tom cruise years old

Actor Tom Cruise is the star of several box-office hits, including Risky Business , A Few Good Men , The Firm , Jerry Maguire , and the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Who Is Tom Cruise?

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, better known as Tom Cruise, was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, to Mary and Thomas Mapother. Cruise's mother was an amateur actress and schoolteacher, and his father was an electrical engineer. His family moved around a great deal when Cruise was a child to accommodate his father's career.

Cruise's parents divorced when he was 11, and the children moved with their mother to Louisville, Kentucky, and then to Glen Ridge, New Jersey, after she remarried. Like his mother and three sisters, Cruise suffered from dyslexia, which made academic success difficult for him. He excelled in athletics, however, and considered pursuing a career in professional wrestling until a knee injury sidelined him during high school.

At age 14, Cruise enrolled in a Franciscan seminary with thoughts of becoming a priest, but he left after a year. When he was 16, a teacher encouraged him to participate in the school's production of the musical Guys and Dolls . After Cruise won the lead of Nathan Detroit, he found himself surprisingly at home on the stage, and a career was born.

'Taps,' 'The Outsiders'

Cruise set a 10-year deadline for himself in which to build an acting career. He left school and moved to New York City, struggling through audition after audition before landing an appearance in 1981's Endless Love , starring Brooke Shields. Around this same time, he snagged a small role in the military school drama Taps (1981), co-starring Sean Penn .

His role in Taps was upgraded after director Harold Becker saw Cruise's potential, and his performance caught the attention of a number of critics and filmmakers. In 1983, Cruise appeared in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Outsiders , which also starred Emilio Estevez , Matt Dillon and Rob Lowe —all prominent members of a group of young actors the entertainment press dubbed the "Brat Pack." The film was not well received, but it allowed Cruise to work with an acclaimed director on a high-profile project.

'Risky Business'

His next film, Risky Business (1983), grossed $65 million. It also made Cruise a highly recognizable actor — thanks in no small part to a memorable scene of the young star dancing in his underwear.

In 1986, after a two-year hiatus, the budding actor released the big-budget fantasy film Legend , which did poorly at the box office. That same year, however, Cruise's A-list status was confirmed with the release of Top Gun , which co-starred Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards and Meg Ryan . The testosterone-fueled action-romance, set against the backdrop of an elite naval flight school, became the highest-grossing film of 1986.

'The Color of Money,' 'Rain Man' and 'Born on the Fourth of July'

Cruise followed the tremendous success of Top Gun with a string of both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. He first starred in The Color of Money (1986) with co-star Paul Newman , and then went on to work with Dustin Hoffman on Rain Man (1988). Cruise's next role, as Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in the biopic Born on the Fourth of July (1989), earned him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

'A Few Good Men,' 'The Firm' and 'Interview with a Vampire'

In 1992, Cruise proved once more that he could hold his own opposite a screen legend when he co-starred with Jack Nicholson in the military courtroom drama A Few Good Men . The film grossed more than $15 million its first weekend and earned Cruise a Golden Globe nomination. He continued to demonstrate his success as a leading man with The Firm (1993) and Interview with a Vampire (1994), which co-starred Brad Pitt.

'Mission: Impossible,' 'Jerry McGuire'

Next, Cruise hit the big screen with two huge hits—the $64 million blockbuster Mission: Impossible (1996), which the star also produced, and the highly acclaimed Jerry McGuire (1996), directed by Cameron Crowe. For the latter, Cruise earned a second Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe for Best Actor.

'Eyes Wide Shut,' 'Magnolia'

Cruise and then-wife Kidman spent much of 1997 and 1998 in England shooting Eyes Wide Shut , an erotic thriller that would be director Stanley Kubrick 's final film. The movie came out in the summer of 1999 to mixed reviews, but that year Cruise enjoyed greater success with the release of Magnolia . His performance as a self-confident sex guru in the ensemble film earned him another Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

'Vanilla Sky,' 'The Last Samurai'

Cruise then starred in the long-awaited smash hit Mission: Impossible 2 in 2000, alongside Anthony Hopkins , Thandie Newton and Ving Rhames. In 2002, he starred in Vanilla Sky , his second collaboration with Crowe, as well as Steven Spielberg 's Minority Report . The following year, Cruise traveled to Australia to shoot the $100 million war epic The Last Samurai, which earned him another Golden Globe nomination.

'War of the Worlds'

Cruise proved he remained a top draw by starring in the Spielberg-directed remake of the science-fiction classic War of the Worlds (2005), which grossed more than $230 million at the box office.

His next effort, Mission: Impossible 3 (2006), also scored well with audiences. However, Cruise was faced with a professional setback in August when Paramount Pictures ended its 14-year relationship with the actor. The company's chairman cited Cruise's erratic behavior and controversial views as the reason for the split, though industry experts noted that Paramount more likely ended the partnership over Cruise's high earnings from the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Cruise quickly rebounded and on November 2, 2006, he announced his new partnership with film executive Paula Wagner and the United Artists film studio. Their first production as a team, the political drama Lions for Lambs (2007), proved a commercial disappointment despite a strong cast that included Meryl Streep and Robert Redford .

'Tropic Thunder'

Taking a break from weighty material, Cruise delighted audiences with his performance in the comedy Tropic Thunder (2008). Despite his relatively small role in a movie that featured Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller , Cruise stood out by obscuring his trademark good looks to play a balding, obese movie studio executive.

'Valkyrie,' 'Rock of Ages'

In December 2008, Cruise released his second project through United Artists. The film, Valkyrie , was a World War II drama about a plot to assassinate German leader Adolf Hitler . Cruise starred as a German army officer who became involved in the conspiracy.

Cruise returned to one of his most popular franchises in 2011 with Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol . Breaking into new territory, he then starred in the 2012 musical Rock of Ages . Although Cruise received some positive reviews for his performance as a rock star, the movie failed to attract much of an audience.

'Jack Reacher,' 'Edge of Tomorrow'

Returning to his mainstream action roots, Cruise starred in the 2012 crime drama Jack Reacher , based on a book by Lee Child. He then headlined a pair of science-fiction adventures, Oblivion (2013) and Edge of Tomorrow (2014). Showing no signs of slowing down, the veteran actor in 2015 delivered his usual high-energy performance for the fifth installment of his blockbuster franchise, Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation .

Latest Movies and Familiar Franchises

In 2016, Cruise reprised the role of Jack Reacher for Never Go Back . He then headlined a reboot of The Mummy (2017), which performed respectably at the box office but was savaged by critics, before earning better reviews later that year for the crime thriller American Made .

2018 brought a return to familiar territory for Cruise, who starred in Mission Impossible —Fallout that summer. Prior to its release, he tweeted a photo to mark day 1 of production on the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick , scheduled for a June 2020 release.

Scientology and Personal Life

Cruise married actress Mimi Rogers in 1987. It was through Rogers that the actor became a student of Scientology, the religion founded by writer L. Ron Hubbard. Cruise credited the church with curing his dyslexia, and he soon became one of its leading proponents. However, while his spiritual life flourished, his marriage to Rogers ended in 1990. That same year, Cruise made the racecar drama Days of Thunder alongside Kidman. Though the movie was unpopular among critics and fans alike, the two lead actors had real chemistry. On Christmas Eve 1990, after a brief courtship, Cruise and Kidman married in Telluride, Colorado.

Divorce from Kidman

For much of the 1990s, Cruise and Kidman found themselves fiercely defending the happiness and legitimacy of their marriage. They filed two different lawsuits against tabloid publications for stories they considered libelous. In each case, the couple received a published retraction and apology, along with a large monetary settlement which they donated to charity. The couple has two children, Isabella and Connor.

On February 5, 2001, Cruise and Kidman announced their separation after 11 years of marriage. The couple cited the difficulties involved with two acting careers and the amount of time spent apart while working. Following the divorce, Cruise briefly dated his Vanilla Sky co-star Penelope Cruz , followed by a much-publicized relationship with actress Katie Holmes. A month after his ties to Holmes became public, Cruise professed his love for the actress in a now-famous appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, during which he jumped on Winfrey's sofa, shouting "Yes!"

Marriage to Katie Holmes

In June 2005, after a two-month courtship, Cruise proposed to Holmes in a restaurant at the top of the Eiffel tower. In October, they announced that they were expecting their first child together. The hasty proposal and surprise pregnancy quickly became tabloid gossip. But Cruise made even bigger headlines that year as an outspoken advocate for Scientology. He openly criticized former co-star Brooke Shields for using anti-depressants during her recovery from postpartum depression. He also denounced psychiatry and modern medicine, claiming Scientology held the key to true healing. Cruise's statements led to a heated argument with news anchor Matt Lauer on The Today Show in June 2005, for which Cruise later apologized.

In 2006, Cruise and Holmes welcomed daughter Suri into the world. That year, they were married in an Italian castle, with celebrities Will Smith , Jada Pinkett Smith , Jennifer Lopez and Victoria and David Beckham among those in attendance. However, the storybook romance wouldn't last, and in June 2012, the couple announced their separation.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1962
• Birth date: July 3, 1962
• Birth State: New York
• Birth City: Syracuse
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Actor Tom Cruise is the star of several box-office hits, including 'Risky Business,' 'A Few Good Men,' 'The Firm,' 'Jerry Maguire' and the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise.
• Astrological Sign: Cancer

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Tom Cruise Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/tom-cruise
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: March 26, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

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The Transformation Of Tom Cruise From 21 To 58 Years Old

There's a lot that can be said about Tom Cruise . The star is a Golden Globe-winning actor, producer, and dad of three . Cruise is known in Hollywood as one of the highest-paid stars, and he's held that status for decades.

