Tom Ctuise has been one of the biggest stars in Hollywood for almost 40 years. He’s had an incredible run that is comparable to some of the most inconic names in Hollywood history. For all of his quirks and flaws, one has to acknowledge his maniacle devotion to his craft. He takes his acting seriously, challenging himself with a variety of roles, while also pushing the limits as an action star.
As a Hollywood mega-star, he’s certianly had some controversy following him with his media blitzes about Scientology and his questionable relationship with Katie Holmes, but he never seems to let any of these stories slow him down. Born Thomas Mapother IV in 1962, the veteran actor experienced his share of childhood hardships after his parents divorced. With the hopes of achieving fame and providing for his family, Tom began attending drama classes, and though his efforts were initially unsuccessful, he finally landed a role in the film “Taps.” The actor’s charismatic performance led to roles in many other films (most notably “Risky Business” and “Top Gun”), and by the late 80s, Tom had risen the ranks as one of the industry’s biggest stars. He went on to prove his acting chops alongside Dustin Hoffman in “Rainman” and earned a Best Actor nod for his work in Oliver Stone’s “Born on the Fourth of July.”
If there was any good that came out of the 90s for Cruise, it was Nicole Kidman, who quickly became his second wife after the two met on the set of “Days of Thunder.” The couple appeared in two more films during their ten-year marriage, including the 1992 film “Far and Away” and the Stanley Kubrick disaster “Eyes Wide Shut.” Since then, Tom has tried to mold a new image for himself, namely that of blockbuster action star, and with the box office success of films like “Mission: Impossible,” “Minority Report” and “War of the Worlds,” he’s well on his way. In 2005, Tom made headlines once again when he pronounced his unconditional love for youngster Katie Holmes on “Oprah”. He made a fool of himself yet again while making an appearance on “The Today Show,” debating with co-host Matt Lauer over fellow actor Brooke Shield’s decision to take medication for postpartum. It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for the actor. Is TomKat for real? Better yet, is Suri really their child? Only time will tell…
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Tom on the Screen
Tom burst onto the big screen in the 1980s with small roles in “Taps” and “The Outsiders” before becoming a star with the massive success of “Risky Business” and Top Gun.” Lead roles in movies like “Cocktail” and “Rain Man” followed, making Tom one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Award-nominated performances in “Jerry Maguire” and “A Few Good Men” ushered in a new decade, and for once, Tom was able to be selective about his projects. This included films like “Interview with a Vampire” and “Mission: Impossible,” and after wasting a few years on the set of Stanley Kubrick’s final film (“Eyes Wide Shut”), Tom became one of the highest paying actors in the business.
Other notable movies include “Magnolia,” “The Last Samurai,” “Minority Report,” and his hilarious cameo in the Ben Stiller comedy “Tropic Thunder.” Despite his recent split from wife Katie Holmes, the actor has continued his career rehab with films like “Mision: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Jack Reacher” and “Oblivion.”
“Collateral“ (2004)
This Michael Mann film is so damn good, and it’s one of our favorite Tom Cruise roles.
Tom Says
On women:
“[Women] smell good. They look pretty. I love women. I do.”
On Scientology:
“Some people, well, if they don’t like Scientology, well, then, fuck you. Really. Fuck you. Period.”