6 Exciting Facts About Tom Cruise

Jonny Hector

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Tom Cruise celebrates his 60th birthday on July 3rd. The Hollywood star is still in business, and with his return as “Maverick” he recently made the box office ring. Here are exciting facts about his film successes, love stories and missteps.

1. Turbulent school days

Tom Cruise was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV in New York in 1962 and grew up in poor circumstances. In an interview with Parade magazine, Cruise later said of his father, a trained electrician: “He was a bully and a coward. The kind of person who kicks you when something goes wrong.” His parents divorced in 1974, by that time he had already attended around 15 schools, suffered from reading difficulties and, according to his own statements in the “Parade” interview, was bullied been. He joined a wrestling team and discovered his interest in acting. At the age of 18 he tried his luck in New York and finally made his screen debut in 1981 in “Endlose Liebe”. His breakthrough role came in 1986 as ace pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun. His work in front of the camera also had an impact on his private life…

2. With wife and partner in front of the camera

In 1990 he met the Australian-American actor Nicole Kidman (55) on the set of Tony Scott’s racing driver film “Days of Thunder”, and the two became lovers. The same year they got married and the couple adopted two children during their marriage. They continued to work together in front of the camera, appearing in the western In a Far Land (1992) and Stanley Kubrick’s last work Eyes Wide Shut (1999). In 2001, Cruise filed for divorce and was then in a relationship with Penélope Cruz (48), whom he also met on the film set – they shot “Vanilla Sky” (2001) together.

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3. Affiliation with Scientology

The fact that the actor also polarizes has something to do with his affiliation with Scientology: Cruise has been a member since 1986, and his ex-wife Mimi Rogers (66) is said to have introduced him at the time. Since then he has repeatedly stood up for them publicly and campaigned for members as a figurehead. He encountered resistance several times, for example in 2005 the French capital Paris denied him honorary citizenship.

His connection to Scientology is also said to have shattered one of his marriages. On November 18, 2006, Cruise and Katie Holmes (43) tied the knot at an Italian castle and became the most famous Hollywood couple as “TomKat”. Among other things, reports of quarrels about their daughter Suri (16) cast their shadows. Then, in 2012, the news came as no surprise to some fans: Holmes filed for divorce. The two quickly settled and the actress got primary custody.

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4. Questionable appearances

His love for Katie Holmes also made for a memorable appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s (68) talk show in 2005, where he jumped wildly on the talk show host’s couch to show his love for the fellow actress.

Shortly thereafter, he also caused a stir when he criticized actress Brooke Shields (57) in a TV interview for taking medication for her postpartum depression. A year later, he personally apologized to Shields. His successes at the box office were mostly unaffected by this, he convinced the audience too much as a charming, athletic and handsome film hero.

5. Record hunt at the box office

Already in the years 1992 to 1996 Cruise set a record in the acting business and was in “A Matter of Honor”, “The Company”, “Interview with the Vampire”, “Mission: Impossible” and “Jerry Maguire – Game of Life”. appeared in five films in a row, each grossing over $100 million in the US. The three-time Oscar nominee and Cannes Palme d’honneur has set a personal record with his latest film.

As reported, among other things, by the industry portal “Box Office Mojo” at the beginning of June, the action flick Top Gun: Maverick grossed $291.6 million at the US box office in its first two weeks. This makes Top Gun: Maverick the most successful film by Tom Cruise in the USA to date. The film sequel set another record on the opening weekend: the box office has never rang louder on Memorial Day weekend. In the meantime, the strip has even broken the sound barrier of one billion dollars.

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Another film project that could provide notable box office results is already in the starting blocks. Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in the popular Mission Impossible action film series. The first part of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” starts on July 13, 2023 in German cinemas. The second part is planned for June 2024.

6. This is how he keeps fit

The actor not only attracts attention in his current films because of his daring stunts, his appearance also repeatedly causes admiring comments. How does the star keep fit and look young? In an interview with the British edition of “Men’s Health” he once revealed how he keeps his athletic looks: “Canoeing, caving, fencing, lifting weights, running… I do so many different things.”

He should avoid carbohydrates and sugar in his diet. Since filming in 2018, it has also been reported that Cruise allegedly adheres to a strict diet plan and ordered 15 small meals a day on set. According to his own statement, he would not help optically. “I would never have facial surgery,” he told Playboy in 2012.

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