Cruise is the only son of four children, who was raised by his mom, Mary Lee (née Pfeiffer), a special education teacher, and dad, Thomas Cruise Mapother III, an electrical engineer. His parents were both from Louisville, Kentucky, where he lived for 11 years, but Cruise moved to Glen Ridge, New Jersey, with his mother following his parents' divorce in 1973, per IMDb .

As a kid, Cruise struggled to fit in, and in school, he spent his years trying to hide his dyslexia, which he was diagnosed with at age 7. The actor once described his younger self as "functionally illiterate" (via Dyslexiahelp.umich.edu ), but fortunately, he excelled in sports. In fact, he once considered pursuing a career in professional wrestling, but he suffered a knee injury during high school that , per Biography . 

After a teacher encouraged Cruise to join the school's production of the musical "Guys and Dolls," he fell in love with acting, and well, the rest is history. Since then, Cruise has captivated audiences around the globe, and his transformation is nothing short of amazing.

Tom Cruise sets off to New York City with dreams of becoming a star

Tom Cruise had big plans to become a Hollywood star, and he set off to New York City with his dreams at the forefront. Though he struggled to get his career off the ground in the beginning, he persevered and kept auditioning before landing his debut gig in 1981's "Endless Love," starring icon Brooke Shields. That same year, he appeared alongside Sean Penn in "Taps."

By 1983, Cruise was establishing himself as an up-and-coming heavyweight, snagging roles in 1983's "Losin' It," "Risky Business," and "The Outsiders." He portrayed the character of Steve Randle, a member of the group of young actors dubbed the "Brat Pack," with Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, and Rob Lowe. Though "The Outsiders" didn't receive the praise it was hoping, the gig led to roles in 1985's "Legend," and ultimately, his iconic starring appearance in 1986's " Top Gun ."

"Top Gun," which became the highest-grossing film of that year (via Chicago Tribune ), confirmed Cruise's status as an A-list actor and catapulted the star into a life of fame and superstardom. According to Box Office Mojo , the action-romance flick, which follows the story of Cruise's character, Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, as he joins an elite naval flight school, has earned more than $176 million in the box office to this day.

Tom Cruise becomes one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors by the 1990s

With "Top Gun" on his résumé, Tom Cruise established himself as a Hollywood hotshot, and by that time, he was making the big bucks. In the late 1990s, Cruise snagged the title of one of showbiz's highest-paid actors in the world, according to Celebrity Net Worth .

The handsome heartthrob had already earned $9 million for 1990's "Days of Thunder" and another $15 million for his work on "Interview With the Vampire" in 1994, but his bank account skyrocketed when he landed the starring role in "Mission Impossible" in 1996. Entertainment Weekly reported he "pocketed $70 million" for the hit action film, and he also "negotiated a chunk of 'Mission's' overall $465 million gross."

Cruise's monetary gain is so impressive that a report from Casumo claims he pockets more than $7,000 per word. "When taking into account everything he's been in for almost 40 years, supposedly it's as much as $7,091 per word," CinemaBlend reported in April 2020.

But, while Cruise has more money than one could ever imagine, the producer knows he has earned every dollar in his $600 million fortune. "I get paid because I'm worth it and they should pay me that much. But I've never done work for money, ever," he shared with Vanity Fair in 2000 (via The Uncool ). "It is my life, it is what I do, it is what I love to do."

Tom Cruise falls in love with Nicole Kidman and starts a family

As he was cementing his place in the entertainment industry, Tom Cruise was also experiencing changes in his love life. The star walked down the aisle with his first wife, Mimi Rogers , in 1987, and they were together for three years. After they split in 1990, though, Cruise was not single for long, as he developed a deep bond with Nicole Kidman when they met on the set of "Days of Thunder."

Cruise wasn't the only one who was instantly smitten. "He swept me off my feet," Kidman recalled to Vanity Fair in December 2002. "I fell madly, passionately in love." Later that year, Cruise and Kidman said "I do," and by 1995, they were the parents of their adopted kids, daughter Isabella Jane Cruise and son Connor Cruise .

Over the next few years, Cruise and Kidman raised their kids while juggling their busy careers as Hollywood stars. In 1997 and 1998, they worked together on "Eyes Wide Shut," an erotic thriller directed by legend Stanley Kubrick. The actor landed other gigs, including 1999's "Magnolia" — which earned him a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor — followed by "Mission: Impossible II" in 2000 (via IMDb ).

Just one year later, though, Cruise experienced turmoil in his personal life as he and Kidman split in 2001. Per Entertainment Weekly , the "Vanilla Sky" lead filed for divorce , citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason.

Tom Cruise marries wife No. 3 Katie Holmes

Following his split from Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise fixated his focus on his acting career, and throughout the early 2000s, he balanced several roles in "Minority Report," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," and "Collateral." By April 2005, Cruise's personal life started making headlines once again when he publicly debuted his relationship with Katie Holmes .

While many speculated their romance was a publicity stunt, as Cruise was starring in "War of the Worlds" while Holmes was cast as the lead in "Batman Begins," they proved how serious they were when they got engaged less than two months later in June, per The Hollywood Reporter . Before they got the chance to walk down the aisle, though, Cruise expanded his family when Holmes gave birth to their daughter, Suri Cruise , in April 2006.

The duo wed seven months later in November, marking Cruise's third trip down the aisle. Marrying the Hollywood hunk was an unbelievable moment for Holmes, who told Seventeen magazine she "used to think I was going to marry Tom Cruise" as a little girl (via The Hollywood Reporter). However, their romance eventually came to end in June 2012 when Holmes filed for divorce. At the time, Cruise's attorney called their split "a private matter," adding the actor's No. 1 priority was their "daughter's best interests" (via People ).  

Tom Cruise focuses on his career, Scientology, and love

Following his a string of unsuccessful marriages, Tom Cruise became much more guarded in terms of his personal life. By 2016, Cruise sold both his L.A. mansions and purchased a penthouse in Clearwater, Florida, to focus on his work as a Scientologist. According to People , the home happens to be just one block away from the Church of Scientology's international headquarters.

Cruise has been a committed member of the controversial church since 1990, per Insider , and his involvement has been debated for years, especially since a source told Us Weekly in July 2019 that he's "not allowed" to see Suri. Regardless of the claims, plus the fact that Cruise has not been seen in public with Suri since 2013 , the Church fought back, telling Us, "Everything about your inquiry misrepresents the Church of Scientology."

These days, Cruise is also heavily involved in Hollywood, as he's set to star in several upcoming films . Most impressively, he's cast in an untitled project that will be filmed in space, per The Space Shuttle Almanac (via The Independent ).

Cruise isn't just busy in his professional life, though. The actor is reportedly dating actress Hayley Atwell . The two met on the set of "Mission: Impossible 7" and "hit it off from day one," The Sun reported in December 2020. "They've become fairly inseparable. They get on brilliantly, and both seem very happy." It looks like Cruise's long and admirable journey has certainly paid off.

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Tom Cruise facts: Top Gun actor's age, films, marriages, children, net worth and more revealed

4 May 2023, 13:45

Tom Cruise has been one of Hollywood's leading names for over nearly forty years.

Tom Cruise is an American actor who is the fifth-highest-grossing (as of 2023) film actor of all time as well as one of the highest-paid actors in cinema.

He has appeared in some of the biggest film franchises ever like Top Gun and its sequel Top Gun: Maverick (which is his highest-grossing film to date), the Mission Impossible film series, as well as other blockbusters such as Jerry Maguire , Minority Report , Interview With A Vampire , A Few Good Men , The Last Samurai , War Of The Worlds, Days Of Thunder, Cocktail and Jack Reacher .

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Cruise became a Hollywood lead during the 1980s with stand-out performances in films like Rain Man , The Color Of Money , and Born on the Fourth of July .

Although he is well-known for his roles in action movies, Tom Cruise has also been nominated for four Academy Awards throughout his career, though he hasn't won any.

Cruise has been a member of the controversial Church of Scientology since converting in the 2000s, and has advocated for the organisation as it helped him to overcome his dyslexia.

Risky Business Original Glasses Dance Scene (Mandela FX)

How old is Tom Cruise and when was he born?

Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York. In 2023, he will turn 61 years old.

His father Thomas Cruise Mapother III was an electrical engineer and his mother Mary Lee was a special education teacher. They both originated from Louisville, Kentucky so Cruise and his three sisters (Lee Anne, Marian, and Cass) were brought up as Catholic.

One of his cousins, William Mapother is also an actor and has appeared alongside Cruise in five of his films.

He once described his father as "a merchant of chaos" as he was a violent bully who would beat Tom Cruise and his siblings.

How did Tom Cruise get his start in acting?

Tom Cruise moved around frequently during his youth due to his father's work, and attended 15 different schools in 14 years.

After falling in love with acting during his youth, Cruise eventually moved to New York City to pursue a career in the profession, then onwards to Los Angeles.

He was cast in several small roles shortly after his move, but it wasn't until he was cast in Francis Ford Coppola's 'Generation X' cult classic The Outsiders (which featured young stars like Patrick Swayze , Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, and Emilio Estevez) that he began gaining notoriety.

His big break came when he was cast in the iconic comedy-drama Risky Business which subsequently became a cult phenomenon and surprise box office hit, which is still regarded as one of the defining films of the 1980s.

What are Tom Cruise’s biggest films?

Top Gun (1986) Official Trailer - Tom Cruise Movie

- Mission Impossible (series)

- A Few Good Men

- Risky Business

- The Last Samurai

- Jerry Maguire

- The Color Of Money

- Born on the Fourth of July

- Top Gun: Maverick

Is Tom Cruise married?

Tom Cruise is not currently married. He divorced his third wife Katie Holmes in 2012.

He was also married twice before, first to actress Mimi Rogers from 1987-1990, and then to actress Nicole Kidman from 1990-2001 who he appeared alongside films like Days Of Thunder and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut .

Does Tom Cruise have any children?

