Date of Birth (location):
3 July 1962
Syracuse, New York, USA
Birth Name:
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV
Height:
5’ 7" (1.70 m)
In 1976, if you had told 14 year old Franciscan seminary student Thomas Cruise Mapother IV that one day in the not too distant future he would be considered one of the top 100 movie stars of all time, he would have probably grinned and told you that his ambition was to become a priest. Nonetheless, this sensitive, deeply religious youngster who was born in 1962 in Syracuse, New York, was destined to become Tom Cruise, one of the highest paid and most sought after actors in screen history. The only son (among four children) of nomadic parents young Tom spent his boyhood eternally on the move and by the time he was 14 he had attended 15 different schools in the US and Canada. He finally settled in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, with his mother and her new husband. While in high school, he developed an interest in acting and abandoned his plans of becoming a priest, dropped out of school, and at age 18 headed for New York and a possible acting career. The next 15 years of his life are the stuff of legends. He made his film debut with a small part in Endless Love (1981) and from the outset exhibited an undeniable box office appeal to both male and female audiences.
Though below average height and not particularly handsome in the traditional sense, within 5 years Tom Cruise was starring in some of the top grossing films of the 1980s including Top Gun (1986); Color of Money, The (1986), Rain Man (1988) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989). By the 1990s he was one of the highest paid actors in the world earning an average 15 million dollars a picture in such blockbuster hits as Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996) and Jerry Maguire (1996) for which he received an Academy Award Nomination for best actor. In 1990 he renounced his devout Catholic beliefs and embraced The Church Of Scientology claiming that Scientology teachings had cured him of the dyslexia that had plagued him all of his life. A kind and thoughtful man well known for his compassion and generosity, Tom Cruise is one of the best-liked members of the movie community. He was married to actress Nicole Kidman until 2001. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV has indeed come a long way from the lonely wanderings of his youth.
Spouse:
Mimi Rogers - (9 May 1987 - 1990) (divorced)
Nicole Kidman - (24 December 1990 - 8 August 2001) (divorced) 2 (adopted) children
Trivia:
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#41). [1995].
Ranked #3 in Empire (UK) magazine’s “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time” list. [Oct. 1997]
Chosen by “People” magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. [1997]
Has three sisters: Marian, Lee Anne and Cass
At age 14, he enrolled in a seminary to become a priest. He dropped out after one year.
Is right handed when writing, but does most things left handed.
Mission: Impossible (1996) gave him a total of $70 million with percentage of gross included.
Was considered for the lead in Matrix, The (1999).
Cruise earned roughly $75 million for Mission: Impossible II (2000).
Dated Melissa Gilbert.
Dated “Vanilla Sky” co-star Penélope Cruz. [2001-January 2004]
Instead of his affair with Penélope Cruz damaging both their careers, it only boosted it.
Announced that his relationship with Penélope Cruz had ended in January 2004. [March 2004]
Earned his pilot’s license in Toronto in 1994.
For 1988, he became the first actor to have the distinction of starring in both the year’s Oscar winner for Best Picture, Rain Man (1988) and the year’s Razzie “winner” for Worst Picture, Cocktail (1988).
Has two dogs called Basil and Murray and a cat called Harvey.
Has appeared in films opposite five directors who have also directed his films. Sydney Pollack, who directed The Firm, appeared in Eyes Wide Shut. Stanley Kubrick, who directed Eyes Wide Shut, makes a cameo appearance in all of his films. Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed Magnolia, appeared as an extra in Minority Report. Minority Report director Steven Spielberg appeared in Vanilla Sky and Austin Power in Gold member. Cameron Crowe, who directed Jerry Maguire and Vanilla Sky, appeared in Minority Report.
Major Earnings:
Minority Report (2002) $25,000,000+
Vanilla Sky (2001) $20,000,000 + 30% of Profits
Mission: Impossible II (2000) $75,000,000 (gross participation)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) $20,000,000
Jerry Maguire (1996) $20,000,000 against 15%
Interview with the Vampire (1994) $15,000,000
Far and Away (1992) $13,000,000
Rain Man (1988) $3,000,000+% of gross
Top Gun (1986) $2,000,000
Risky Business (1983) $75,000
Filmography:
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s) (1980s)
- Endless Love (1981) … Billy
- Taps (1981) … David Shawn
- Outsiders, The (1983) … Steve Randle
- Losin’ It (1983) … Woody
- Risky Business (1983) … Joel Goodsen
- All the Right Moves (1983) … Stef
- Legend (1985) … Jack
- Top Gun (1986) … Lt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell
- Color of Money, The (1986) … Vincent
- Cocktail (1988) … Brian Flanagan
- Young Guns (1988) (uncredited) … Cowboy
- Rain Man (1988) … Charlie Babbitt
- Born on the Fourth of July (1989) … Ron Kovic
- Days of Thunder (1990) … Cole Trickle
- Far and Away (1992) … Joseph Donnelly
- Few Good Men, A (1992) … Lt. Daniel Kaffee
- Firm, The (1993) … Mitch McDeere
- Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) … Lestat de Lioncourt
- Mission: Impossible (1996) … Ethan Hunt
- Jerry Maguire (1996) … Jerry Maguire
- Eyes Wide Shut (1999) … Dr. William Harford
- Magnolia (1999) … Frank T.J. Mackey
- Mission: Impossible II (2000) … Ethan Hunt
- Vanilla Sky (2001) … David Aames
- Minority Report (2002) … Detective John Anderton
- Last Samurai, The (2003) … Nathan Algren
- Collateral (2004) (post-production) … Vincent
- Mission: Impossible 3 (2005) (pre-production) … Ethan Hunt
- Few, The (2005) (announced) … Billy Fiske
- War of the Worlds (2006) (announced)
He’s a cutie!
ahh memories. and Top Gun, omg…dang just too cute. but for some reason, after his divorce frm Nicole, he has lost his charm.
