- (Movie Clip) Old Time Rock'n'Roll Parents (Janet Carroll, Nicholas Pryor) with their pre-vacation comments to Joel (Tom Cruise), leading to his famous underwear routine to Bob Seger's Old Time Rock'n'Roll, in Risky Business, 1983.
Risky Business -- (Movie Clip) You Like Excitement? Joel (Tom Cruise) and Miles (Curtis Armstrong) are at Chicago's Drake Hotel tracking hooker Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) who's swiped a crystal egg, when "manager" Guido (Joe Pantoliano) intervenes, in Risky Business, 1986.
Jerry Maguire -- (Movie Clip) Gettin' in Tune The Who's "Gettin' in Tune" plays in the background as Tom Cruise narrates the title character's crisis of conscience in this early scene from Jerry Maguire, 1996.
Firm, The (1993) -- (Original Trailer) Original trailer for producer-director Sydney Pollack's hit adaptation of writer John Grisham's The Firm, 1993, the first film based on a Grisham novel, starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter, Wilford Brimley and Paul Sorvino.
Rain Man (1988) -- (Original Trailer) Original trailer for director Barry Levinson's Rain Man, 1988, the #1 box office film of the year and winner of Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Best Actor (Dustin Hoffman) and screenplay (Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow), from United Artists, also starring Tom Cruise.
Risky Business - (Original Trailer) A high school student (Tom Cruise) practices his business skills by turning his suburban home into a bordello in Risky Business (1983).
Few Good Men, A - (Original Trailer) Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise star in the film version of A Few Good Men (1992) based on the play by Aaron Sorkin.
Minority Report - (Original Trailer) An enforcer (Tom Cruise) who catches people before they can commit crimes is framed for murder in Minority Report (2002).
Jerry Maguire -- (Original Trailer) Tom Cruise stars in the romantic comedy Jerry Maguire (1996), which made a star of Renee Zellweger and nabbed Cuba Gooding, Jr. a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Mary Lee Mapother South
Thomas Cruise Mapother III
Electrical engineer. Born in October 1934 in Kentucky; never paid child support; Cruise and his father reconciled before he died of cancer on January 9, 1984.
Joe South
Step-Father
Lee Anne Mapother
Born c. 1959; works in publicity and marketing for Cruise's company.
Marian Mapother
Born c. 1961; has a teaching degree.
Cass Mapother
Born c. 1963; owns a restaurant in New Jersey.
William Mapother
Actor, screenwriter. Born in 1965; brother of Amy; appeared in "Mission: Impossible 2".
Amy Mapother
Actor. Born c. 1973; sister of William.
Isabella Jane Kidman Cruise
Adopted by Cruise and Kidman in January 1993; born weighing 9 pounds on December 22, 1992 in Florida.
Connor Anthony Kidman Cruise
Born on January 17, 1995 in Florida; adopted by Cruise and Kidman in early February 1995.
Actor. Worked together on "Vanilla Sky"; went public with relationship in July 2001; no longer together as of January 2004.
"Cruise is very good. Consider that pack of novices in Francis Coppola's "The Outsiders" (83). Cruise was not much noticed then among Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and C. Thomas Howell (this team is a great tribute to the foresight of Coppola and his casting wizard Fred Roos). But he has gone on to so much richer and more coherent a career and so little wish to impose himself or his attitude upon his pictures. Cruise is one of the first young actors who seems unaffected by the impact of Brando or Clift, and much more inspired by the example of a Gable or a Grant. He wants to work."---David Thomson, "A Biographical Dictionary of Film" New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1994
Cruise made an uncredited appearance as a gunfighter who gets killed in a shootout in "Young Guns" (1988).
"Tom Cruise has a star named for him in the Hercules constellation, thanks to wife Nicole Kidman, who paid $40 to International Star Registry for the honor."---From Daily News, January 6, 1993.
Cruise began practicing Scientology while married to Mimi Rogers, whose father was one of its founders.
Tom Cruise placed 10th in the annual exhibitors' poll of top ten boxoffice stars in 1983. He subsequently placed 1st in 1986, 6th in 1987, 1st in 1988, 2nd in 1989, 4th in 1990, and 1st in 1992.
Received an American Cinema Award for "distinguished achievement in film" (1991).
In 1994, he was named Man of the Year by Harvard's Hasty Puddding Theatricals
In 1996, Cruise came to the rescue of people on three different occasions. March saw him take a Brazilian woman felled by a speeding car to the hospital and pay her $7000 bill when he found out she was without health insurance. Four months later, he spotted two young boys being crushed by surging crowds at the London premiere of "Mission: Impossible" and pulled them to safety, and then four weeks after that while yachting, he rescued five people when a nearby sail boat caught fire.
"His acting was so good it was almost bizarre. You'd look into his eyes and he'd really be there, he'd really be in love with you. You could see his heart and soul... And then the director would yell 'Cut,' Tom would leave the set, and you'd have to go into therapy for six months."---Renee Zellweger on working with Cruise in "Jerry Maguire" quoted in Entertainment Weekly, December 20, 1996.
"We knew from the beginning the level of commitment needed. We felt honored to work with [Stanley Kubrick]. We were going to do what it took to do this picture, whatever time, because I felt, and Nic [Nicole Kidman] did too, that this was going to be a really special time for us. We knew it would be difficult. But I would have absolutely kicked myself if I hadn't done this."---Tom Cruise about his decision to do "Eyes Wide Shut" quoted in Time, July 5, 1999.
In February 2002, Cruise had clear braces put on his famous smile after his child's orthodontist expressed concern about his overbite.
Cruise is active in the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project (H.E.L.P.), an organization which gives free tutoring to children and adults and uses "study technology," a method developed by L. Ron Hubbard. Cruise says it was this method which helped him overcome his own learning problems.
April 2004, An organization co-founded by actor Tom Cruise raised $1.2 million to expand a treatment program for rescue workers exposed to potentially hazardous materials after the collapse of the World Trade Center; The project's program was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, of which Cruise is a member.
"It's well known that I'm a Scientologist, and that has helped me to find that inner peace in my life. [It's] something that has given me great stability and tools that I use, and it's also something that's enabled me to help others in a way that I've always wanted to, something substantial."---Cruise quoted in Cinema Confidential, December 4, 2003.
"You can't go through life always walking on the sidewalk," Cruise says, explaining why he was drawn to this role. "You've got to cross the street. I'm always asking myself, How far can I go? For me, that's what life is about. I'm going to continue taking risks because it's not about being bankable at the box office. I can't control that. I just have to be consistent and true to myself."---Cruise to Los Angeles Confidential, Summer 2004
"We laugh hysterically. My mom, my sisters, we piss ourselves with laughter. You know, even now, sometimes we go from country to country, and I'll be there with Lee Anne, and I'm getting on my airplane. And it's just that look of 'Can you f**king believe this? I don't think I will ever not be giddy about that. It may sound funny but ... there's just an appreciation. A true damn appreciation for it."---Cruise on his megastar status to GQ, December 2004.