Tom Cruise has three children. He shares his only son Connor and eldest daughter Isabella with his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman who adopted the pair when they were married.

He also has a biological daughter, Suri, who he had with ex-wife Katie Holmes.

Cruise is notoriously private about his children and his relationship with them, although it's been repeatedly reported that he is estranged from his three kids.

What is Tom Cruise’s net worth?

JERRY MAGUIRE - Show Me the Money - MATHEMATICS in the MOVIES

Tom Cruise's reported net worth is $620 million.

Are there any other facts we should know about Tom Cruise?

Tom Cruise loses his mind on Oprah - Original Video - Hilarious!! - Celeburbia.com

The Hollywood action hero got his Hollywood teeth before he became a leading man, getting braces fitted before his career properly kicked off after being cast in Ridley Scott's fantasy film Legend .

Cruise was reportedly touted to play Neo in The Matrix film franchise before it went to Keanu Reeves , and similarly with the role of Iron Man before Robert Downey Jr was cast as the lead.

Executives at Disney wanted to likeness of Aladdin to resemble Tom Cruise as they said it'd make the character more likeable.

After his turn in Risky Business (and the iconic improvised dance scene) Cruise was credited with saving the sunglasses brand Ray-Ban from going under due to the renewed popularity the film gave the frames.

He participates in most of - if not all of - his stunts in movies, and has a gruelling regime to keep him prepared. When asked about how he keeps fit Cruise replied with: "Sea-kayaking, caving… fencing, treadmill, weights… rock-climbing, hiking… I jog… I do so many different activities."

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Tom Cruise is 60 and kicking Father Time's butt. Why his birthday is a win for 'Top Gun' fans.

Happy birthday,  Tom Cruise.  The big 6-0 was July 3. I can't believe we made it. 

Yes, Tom Cruise, "we" made it. There have been many of us going along for this ride since you made the maverick decision to bring a second chapter of "Top Gun" to the screen 36 years after the 1986 original.

Sequels of beloved movies can be treacherous. We all want to recapture that thrill of the original, and, if you really think about it, recapture that moment in our lives. But time and again, it's just not possible to catch that same lightning in the sequel bottle. 

Even scarier, of course, was the 36 years later part. For those of us who were very alive in 1986, this was a visceral reminder that we are all dangerously close to four decades older.

'Let's light the fires': Tom Cruise arrives by helicopter for world premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick'

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"Top Gun: Maverick" was personal. Tom Cruise needed to prevail not just for the legacy of "Top Gun" or Goose or A-list movie star viability. But for us, for me. "Maverick" had to prove that 36 years ain't no big deal, it's a number, and whatever else we tell ourselves about getting old(er). And Cruise was leading the charge.

Sure enough, that first "Maverick" trailer dropped and Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell looked like he rode that Kawasaki Ninja straight out of the Reagan administration, with the wind running through his hair and big teeth gleaming.

I saw the hair up close. I was on the red carpet in June for the film's premiere aboard the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier in San Diego. The only thing that out-staged Cruise's showboat helicopter entrance was that magnificent hair – entirely brown and bouncy. It was untamed enough to look like a victorious high school quarterback who pulled up post-shower to the homecoming dance.

To my existential relief, "Maverick" blasted through its "Danger Zone" takeoff and stuck the landing. It is an entirely worthy "Top Gun" follow, maybe even a superior film to the original . And Cruise represented. He whipped off the shirt and played dogfight football with his decades-younger co-stars. Cruise obviously didn't have the washboard abs of his  "Top Gun" volleyball game . But there were abs. And dang, he looked good, especially turbo-sprinting down the beach at the end. In blue jeans. Bravo.

Secrets to 'Top Gun: Maverick's epic football scene: Spray tans, protein bars and panic workouts

I asked Cruise how he prepared for that scene, and he shrugged it off, "I just did it," he said with his studied nonchalance. Nice. I generally reserve that line to explain how I ate all the doughnuts.

Onscreen, Maverick has lived the life none of us can live in those 36 years. Not just ignoring but thumbing his nose at his bosses , joyriding supersonic jets, buzzing the bleeping tower on Jon Hamm's Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson. Yet Cyclone still gives that "I respect you" nod at the end, before Maverick goes off to sunset smooch with Jennifer Connelly. You go, Maverick! He doesn't care about car payments, mortgages or inflation. He just flies.

Ed Harris stood up to 'Maverick':  He held steady as jet 'blew the roof off guard station'

Here on Earth, I grimace comedically every time I stand up following any exercise and I'm prone to shouts of agony when my shoulder just locks. I turned the big 55 in April, and happened to be in a Ross Dress for Less, which is hard enough to admit. Turns out Ross has a very liberal senior discount for their Every Tuesday Club, which to my horror, I was suddenly eligible for. Getting 10% off ceramic planters (total savings: $2) should not induce tears. But, gulp. It was my first senior discount. 

I calmed myself by harnessing my inner Maverick. I'm sure Tom Cruise has figured out how to slow down, maybe even stop time. He's already back at work to show me feats of inconceivable movie heroics in "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning" Part I (July 14, 2023) and 2 (June 28, 2024). 

So I shout to you Tom Cruise: To 60 and beyond! Ride on forever, with the wind whipping through your hair.

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Tom Cruise Turns 61: Inside His $10 Billion Career and Being 'Hollywood's Last Real Movie Star'

Inside tom cruise's rise to becoming the world's biggest movie star, zac efron reveals behind-the-scenes secret about viral 'hsm 2' golf course performance, kendall jenner makes controversial fashion choice at louvre, jon bon jovi joins millie bobby brown and jake bongiovi's honeymoon in italy, emily osment dishes on 'young sheldon' spinoff 'georgie and mandy's first marriage' (exclusive), lizzy musi, 'street outlaws' star, dead at 33 after stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis, andy cohen on his interview regrets and which celeb guest he’s still ‘pursuing’ | retrospective, how elton john found out he was an egot winner (exclusive), watch troye sivan and ross lynch recreate sexy music video on stage, 'queer eye's jonathan van ness breaks silence on 'rage issues' allegations, prince william reacts to king charles' joke about his grandchildren, 'bridgerton's nicola coughlan releases viral 'housewives'-inspired song 'shoes... more shoes', teri hatcher reveals why she was kicked off this dating app (exclusive), will smith abandons classic dance music for emotional new single, 'owning manhattan': ryan serhant on moving on from bravo and his season 2 hopes (exclusive), derek hough says he could 'barely watch' celine dion doc after wife hayley's seizure, elton john and husband david furnish on chappell roan, sabrina carpenter & more women ‘killing it’, 'rhonj's margaret josephs breaks down jackie goldschneider feud, reacts to teresa giudice 'takedown', 'mama june: family crisis’: june gets roasted by daughter anna over her feet (exclusive), how justin timberlake and jessica biel are handling his arrest (source), 'bridgerton's sam phillips and bessie carter are dating, the 'top gun' star has built a reputation for box office success -- and he's not slowing down anytime soon.

Tom Cruise turns 61 on Monday, marking more than four decades since he broke on to the Hollywood scene and started his ascension to the mega-famous movie star we know today.

Born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, Cruise got his start in bit movie parts before a breakout year in 1983, in which he starred in All the Right Moves, The Outsiders, and his breakthrough hit, Risky Business.

But it was in the 1990s when Cruise began to hit his stride as box office magic. From 1992-96, he made history when he starred in five consecutive movies that grossed $100 million or more in the United States: A Few Good Men, The Firm, Interview With the Vampire, Mission: Impossible and Jerry Maguire .

His starring role as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible has also been a blockbuster boon. So far, the franchise's six films have grossed over $3 billion worldwide, with the seventh --  Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One -- coming to theaters July 12.

"It's unbelievable," Cruise told ET while premiering Dead Reckoning in Rome last month. "I do pinch myself every day.... It's something that I've never taken for granted ... I just feel very privileged."

And then, of course, there's Top Gun. The   iconic original flyboy flick was the highest-grossing domestic film in 1986, and when Cruise returned to the role of Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell last year for Top Gun: Maverick, it was a triumph in more ways than one. The film became Cruise's first to earn over a billion dollars worldwide and was a major success for movie theaters just starting to dig their way out of COVID shutdown difficulties.

"I make movies for audiences," the actor told ET. "I work so hard and I think about them the whole time and when you see how excited they are and how much they appreciate it - it's just beautiful."

In total, the man often referred to as "the last true movie star" has made himself a $10 billion career so far -- and he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

However, despite the money, and despite the moniker, for Cruise it's all about the craft.

"It's not about being a movie star," he insisted. "It's about being an actor and concentrating on that and finding roles that are going to be a challenge for me... Movie stardom can come and go, but your craft within, you can work forever if you keep working hard at that."

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Tom Cruise’s life in pictures as he turns 60 – from teen actor to one of Hollywood’s biggest heavyweights

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It is a big weekend if your name is Tom Cruise and you’re a massive Hollywood heavyweight, as the action hero is celebrating his 60th birthday today.

He has a lot to celebrate at the moment, as Top Gun sequel Maverick is currently flying high at the box office, easily smashing through the $1billion mark worldwide.

That’s definitely a huge gift within itself.

There is no denying that he’s still at the top of his game, but how does he do it? 

In honor of Tom’s milestone big day, we’ve taken a stroll down memory lane to relieve some of his best moments and see what makes the Cruiser the last of the Hollywood icons.

1962: Cruise was born in Syracuse, New York. His full name was Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, but he was shrewd enough to shorten it. 

Suddenly, he stopped sounding like an absent-minded uncle in a Dickens novel and started sounding like a super-cool movie star.

1983: Risky Business. You may not remember much about this teen comedy drama, but everyone remembers Cruise being simultaneously silly and sexy as he dances around in his shirt, pants and socks. A star was born!

