Buzz
Tom Cruise. The Hollywood icon known for his quirky habits and strong belief in Scientology. Whether it’s bouncing on Oprah’s couch due to the ‘energy’ from his love for Katie, or claiming Scientology helped him overcome dyslexia, his eccentricities never cease to surprise. Interestingly, though, he didn’t want an action figure modeled after his own image – despite inspiring the creation of Disney's Aladdin.
Despite his unconventional ways, Cruise remains one of the most adored actors worldwide. His popularity in Japan is so immense that they’ve even dedicated a holiday to him on October 10. It's no surprise, given his remarkable career. In 1996, Cruise made history as the first actor to star in five consecutive films that each grossed over $100 million in the U.S.
Cruise’s achievements go beyond the silver screen: he’s credited with creating the now-iconic ‘movie star run,’ obtained his pilot’s license in 1994, and even performed heroic acts in real life. Here are 10 more intriguing facts about this larger-than-life superstar.
10. A Cruise Christmas
Each year, Cruise sends out a ‘Cruise cake’ for Christmas to his co-stars and friends. This delightful coconut and white chocolate treat has gained widespread acclaim among celebrities. Among the many lucky recipients are Barbara Walters, Jimmy Kimmel, and Kirsten Dunst, who shared the screen with Cruise in 1994's Interview with the Vampire. Even Henry Cavill got one a couple of years ago – and he ended up devouring the whole cake himself.
Perhaps this annual gesture is a reflection of Cruise’s humble beginnings. The actor has always been transparent about growing up in poverty. In the first Christmas after his parents separated, his family couldn’t afford presents. Instead, they drew names and performed favors for one another. The identity of the giver remained a secret until Christmas Day, much like a classic Secret Santa tradition.
9. Camera-shy Cruise
It’s difficult to imagine the friendly, smiling Cruise without his iconic movie star grin. However, his pearly whites weren’t always so flawless. In his earlier films, his teeth appeared much like the average person’s: slightly discolored, misaligned, and even chipped from a childhood hockey accident.
According to the late Patrick Swayze, Cruise was quite camera-shy in his younger days. Swayze, who starred alongside him in The Outsiders, shared in his memoir The Time of My Life that Cruise would shy away from publicity photos and felt deeply self-conscious about his smile. Thankfully, for the now-legendary star, braces and veneers helped him transform his smile, proving that money can indeed buy happiness.
8. Cruise’s Turbulent Childhood
When you learn about Cruise’s difficult and sometimes painful childhood, it becomes a bit clearer why his marriages have often struggled. Growing up with an abusive father, Cruise has openly described him as ‘a bully and a coward,’ the kind of person who would ‘kick you’ when things went wrong.
This, combined with the fact that he was frequently bullied at school and found it hard to make friends due to his family’s constant relocations, helps explain some of the complexities behind the star. Over the course of his 12 years in school, Cruise attended 15 different institutions, which likely led to a lack of lasting friendships from that period.
7. Cruise, Crash and Burn
This background may also shed light on why Cruise had a special connection with Zac Efron, who faced his own challenges as a young star after the success of High School Musical. One day, Cruise asked Efron if he knew how to ride a motorcycle, offered to teach him, and invited him to his home. Efron recalls Cruise patiently explaining how a motorcycle engine worked and proudly showing off his own collection. ‘It was just so nice that he cared at all. No one else did.’
Cruise’s passion for motorcycles began during his teenage years when he bought a Yamaha bike before even learning how to ride it. Unsurprisingly, this led to a crash. However, that didn’t stop him, and over the following years, he meticulously restored the motorcycle.
6. Cruise: The Reluctant Comedian
While Cruise is widely recognized for his action-packed roles, he has also earned praise for his comedic performances. He is credited with the creation of Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder, even suggesting that his character should have a bald head and oversized hands.
In Rock of Ages, Cruise plays Stacee Jaxx, a flamboyant former rock star whose outlandish behavior includes having a baboon as his constant companion (an idea that came from Cruise himself). The film showcases not only his humorous and charismatic side but also his dedication. Cruise rehearsed five hours a day to perfect his rock persona and performance.
5. The Need for Speed
Cruise is probably most famous, though, for his commitment to action movies and insisting on doing all his own stunts. The man has dangled from planes, skyscrapers, and canyon walls in the name of art and can even hold his breath for about 6 minutes (a lifetime if you’ve ever tried it yourself). While filming Days of Thunder, the daredevil drove around the track at Daytona International Speedway at an average of 205 mph. Truly impressive, considering the land speed record is 223mph!
The people at Bugatti, however, were not impressed by his performance. Not on the track but on the red carpet. In 2006, Cruise arrived at the premiere of the third Mission: Impossible instalment in his 2005 Bugatti Veyron. Everything went smoothly until he tried to open the passenger door to help Katie Holmes exit the vehicle. The door wouldn’t budge. Whether this was the fault of the car or the actor we will never know. The manufacturer, however, felt the episode reflected poorly on their craftmanship and banned Cruise from buying anything from Bugatti again.
4. Aaaaand cut!
His 30-second fumble with the Bugatti’s car door handle pales in comparison to the time it took Cruise 95 takes to nail “walking through a doorway” while filming Eyes Wide Shut, though. Again, however, it’s not clear whether the fault lay with Cruise or director Stanley Kubrick. All we know is that after watching the playback, Kubrick apparently told Cruise “hey, Tom, stick with me and I’ll make you a star.”
Eyes Wide Shut is also featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest constant movie shoot equaling 400 days.
3. The Queen of the Stage
While a Razzie is already a low point, showing up in drag to accept his 'Man of the Year' award from Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals was undoubtedly one of Tom Cruise’s more memorable, albeit embarrassing, moments.
In 1994, Cruise, who had portrayed a Harvard graduate in both The Firm and A Few Good Men, stepped onto the stage in high pink heels and a comically large white bra adorned with the Harvard emblem on each cup. 'This is how you turn people crimson,' Cruise joked, referring to the university's official color.
Hasty Pudding producer Catherine Zipf admitted she bought the heels for Cruise after reading that he disliked sharing the spotlight with someone taller than himself. This detail is especially ironic, considering each of his three wives stood a few inches taller than the slightly shorter Cruise.
2. For better and for worse
Although Tom Cruise has starred in multiple Academy Award-winning films and earned three nominations for his roles in Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, the actor has yet to win an Oscar. His focus on action-packed blockbusters, which rarely receive Academy nods, is likely to keep him out of the winner's circle for the foreseeable future.
Cruise holds the unique distinction of being the first actor to appear in both a Best Picture and Worst Picture contender in the same year. While it’s not entirely uncommon for an actor to win both an Academy Award and a Razzie, in 1988, Cruise became the first to star in the best film (Rain Man) and the worst (Cocktail) in the same year.
1. 33 is not his lucky number
Nicole Kidman wasn’t just Cruise's co-star in Eyes Wide Shut; she was also his wife. Cruise has been married three times: first to Mimi Rogers, who reportedly introduced him to Scientology; next to Kidman, with whom he adopted two children; and finally to Katie Holmes, with whom he has a daughter, Suri. While having three marriages is hardly unusual for a major movie star, there’s something oddly specific about the timing of his relationships.
Rogers was born on January 27, 1956, while Kidman and Holmes were born on June 20, 1967, and December 18, 1978, respectively. Not only were his wives all born exactly 11 years apart, but he also divorced each of them when they were 33 years old.