1989: Born On The Fourth of July. Cruise proved that he was more than a set of shiny teeth by playing Ron Kovic, Vietnam veteran turned anti-war activist. 

He earned the first of his three Oscar nominations, the last of which was for Magnolia in 2000. The last for now, that is …

1999: Eyes Wide Shut. Cruise and Nicole Kidman signed up for six months’ work on Stanley Kubrick’s erotic psychodrama, but they stuck it out for 15 months, hence Eyes Wide Shut holds the Guinness World Record for the longest ever unbroken film shoot. 

Cruise is no quitter – although his marriage to Kidman broke down soon afterwards.

2000: Mission: Impossible 2. Cruise dangled by one hand from a cliff, 2000 feet above the Utah desert.

And that’s really him doing the dangling, even if he had a safety rope which was digitally erased. 

Of course, the scene was hardly essential to the story, but it gave the Mission: Impossible series its raison d’etre: to show audiences a Hollywood legend doing his own insanely demanding stunts. A risky business, indeed.

2005: The Sofa Incident. Here’s where things went a bit wrong. Cruise was on The Oprah Winfrey Show to promote War Of The Worlds, but he raved about Katie Holmes and jumped on Oprah’s sofa instead. 

Between this loved-up gymnastics display and his attacks on psychiatry, Cruise acquired an unfortunate reputation for being a weirdo Scientologist. 

Lesson learnt; he’s been a lot quieter about his private life ever since.

2007: Lions For Lambs. This smug political drama isn’t great, but it IS directed by Robert Redford, and it remains the most recent example of Cruise working with a really big-name director. 

Young Cruise makes a point of ticking them off: Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, etc. But now he prefers to be the boss himself. 

Whoever the director may be, it’s Cruise’s vision of what constitutes an efficiently entertaining film that counts. Fair enough. If it weren’t for such control freakery, he probably wouldn’t have maintained his megastar status. 

But wouldn’t it be exciting if he collaborated with a challenging auteur once again?

2012: Jack Reacher. Cruise hasn’t made many iffy career choices, but deciding that he was the man to play Lee Child’s 6 ft 5 inch blonde vigilante was one of them. 

2017: The Mummy. Okay, so this is another iffy choice. Let’s move swiftly on.

Still, the film was written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who has since made every instalment of Mission: Impossible, so at least Cruise got a trusty new creative partner out of the deal.

2022: Top Gun: Maverick. A sequel to the most 1980s-ish of all 1980s movies, released 36 years after the original?

It should have been a disaster, but Cruise’s obsessive quality control paid off – and the fact that he hadn’t aged a day since the first film probably helped. 

2022: Cannes Film Festival. During an on-stage Q&A, a French journalist asks Cruise why he does his own stunts. 

Cruise’s reply: ‘No one asks Gene Kelly, why do you dance? Why do you do your own dancing?’

Yep, he’s passionate about what he does, all right.

TG:M has taken over $1billion at the box office, making it the year’s biggest cinema hit – and Cruise’s own highest grossing film. 

Don’t bet against him winning that long-awaited Best Actor Oscar next year.

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Tom Cruise Turns 60: How he conquered Hollywood and won over the royal family

'top gun' and 'mission impossible' star tom cruise turned 60 july 3.

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LONDON – Tom Cruise really does have the royal seal of approval. 

Cruise is 60 years old. That is correct. 

The superstar of Hollywood is 60 yet looks 35 up close. I should know. I just sat down with Tom while at Windsor Castle, where he hosted the brilliant royal event, "A Gallop Through History," at the queen’s request.

The last few years have also seen Tom Cruise completely reinvent his public persona from eccentric, and at times embattled, to the consummate Hollywood leading man with ageless good looks and box office receipts to match. 

‘TOP GUN: MAVERICK’ BREAKS MEMORIAL DAY BOX OFFICE RECORDS WITH $151M, LANDS TOM CRUISE BIGGEST MOVIE LAUNCH

Tom Cruise arrives at the "Top Gun: Maverick" world premiere  (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Tom Cruise greets "Top Gun: Maverick" fans (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Tom Cruise on the red carpet for "Top Gun: Maverick" (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

As Tom strode onto the large platform at Windsor Castle facing the lady who has reigned over the commonwealth for the last 70 years he was, as he admitted to a source, "nervous."

" I really admire Queen Elizabeth," Tom said. "We can all learn lessons from her, and she is such a vibrant lady with a zest for life that really is addictive. But, you know, despite all the films and success, this was a ‘moment,’ as they say, and thankfully all went well. But when you look at who she has met across the decades you do think, ‘Why did they ask me?’"

Tom proved a great and affable emcee, plus added that international glamour to the event, which really helped ratings bust through the roof. However, Tom has had previous engagements with royals, and this could be the reason why he was invited by the queen to host. 

Tom Cruise attends the screening of "Top Gun: Maverick" during the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals May 18, 2022, in Cannes, France.   (Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)

In 2017, Tom made a huge impression on the late Duke of Edinburgh. Both men were supporters of the Outward Bound trust, an educational charity that seeks to improve the lives of children and young people through outdoor activities and learning. They attended a dinner hosted at Buckingham Palace to honor the 75th anniversary of the U.K.-based organization. 

And they got on like old chums, with Philip laughing out loud many times at the event, cementing his place in the royal circle. The queen noted that and kept it by for this massive royal year.

Tom also became chums with the late Princess Diana when Tom was married to Nicole Kidman. The pair had met the princess at a screening of "Far and Away" in 1992, and Tom told me he was "devastated" by her passing. 

"She was a magical person and really engulfed you with her personality," he said. 

Diana also loved the movie original, "Top Gun," and would often watch it on video at Kensington Palace with both Princes William and Harry.

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Tom's 60th birthday on July 3 marked a major milestone in an extraordinary life, one at the very top of the movie business. But the biggest question on everyone’s lips here recently in the U.K. was: Did the Duchess of Cambridge and Tom Cruise break royal protocol? 

Prince William and Kate Middleton join Tom Cruise at the U.K. premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick."  (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Tom Cruise escorts the Duchess of Cambridge at the U.K. premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick"  (Dan Kitwood/pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge  (Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)

This was because the ever gallant Tom offered assistance on the stairs for the Duchess Catherine as she ascended in towering glam heels. 

As Tom pointed out, "It's natural right? And it's what my mom taught me to do — be a gentleman and offer assistance. It was a moment thing. And, honestly, I did not see anything wrong in it, yet we did giggle about it afterwards simply because, well I should have remembered."

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When I spoke with Tom recently, he wouldn’t weigh in on whether William and Catherine will attend his U.K.-based birthday party, but he hopes they do "if they could spare the time." 

Tom knows that the royal premiere of his new movie, which shot to No. 1 around the world, is all thanks to them. 

" People love the British royals as do I , and I am aware they brought so much focus onto the event of which I am so grateful and well happy beyond words," Tom revealed to a source.

Tom Cruise in "Top Gun," which was released May 16, 1986. (CBS via Getty Images)

Tom has asked all guests for no presents as "I truly have enough. I mean I don’t need anything. So donations to my charities is what would make me most happy, and I check in with them all the time." 

Tom admitted 60 sounds like, "Wow, you know." But as Tom hits that milestone this weekend, it's clearly the start of something big even after all these years still the No. 1 box office star in the world and now with the royal seal of approval too.

Happy Birthday, Tom.

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Tom Cruise, Who Is 60, Shares Video And Backstory Behind Insane Mission: Impossible Stunt

I shouldn't be so shocked. But I'm shocked.

Do you know that primal element that kicks in when danger is near, warning us to flee in order to avoid bodily harm? Yeah, Tom Cruise doesn’t have that. I’m not breaking any news when I tell you that Cruise is a maniac when it comes to his stunt work. I mean that in the best way possible. The man puts his life on the line – literally – to accomplish eye-popping stunts, all in the name of entertaining his audience. We have already gone to some lengths to document the amazing sequences he’s pulling off in the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One . But a new video that was attached to the Avatar sequel , Avatar: The Way of Water , so that audiences could see it in IMAX has now been released, and it’s the wildest thing you will see today.

The video , posted above, shows all of the preparation that Tom Cruise and the Mission: Impossible crew have to put in just so that they can pull off one sequence from the highly anticipated sequel. The stunt, which we were able to see at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, shows Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt riding a motorcycle off of a ramp that sends him over a cliff in Norway… plunging him into a base jump where a parachute (we think) will take him onto a train down below. It’s intending to top the HALO jump featured in Mission: Impossible – Fallout , and is described by Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One director Christopher McQuarrie in the following way:

This is far and away the most dangerous thing we have ever attempted.

When McQ calls it that, you know this is something serious. He has been directing Mission: Impossible movies with Tom Cruise since the magnificent Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation , so he has guided Cruise through incredible plane stunts , motorcycle sequences that shut down the streets of Paris , and more. Cruise and McQuarrie feel a need to continuously top themselves with each new Mission: Impossible movie. After a motorcycle ride off a ramp into a base jump, however, I’m not sure what else these two can cook up… short to Tom Cruise taking Ethan Hunt to space , which has been the running joke for some time now.

This might be my favorite part of the video, to be honest. The look on Christopher McQuarrie’s face as he watches his A-list leading man performing death defying stunts proves that he is just as shocked and amazed by Cruise’s commitment as we all are. The joy of filmmaking is a delight to see.

We don’t know a ton about the plot of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning , or why this story needed two installments. It feels, to me, like Cruise and McQuarrie are bringing a chapter of Ethan Hunt to a close, with old characters showing up and Hunt being told that he needs to choose a side in a growing conflict. Also, as I have pointed out, Cruise is 60. How much longer will he be able to pull off stunt work on this level. He’s already a Hall of Fame GOAT when it comes to on-screen stunts. He has nothing left to prove. But if he feels like the story needs it, Cruise will do it. And we love him for that.

Look for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One when it opens in theaters on July 14. It’s one of many upcoming 2023 movies that we have circled as Must See in the coming year.

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Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.

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Tom Cruise Movies List

1. Endless Love

3. The Outsiders

4. Losin' It

5. All the Right Moves

6. Risky Business

9. The Color of Money

10. Cocktail

11. Rain Man

12. Born on the Fourth of July

13. Days of Thunder

14. A Few Good Men

15. The Firm

16. Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles

17. Mission: Impossible

18. Jerry Maguire

19. Eyes Wide Shut

20. Magnolia

21. Mission: Impossible II

22. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures

23. Vanilla Sky

24. Space Station 3D

25. Minority Report

More to explore, recently viewed.

Tom Cruise Steps Out With His and Nicole Kidman’s Son Connor for Rare Outing in London

Tom cruise and his 29-year-old son connor—who he shares with ex nicole kidman—enjoyed a family helicopter ride in london..

Tom Cruise 's latest mission? A helicopter ride with his son.

The Mission: Impossible star and Connor Cruise touched down at a heliport in London on June 28.

For their father-son outing, Tom donned a gray T-shirt, blue jeans and a pair of his signature aviator sunglasses. Meanwhile, his 29-year-old—who he and ex Nicole Kidman share along with daughter Isabella Cruise , 31—also kept things casual in a black hoodie, slate-colored joggers and a matching baseball cap that read "Pelican Golf Club."

The sighting comes just days after Tom hit up Taylor Swift 's Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium. On June 22, the Top Gun actor was seen dancing with a slew of celeb guests —including Liam Hemsworth , Mila Kunis , Ashton Kutcher , Greta Gerwig and Taylor's boyfriend Travis Kelce —inside the VIP tent at the sold-out show.

That same week, Tom and Katie Holmes ' 18-year-old daughter Suri Cruise graduated from high school in New York City.

Though Tom was not seen at the graduation ceremony, his ex-wife Katie was there to commemorate their child's academic milestone.

And in recent years, Katie—who divorced Tom in 2012 —has been adamant on keeping Suri out of the spotlight after she was "so visible at a young age."

"I really like to protect her," the Dawson's Creek  alum told Glamour  last year . "I'm very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She's an incredible person."

Though Suri did lend her vocals to the films Alone Together and Rare Objects , the 45-year-old noted that "both of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry, which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people."

"It was very meaningful to me to have her there," Katie added, "because she's my heart."

For a complete guide to Tom’s family, keep reading.

Marriage to Nicole Kidman

Tom Cruise was in the process of divorcing first wife Mimi Rogers   when he met Nicole Kidman   making the racing movie  Days of Thunder  in early 1990. He proposed to the Australian actress once he was officially single and they tied the knot that year on Christmas Eve.

"It was that special connection when you recognize your soul mate," Tom told Vanity Fair   in 1994. "She is a person who understands. It was as if a whole new life had started for me."

They announced their divorce in February 2001 with a press release citing the "difficulties inherent of diverging careers which constantly keep them apart." Though it's unclear if Nicole agreed with that rationale.

"I'm starting to understand now [why we broke up]," she told  Vanity Fair  toward the end of 2002. "At the time I didn't."

Her ex, meanwhile, had told the publication earlier that year, "She knows why, and I know why. She's the mother of my children, and I wish her well. And I think that you just move on. And I don't say that lightly. I don't say that with anything."

Isabella Cruise

Tom and Nicole adopted their eldest child, Isabella , when she was born on Dec. 22, 1992.

Admittedly "scared to death" the first time he changed a diaper, Tom told  VF  in 1994 that he and Nicole "talked about children from time to time, but there was always the work. But then we went, When is it ever going to be the right time? That's how the conversation started. You're lying in bed at night and you're trying to sleep, so you roll over and you go, What would happen if we had this in our life?... One of the things that Nic and I talk about is that now suddenly we're a family ."

Nicole said they definitely planned on having more kids, whether by birth or adoption, preferably both.

"Isabella was meant for us," she told the magazine. "I think when things come into your life at a certain time you have to take them. It's destiny."

She later revealed to  VF  in 2007 that they decided to adopt after she lost a pregnancy. "From the minute Tom and I were married, I wanted to have babies," she said. "And we lost a baby early on, so that was really very traumatic. And that's when we would adopt Bella." 

"There's a complicated background to that," she added, "given that I never speak much about many things. One day maybe that story will be told."

Isabella, an artist and graduate of London's Delamar Academy of Make-Up and Hair, lives in England with husband  Max Parker . 

It raised a few eyebrows when the bride's parents didn't attend the couple's 2015 wedding at the Dorchester hotel in London.

"Of course, they're my parents," she fired back at Daily Mail Online when the newlywed was asked if she spoke to Tom and Nicole. "Anyone who says otherwise is full of s--t."

Moreover, only a few close friends attended and the groom's parents weren't there, either, his mom Beverly Parker telling the Mail they stayed away to avoid "a media circus." Calling the pair "lovely," she said, "I'm very pleased for them both and they're very happy."

Max told the publication that "you could say" his wife had foregone the spotlight, but it was "more of a weird situation for everyone else" than it was for them. 

Meanwhile, sources told  People that Tom approved of Max, was OK with not being there and he paid for the wedding, while Nicole was just glad her daughter seemed happy.

Connor Cruise

Connor rounded out the family when he was adopted at birth on Jan. 17, 1995. He's a musician and DJ, and reportedly lives in Miami.

Nicole married Keith Urban  in 2006 and they share daughters Sunday Rose , born July 7, 2008, and Faith Margaret , born via gestational surrogate Dec. 28, 2010.

Reflecting on how Connor and Isabella chose to live with their dad after the divorce, she told HELLO! , "I'd love them to live with us, but what can you do?" (They did attend the Kidman-Urban nuptials in Australia.)

Talking to Now to Love in 2014, Nicole called Isabella and Connor "generous, kind and hardworking," all "traits that I love to see in my children."

Several years later she acknowledged that both of her older kids were practicing Scientologists, like their father, but—contrary to rumors that religion had driven a wedge between them—that was neither here nor there.

"They are adults," the Oscar winner told Australia's  Who   in 2018. "They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it's my job to love them."

And, like his sister, Connor has never said a cross word about his mom.

"I love my mum," he told Australia's Woman's Day  in 2014 while in town to deejay at a festival. "I don't care what people say, I know that me and mum are solid. I love her a lot. My family means everything."

He also loved music, he added, "but the family comes before everything else."

Marriage to Katie Holmes

Tom was in a sharing mood when he started dating the  Dawson's Creek  alum in 2005, boisterously telling Oprah Winfrey   and her sofa that he was in love with the actress.

"Here's the thing, you can't think about it in terms of what people are going to do or say," he told MTV News that June of the PR perils of wearing his heart on his sleeve. "It's 'I want to share my life with this woman. This woman is exceptional, she's special, she's extraordinary and I have great respect for her.' It's someone who's saying 'I've got nothing to hide, I'm happy.' I'm happy, man!"

The Top Gun star proposed atop the Eiffel Tower in June 2005, reportedly within eight weeks of their first date.

Their lavish Nov. 18, 2006, nuptials were held at the 15th-century Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy. Suri, Connor and Bella were in attendance, along with the likes of the Beckhams, Jennifer Lopez  and then-husband Marc Anthony , Will Smith  and Jada Pinkett Smith , and Brooke Shields  and spouse  Chris Henchy .

Suri Cruise

Tom and Katie's daughter was born April 18, 2006. 

The  October 2006 cover of  Vanity Fair , first revealed on the CBS Evening News  Sept. 5, introduced Suri to the world. The portrait by Annie Leibovitz featured the 3-month-old tucked into her dad's leather aviator jacket, an homage to Linda McCartney 's famous shot of  Paul McCartney with their baby daughter Mary  from his 1970 album  McCartney .

"She's a glorious girl," Katie told the magazine. "She's the miracle of our life."

Tom shared that they found the name in a baby book sent to them by friends and just loved it. "We later found out that it meant 'red rose,' and that was just a bonus," he added. "Suri—it was perfect."

The article noted that the family, including Conor and Bella, were all gathered cozily at Tom's house in Telluride (which he sold in 2021 for $39.5 million).

"It's really special to see them holding their little sister," Katie said. "To hear them talk about all of the fun things they are going to do together." Added Tom, "It's very moving to me too. I look at those moments of watching Bella and Connor grow up and you get a sense of what kind of people they are going to be as adults."

Katie filed for divorce in June 2012, her attorney saying in a statement her "primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter's best interest."

Tom's rep told E! News that he "is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children."

The proceedings were settled relatively quickly , with both sides agreeing on Suri living primarily with her mom  while her dad got generous visitation rights. Katie started splitting time between New York and L.A. and resettled Suri on the East Coast for school. 

The  Batman Begins  actress set about giving her kid the most normal life possible, ferrying her to school and gymnastics like any other Manhattan mom. While the paparazzi never stopped clicking away, Katie shared only a handful of glimpses of Suri on social media over the years. But they also were seen at sporting events and have made many a pilgrimage to Broadway  to catch a show.

"My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now," she told Town & Country  in 2017 . "It's very important that I'm present and she has a stable, innocent childhood. I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there's nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed."

At the same time, she said, "Every day, kids get a little further away from you. That's a positive thing. They should be becoming more independent, but it's heartbreaking."

Suri may not have caught the acting bug yet, but she did sing the cover of "Blue Moon" that opens Alone Together , the rom-com her mom was inspired to write during the pandemic and then also starred in and directed. Suri also provided a vocal for her movie  Rare Objects .

"I hope she always does something on my films," Katie told Glamour  in March 2023. "I always ask her. But both of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry, which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people. And it's this safe, beautiful, creative space."

With Suri about to turn 17 at the time, she noted, "What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her. I'm very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She's an incredible person."

The Stunning Transformation Of Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise has undergone a stunning transformation, going from an awkward kid who had trouble in school to becoming one of the most famous faces on the planet. His 40 years in Hollywood have spawned countless catchphrases ("Show me the money!"), he's continued to helm one of the most popular movie franchises ("Mission: Impossible"), and his net worth is estimated to be $600 million. And while it seems as if he became a big-name actor overnight, that isn't exactly true. Tom Cruise faced childhood hardships — and even as an adult, it hasn't been all smooth sailing.

What has always set the star apart though is a clear vision for his future. "I've wanted to make movies since I was 4 years old," Tom Cruise told People . He noted, "To be able to entertain an audience, that was my dream. And here I am." Read on for the biggest twists in Tom Cruise's stunning transformation into one of Hollywood's true superstars.

Tom Cruise endured several hardships growing up

Born in Syracuse, New York on July 3, 1962, Thomas Cruise Mapother IV had a rough start to life. The family moved often, noted  Syracuse.com , spending time in Ontario, Ohio, and New Jersey before he graduated high school. His mother, Mary Lee, eventually left his electrical engineer father, and his parents divorced when Tom Cruise was 12. 

Cruise's father does not hold a special place in his heart, and the two had presumably been estranged for a decade when the elder Mapother died in 1984. "He was a bully and a coward –- the person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you," the star told Parade (via People ). "It was a great lesson in my life, how he'd lull you in, make you feel safe and then, bang!" 

After the separation, the family struggled to make ends meet, and young Cruise did what he could to support his mom and three siblings, telling Playboy (via CNBC ): "I've had paying jobs since I was about 8 years old — cutting grass, raking leaves, paper routes, selling Easter cards and Christmas cards."

Tom Cruise once described himself as 'a functional illiterate'

At age 7, Tom Cruise was diagnosed with dyslexia, a neurobiological condition "characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities," according to the International Dyslexia Association . As a student, he would dictate his assignments to his mother, who would write them out for him so he could then copy the words in his own hand. 

Cruise told People , "I'd try to concentrate on what I was reading, then I'd get to the end of the page and have very little memory of anything I'd read. I would go blank, feel anxious, nervous, bored, frustrated, dumb. I would get angry. My legs would actually hurt when I was studying." Regarding his high school years, he described himself as a "functional illiterate." Even after graduating high school, he had issues, and as a young actor, he would ask questions about his character at auditions and then mostly improvise the dialogue. 

Cruise said he has overcome the disability, crediting Scientology's "Study Technology," and he is a founding board member of the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project (H.E.L.P.), which aims to provide free tutoring.

Tom Cruise discovered his love of acting while in Ottawa, Canada

While Tom Cruise's parents were still married, his father got a job with the Canadian military and the family moved to Ottawa in 1971. It was there that the would-be superstar got his first taste of acting.

Just a year after the move, Cruise represented his school, Robert Hopkins, at a local drama festival. "He had good raw energy that had to be channeled," drama teacher George Steinburg recalled in Andrew Morton's book " Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography ." "You could tell there was some talent." 

Cruise appeared in multiple roles during his time there, which spanned from age 8 to 11, and made a memorable impression with each one. "He played the Sun," teacher Wendy Santo shared with the Ottawa Citizen . She added, "I do remember that when that child got up on the stage, there was something in his presentation and the way he posed. You knew he was different."

Risky Business made Tom Cruise a star at age 21

By the summer of 1983, Tom Cruise had appeared in four movies, but he was about to be catapulted into superstardom. In "Risky Business," Cruise played Joel Goodsen, a teen who starts to run a brothel out of his home while his parents are away. But before those shenanigans start, he drinks a Chivas Regal and Coke, attempts to eat a frozen TV dinner ... and then performs one of cinema's most famous dance routines . Wearing a button-down shirt, tighty-whities, and basic gym socks, he lip-synced to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock & Roll" — and an icon was born. Rolling Stone called it a "sequence of sexy air-guitar strutting and mock-macho hilarity that endeared Cruise to film audiences." 

The film made a significant $65 million at the box office and allowed Cruise to start demanding $1 million per film. Co-star Curtis Armstrong wrote in his memoir "Revenge of the Nerd" (via The Hollywood Reporter ), "I think I'm safe in saying that 'Risky Business' was the last time he was just 'Tom.'" Talk about a transformation.

Tom Cruise went from the seminary to Scientology

Second to being a movie star, Tom Cruise is famous for his devotion to Scientology . He was introduced to the controversial religion by his first wife, Mimi Rogers, and over the decades, he has become its most high-profile follower. "It's something that has helped me incredibly in my life," he told ITV (via E! Online ). "I've been a Scientologist for over 30 years. ... Without it, I wouldn't be where I am." He called it a "beautiful religion," noting he is "incredibly proud" of his faith. 

Hard as it is to believe, Cruise was once a devout Christian who was raised Roman Catholic. This shift is one of his most stunning transformations: He was even on the track to potential priesthood, attending St. Francis Seminary in Ohio, Newsweek reported. "He had a very strong Catholic faith," classmate Shane Dempler told the New York Daily News . "We went to Mass, spent time in the chapel and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests. We thought the priests had a great lifestyle and we were really interested in priesthood." 

A life in the church was clearly not to be, however, as Tom Cruise seemed to have partying more than priesthood on his mind. Dempler claims the two were asked not to return to the school after they stole alcohol from some of the friars!

In the 1990s, Tom Cruise was arguably Hollywood's biggest star

Tom Cruise literally roared into the 1990s with "Days of Thunder," a film about stock car racing he conceived of and starred in. The production was fraught with problems and delays, but it still went on to find success. As the deadline to wrap approached, he told Rolling Stone : "We always felt the pressure from the beginning, in August. It's been pedal to the floor from that point on." 

The same can be said of his career. After the movie's release, there was no catching Tom Cruise, as he went on to be the hottest star of the decade. His string of successful films spanned genres, including drama ("A Few Good Men"), romantic comedy ("Jerry Maguire"), action ("Mission: Impossible"), and erotic thriller ("Eyes Wide Shut"). 

The films were box office successes — all the more remarkable because, as Forbes pointed out, the majority were rated R. Several of the movies were also critically applauded, with Tom Cruise earning his three Academy Award nominations for work released between 1989 and 1999.

Tom Cruise combined love and work while married to Nicole Kidman

While filming "Days of Thunder," as  Today  recounted, Tom Cruise fell in love with his co-star, a then up-and-coming Australian actress named Nicole Kidman . "It was that special connection when you recognize your soul mate," he told Vanity Fair . "She is a person who understands. It was as if a whole new life had started for me." The two married in 1990 (via Hello! ). It was her first and his second, as he'd previously married and divorced first wife Mimi Rogers. 

The couple adopted two children, Isabella and Connor , and acted together twice more in 1992's "Far and Away" and 1999's "Eyes Wide Shut," the final film by legendary director Stanley Kubrick. That last movie, about a couple's indiscretions, was plagued by rumors, the Independent reported, including those of troubles within their marriage. But years later, Kidman brushed them aside, telling The New York Times , "We were happily married through that. We would go go-kart racing after those scenes. ... I don't know what else to say." 

Eventually though, the real-life couple would crumble, with Tom Cruise filing for divorce in 2001.

In the age of CGI, Tom Cruise raised the bar on action stunts

When the CGI blockbuster rose to prominence in the 1990s, Tom Cruise didn't jump on the trend. Instead he jumped off things  — becoming even more famous for performing the majority of his own stunts. "It has to do with storytelling ... It allows us to put cameras in places that you're not normally able to do," he explained on "The Graham Norton Show" (via Screen Rant ). Over the years, he has hung off a flying jet plane, held his breath underwater for more than six minutes, and more. 

Director Christopher McQuarrie told The New York Times he considers the helicopter chase in "Mission: Impossible — Fallout" to be Tom Cruise's "hairiest" stunt. "Tom is weaving in and out of canyons and gullies," he explained. "There was one where his rotor blades were just a few feet away from the rock walls on either side. It was like flying through a broom closet." Ironically the star broke his ankle while performing what he told Jimmy Fallon was an "easy" jump during filming.

For Cruise, it's all in good fun. "The first time of any stunt is nerve wracking but it [is] also exhilarating," he told Graham Norton (via NME ). "I have been told a few times during shooting a stunt to stop smiling."

Tom Cruise's relationship with Katie Holmes made headlines

"TomKat," as the couple was known in the tabloids, began in April 2005, recounted The Washington Post , when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were seen together in Rome. The relationship raised eyebrows from the get-go. For starters, the actress, who had kept a fairly low profile after starring in the teen TV drama "Dawson's Creek," was 26, notably younger than her 43-year-old beau. According to Vulture , it was a whirlwind romance worthy of a "Bachelor" episode, complete with first-day motorcycle rides, spontaneous trips to Italy and, ultimately, a proposal at the Eiffel Tower. Before they tied the knot in 2006, she gave birth to their daughter, Suri. 

After her arrival, things settled down a bit. Tom Cruise later told Oprah Winfrey (via MTV News ), "Saturday night we have dinner, and then it's games. We play Quick Scrabble, and then it's usually movie night." 

Still, despite all the public displays of affection and talk of domestic bliss, the marriage was not built to last. In 2012, the actress filed for divorce. The actor's Scientology religion was said to have played a role in her leaving, according to The Hollywood Reporter , but both parties have remained tight-lipped about what really happened .

In a series of disastrous interviews, Tom Cruise almost destroyed his career

In 2005, Tom Cruise was in love with actress Katie Holmes and, according to many, out of his mind. First, there was the couch jump seen around the world in May. Appearing on " The Oprah Winfrey Show ," Tom Cruise pumped his fists in the air, knelt down and, of course, hopped onto the sofa multiple times. "I'm in love," he sighed, as Oprah Winfrey kept repeating, "I've never seen you like this." Eventually her astonished response was simply, "You're gone." And that's how it felt for people watching at home. 

Subsequent interviews didn't help dispel that idea. In June, he chatted with Matt Lauer on the " Today " show and doubled-down on comments he had made criticizing actress Brooke Shields ' use of anti-depressants after she gave birth. "There's misinformation, and she doesn't understand the history of psychiatry," Cruise said, noting , "Psychiatry is a pseudoscience." He also got short with a " 60 Minutes Australia " reporter over personal questions, telling him to "put your manners back in." 

The actor's image was quickly being tarnished. As The Guardian reported, Paramount even considered stopping work on the third "Mission: Impossible" movie. Ultimately, Cruise bounced back — but his star never shone quite so brightly.

In the late 2000s, Tom Cruise revealed a side we'd never seen

After his reputation took a hit, Tom Cruise seemed willing to take some risks to win back audiences. And to that end, he said yes to two outrageous roles that let him show off his not-so-serious and downright goofy side. 

First up was the part of Les Grossman in the action comedy "Tropic Thunder." The character was a loud, unattractive, disgusting movie studio executive. It was a small role, not the kind such a superstar would normally take on. But, as the Observer noted, it got people talking — in a good way. 

Then, in 2012, Cruise appeared in, of all things, a musical. He played Stacee Jaxx, a womanizing hair-metal singer in "Rock of Ages." "It was so different. I'm always looking for different things to do and to work with [director Adam] Shankman on a musical, he just really knows these musicals," Cruise said at the movie's premiere, as reported by  MTV News . The performance was ridiculous and over the top, but that was the point. "Tom Cruise as a bandanna-headed Axl Rose type will hit you as the purest bit of genius in the man's entire film career," raved SFGate .

People have spoken out about Tom Cruise's generosity

Tom Cruise doesn't just play a hero in the movies: He often goes above and beyond for friends and strangers.

At a gala in New York, for example, actor Bill Hader told the story of how the star arranged for him to have safe transport home from Los Angeles to his wife and baby in Manhattan after an attempted bombing in New York. The two were filming promos for the 2010 MTV Awards, but after hearing the news, Hader said he had a "full-on panic attack" and Tom Cruise made sure they wrapped days ahead of schedule and got him a plane ticket (via Vulture ).

And director Cameron Crowe told Deadline how the star kept in touch with the child actor originally cast to appear in "Jerry Maguire": "I thought, wow, I had no idea Tom Cruise was doing that."

The most delicious Cruise story, though, is truly sweet. He reportedly often sends a  white chocolate coconut bundt cake from Doan's Bakery in California to celebrity friends. Recipients, Yahoo! reported, include Jimmy Fallon, Kirsten Dunst, and Henry Cavill.

Over the years, Tom Cruise developed a reputation for being intense on set

In December 2020, Tom Cruise once again made headlines for losing his cool. While filming "Mission: Impossible 7" in the United Kingdom, the actor chewed out crew members for breaking COVID-19 safety protocols. "They're back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. We are creating thousands of jobs," he can be heard yelling, hurling profanities and threatening jobs, in an audio recording that was leaked from the set, as  The U.S. Sun  reported.

While filming during a pandemic is definitely a recipe for stress, it wasn't the first time Cruise has been intense while on set. Actress Thandiwe Newton, one of his co-stars in "Mission: Impossible II," referred to a difficult day filming with him as a "nightmare." She told Harper's Bazaar , "I was so scared of Tom. He was a very dominant individual. He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done."

Is Tom Cruise trying to reclaim some of the glory from his younger days?

Tom Cruise's latest projects are all highly anticipated ... but also seem rather familiar. Up first is "Top Gun: Maverick," a sequel to the 1986 hit "Top Gun." "There's never been an aerial sequence shot this way," the actor told  Empire , teasing the cool stunts being filmed for the movie. "I don't know if there ever will be again, to be honest." Then appearing next on his IMDb  page are the seventh and eighth installments of the ever-popular "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

There are also rumors of a sequel for his 2014 sci-fi flick "Edge of Tomorrow." "It's one of these things where if Tom, Emily and I were to say, 'We're ready to pull the trigger on this script,' it's Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt , the film gets made," director Doug Liman told Collider in early 2021.

Then again, as Cruise's stunning transformation makes clear, he's never been one to rest on his laurels. In May 2020, it was confirmed that the star will work in conjunction with NASA to film a movie aboard the International Space Station. Elon Musk's Space X program is also involved, CNET reported. The big question now is: Can he run in outer space?

Recommended

Tom Cruise and Son Connor Step Out for Rare Outing in London

Originally appeared on E! Online

Tom Cruise 's latest mission? A helicopter ride with his son.

The Mission: Impossible star and Connor Cruise touched down at a heliport in London on June 28.

For their father-son outing, Tom donned a gray T-shirt, blue jeans and a pair of his signature aviator sunglasses. Meanwhile, his 29-year-old—who he and ex Nicole Kidman share along with daughter Isabella Cruise , 31—also kept things casual in a black hoodie, slate-colored joggers and a matching baseball cap that read "Pelican Golf Club."

The sighting comes just days after Tom hit up Taylor Swift 's Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium. On June 22, the Top Gun actor was seen dancing with a slew of celeb guests —including Liam Hemsworth , Mila Kunis , Ashton Kutcher , Greta Gerwig and Taylor's boyfriend Travis Kelce —inside the VIP tent at the sold-out show.

That same week, Tom and Katie Holmes ' 18-year-old daughter Suri Cruise graduated from high school in New York City.

Though Tom was not seen at the graduation ceremony, his ex-wife Katie was there to commemorate their child's academic milestone.

And in recent years, Katie—who divorced Tom in 2012 —has been adamant on keeping Suri out of the spotlight after she was "so visible at a young age."

"I really like to protect her," the Dawson's Creek alum told Glamour last year . "I'm very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She's an incredible person."

Though Suri did lend her vocals to the films Alone Together and Rare Objects , the 45-year-old noted that "both of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry, which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people."

"It was very meaningful to me to have her there," Katie added, "because she's my heart."

For a complete guide to Tom’s family, keep reading.

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Tom cruise flies helicopter with son connor after missing daughter suri’s graduation.

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It’s not “mission impossible” for him to see at least one of his kids.

Tom Cruise was seen deplaning a helicopter alongside his son, Connor Cruise, in central London Friday — a week after skipping his youngest child Suri Cruise’s high school graduation .

Paparazzi snapped the action movie star, 61, wearing a short-sleeved, gray shirt that showcased his muscular arms and a pair of jeans as he grinned from ear to ear while leaving the heliport.

Connor, 29, meanwhile, was dressed comfortably in a black hoodie, gray slacks, sneakers, a matching cap and a pair of shades. The expression on his face, unlike his dad, was serious and calm.

Per eyewitnesses, the father-son duo were joined by a few other unnamed guests during the aerial outing.

Tom’s sighting with Connor comes as he faces backlash for missing a milestone celebration in Suri’s life.

A day after missing the 18-year-old’s graduation from LaGuardia High School, the “Mission Impossible” star chose to party with Swifties and celebs at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in London last Saturday.

Tom was spotted laughing and schmoozing with the pop superstar’s boyfriend , Travis Kelce, in the VIP tent and exchanging friendship bracelets across the pond.

Meanwhile, Suri rang in her commencement ceremony with mom Katie Holmes and fellow students.

It’s not surprising Tom didn’t make it to his daughter’s big day, though, as they’ve been estranged for years .

In March 2023, a source exclusively confirmed to Page Six that the “Top Gun” star has “no part” in the teen’s life, which he previously admitted in a deposition lawsuit was due to his  ties to Scientology .

When Holmes, 45, called it quits with Tom in 2011, she and Suri no longer had any part in the controversial church, which reportedly does not allow its members to associate with nonbelievers.

However, because Connor — who is Tom’s adopted son with ex-wife Nicole Kidman — is still a Scientologist, he is still able to spend quality time with his famous father.

In November 2018, Kidman, 57, opened up about Connor and his sister Bella Cruise’s decision to remain part of the Church of Scientology.

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“They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions,” the “Moulin Rouge” star told Australian magazine Who at the time.

“They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it’s my job to love them. And I am an example of that tolerance and that’s what I believe – that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and I’m open here.”

Kidman — who is now married to Keith Urban — divorced Tom in 2001.

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Tom cruise approved mission: impossible footage for action movie led by 94-year-old star.

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This 2024 Movie Is Repeating Jason Statham's $152 Million Action Hit With 1 Brilliant Twist

Eddie murphy teases plans to remake 1963 oscar-winning comedy movie with martin lawrence, a forgotten monsterverse detail sets up a monster godzilla hasn't fought in 51 years.

• Thelma stars June Squibb in her first leading role, showcasing her dramatic and humorous range in an unconventional action hero role.
• Director Josh Margolin received approval from Tom Cruise to use Mission: Impossible footage, adding depth to the comedy.
• Thelma explores issues faced by older adults with clever humor, confronting mortality without oversimplifying it, earning high praise.

Tom Cruise approved the use of Mission: Impossible footage in Thelma , with director Josh Margolin explaining how he received permission. Thelma stars 94-year-old June Squibb in her first-ever leading role . The 93-year-old character, Thelma Post, seeks revenge and becomes an unlikely action hero after being scammed out of $10,000. Margolin based the character and the story on his own 104-year-old grandmother while having the film explore issues that older adults face in a meaningful and entertaining fashion.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , Margolin was asked about the action-comedy's references to the Mission: Impossible franchise via clips and images from the films and of Cruise, and whether Margolin needed to receive permission from the star himself. Margolin explains the process behind including these references and how it impacted Thelma 's production. Read his explanation below:

It came during production. We shot two versions of those scenes, one with Tom on [TVs and newspapers] and then one with like a replaceable green box. It was surprisingly smooth. Nicky Weinstock, who’s a producer on the movie, was at the same agency as him and has some pals in common there. We ended up sending the scene in the script to give him a little context and then a clip of the table read. We got his signoff and then we went to Paramount, which I suspect made things a lot easier there.

The Tom Cruise & Mission Impossible References Are Only A Small Part Of What Makes Thelma Great

A great lead performance, strong themes, & an unconventional action hero add to the experience.

With a 99% critical score and 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes , Thelma proves that it has more to offer than its Cruise and Mission Impossible references. Squibb's hilarious performance in Thelma is enough to make the film a stellar comedy. Margolin shared with THR that Squibb was the only actor he ever wanted for the role, emphasizing that she reminded him of his grandmother who inspired the story, and that Squibb had the perfect dramatic and humorous range needed for the role.

Squibb also currently voices Nostalgia in Inside Out 2, meaning she has two movies in theaters.

In addition to Squibb's standout performance, Thelma has been well-received for how it handles issues that older adults face . The action-comedy genre enables Thelma to explore these issues through clever humor that doesn't talk down to its characters or to viewers. It confronts difficult topics, including mortality, without oversimplifying and without becoming overly bleak, an approach Margolin is able to master by drawing on his real-life experiences with his grandmother.

One upcoming 2024 action movie takes the premise of Jason Statham's $152 million hit The Beekeeper and makes it even better with an ingenious twist.

The Cruise and Mission: Impossible references aren't the main reason Thelma has a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, but as one of the most recognizable action stars from one of the most well-known action franchises, they serve a purpose as Thelma becomes an action hero in her own story. Margolin revealed that Squibb did as much as she could and more than what was expected of her when it came to Thelma's stunts , including doing all the scooter driving herself, yet another reason to see Thelma while it plays in theaters and when it becomes available to stream.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Thelma (2024)

Thelma is a 2024 comedy film written and directed by Josh Margolin. Thelma Post finds herself duped out of money and more when a scam caller pretends to be her grandson. Unwilling to sit back and let herself be a victim, she sets off into the city to find the perpetrator and take back what is hers.

Defying age and expectations, 94-year-old June Squibb is Hollywood’s latest action star

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On a bright June afternoon in the San Fernando Valley, the summer’s unlikeliest action hero sits down at a small dining table in the tidy ground-floor apartment that she shares with two cats. Offering her guest a plate of cookies, June Squibb explains that she previously lived for two decades in a different apartment on the second floor, but three years ago her son Harry insisted she move down to this unit so she wouldn’t have to navigate stairs every day. “He was right — moving down here was the best thing I could have done,” she says.

This may not seem like the typical setting for an interview with an action star. But then again, Squibb is 94 years old and nothing about her career has been typical. After decades on the stage in New York, she made the leap to film and TV when she was already in her 60s and quickly found herself working for directors like Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese and Alexander Payne. When she was 84, Squibb earned a supporting actress Oscar nod for her turn in Payne’s 2013 film “Nebraska,” and now, at an age when many actors have long since retired or died, she is finally stepping into the spotlight with her first starring role.

In the comedy “Thelma” (in theaters Friday), Squibb plays a strong-willed grandmother who is duped out of $10,000 by a phone scammer and embarks on a quest to get back what is hers, taking to the streets on a scooter hijacked from an elderly friend, played by “Shaft” star Richard Roundtree . (The actor died of pancreatic cancer shortly after making the movie.) Written and directed by Josh Margolin, who based the story on his own now-104-year-old grandmother, the film earned raves at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for its fresh twist on familiar action tropes and its sensitive handling of both the indignities and pleasures of later life.

Building off that buzz, Magnolia Pictures is releasing “Thelma” on more than a thousand screens, the widest opening in the indie distributor’s 23-year history. The film hits theaters just a week after Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” in which Squibb delivers a standout turn as the new emotion Nostalgia — “a funny little lady with rose-colored glasses,” in her words — making this truly the Summer of Squibb. For the Illinois-born actor, after a lifetime of playing supporting roles, it’s a new experience simply to be the face on the poster and No. 1 on the call sheet.

“They keep saying that: ‘You were No. 1!’” Squibb says. “It’s so funny to hear that because, my God, all these years I just have never dealt with anything like that.”

When she first read Margolin’s script, Squibb connected immediately with Thelma’s determination to confront those who wronged her. Her second husband, acting teacher Charles Kakatsakis, who died in 1999 after 40 years of marriage, always told her she could have made a good cop. “I think he’s right,” says Squibb, who loves police procedural shows and has several bookshelves filled with Scandinavian crime novels. “I have a great sense of justice, of what’s right and wrong. Since I was a kid, that’s always been a part of my ethos.”

When looking for an actor in their mid 90s to play a role like Thelma, there aren’t a huge number of contenders. But for Margolin, there was only one choice. “June is such a perfect mixture of strong but vulnerable, funny but understated,” says Margolin, who connected with Squibb through mutual friend Beanie Feldstein. “She has that spirit where she just doesn’t quit, and that’s such an essential piece of that character and of my real grandma. I was just dead-set on it being her.”

“Thelma” playfully sprinkles “Mission: Impossible”-style action set pieces into the story, appropriately scaled to a nonagenarian’s abilities. Like Tom Cruise, Squibb gamely performed many of her own stunts, including driving a scooter at inadvisable speeds and rolling across a bed with a gun in her hand — no small feat when you‘ve had two knee replacements. “I loved the scooters,” Squibb says with a smile. “I have to admit, I did not do the wheelie. But I really did most of my stunts.”

In some ways, the physicality of the performance was nothing new to Squibb, who honed her talents as a dancer and singer from an early age. Born and raised in Vandalia, Ill., Squibb — whose father sold insurance and whose mother was a secretary — could not have been much further removed from Hollywood growing up.

“I had an aunt who tap-danced and whistled through her teeth — that’s the closest I came,” she says. “But I just knew what I was: I was an actress. It never occurred to me that there would be any other way.”

While still in her teens, Squibb began performing in theaters in St. Louis and Cleveland before moving to New York, where she made her Broadway debut in “Gypsy” alongside Ethel Merman in 1959. “My first 20 years were all in musical theater,” she said. “I did everything: Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, regional. I just wanted to work.”

Squibb was in her early 60s when she made her film debut in Allen’s 1990 romantic comedy “Alice.” The director had a reputation for firing people he wasn’t happy with, and at one point Squibb feared she could be one of them. “I yelled at him once — I was trying to get a cue from an actor who was impossible and he was blaming me,” she says. “I went home and said, ‘Well, I’m either going to be fired or he’s going to love me.’ When I went back, he had put me in a lot more scenes.”

From that point on, Squibb continued to find steady work in Hollywood, from films like Scorsese’s “The Age of Innocence” and Payne’s “About Schmidt” to countless TV appearances. In 2013, she delivered a scene-stealing turn in Payne’s “Nebraska” as co-star Bruce Dern’s flinty, no-nonsense wife, which earned her Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations along with an Oscar nod for supporting actress .

A decade later, she still vividly remembers sitting in her apartment with her son, Harry Kakatsakis, who is himself a director and writer, watching the Oscar nominations being announced. “They said my name and he said, ‘Mom, you did it — you did it,’ ” she says. “And we’re both just sitting there crying. You can look back on it and think, ‘Well, what is it?’ But even now, I’m very proud that next to my name it says ‘Oscar nominee.’ ”

In the years since then, Squibb has found herself getting recognized in public more often. “We go to Gelson’s and there’s almost always somebody in there that stops by and says something to me,” says Squibb, who has an assistant (also at her son’s insistence) but otherwise still lives independently. “Sometimes they think I’m a teacher they had many years ago or something like that. It’s fun.”

Squibb initially thought “Thelma” might be her swan song, but the offers keep coming in. As a testament to her range, she recently played a vampiric leprechaun in the latest season of “American Horror Story” and will next star in Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, “Eleanor the Great,” as an elderly woman who forms an unlikely bond with a 19-year-old girl after she moves to New York.

Despite Hollywood’s obsession with youth, Squibb is encouraged by the variety of roles she‘s being offered, which go well beyond the stereotypical grandmotherly type. “Eleanor is very different from Thelma, and God knows they’re both different from the leprechaun,” she says. “I think things are changing. We have these wonderful women doing leading roles at 40, 50, even 60. That never would have happened even 20 years ago when I first came out here.”

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Squibb attributes her own ability to keep working to good genes and an active lifestyle. “Both my parents died at 91, which in their generation was very old,” she says. “And, you know, I danced for years in New York. I started swimming for an hour a day when I moved out here, and I still do Pilates once a week. So I think that has a lot to do with it. Physically, I just never stopped.”

And at this point, as long as she remains healthy and able, she has no intention of stopping. “I am completely going against the rules,” she says. “It never occurs to me that I’m doing something different than most people. There are no rules. Now I’m just like, ‘Well, I wonder what I’ll do next?’ ”

So what about “Thelma 2”? After all, every action star needs a franchise.

“Everyone is kidding about that, saying, ‘If June does it, I’ll do it,’ ” Squibb says. She laughs. “I’m like, ‘Oh, s—.’”

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Josh Rottenberg covers the film business for the Los Angeles Times. He was part of the team that was named a 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist in breaking news for covering the tragic shooting on the set of the film “Rust.” He co-wrote the 2021 Times investigation into the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. that led NBC to pull the Golden Globe Awards off the air while the organization underwent major reforms. A graduate of Harvard University, he has also written about the entertainment industry for the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Fast Company and other publications.

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