Tom Cruise's Rise to International Stardom
Tom Cruise is an American actor who first rose to fame in the early 1980s. Starting with small roles on TV shows, Cruise soon moved on to star-making performances on the silver screen, amassing a string of box office successes that sent his career into the stratosphere. From classic '80s comedies to action epics, Tom Cruise has consistently proven that he's one of Hollywood's most successul and versatile actors.
Over the span of five decades, Cruise has acted in a total of 53 films. From cult classics like Top Gun to major blockbusters such as Mission Impossible, Cruise has appeared in some of the most iconic films of all time. He's even received multiple Golden Globe and Academy award nominations as recognition for his remarkable performances.
Thanks to his unparalleled charisma and talent, Tom Cruise has earned millions of fans all over the world, making him one of Hollywood’s biggest icons in pop culture history. There’s no denying it—Tom Cruise is a true international star!
His Best Blockbusters, Ranked
Let's look at some of the best blockbusters starring Tom Cruise.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol: This fourth installment of the popular action-spy franchise combined spectacle with a real sense of danger and suspense to make it a real crowd pleaser.
The Edge of Tomorrow: Cruise stars as a soldier who finds himself caught in an endless time loop in this imaginative sci-fi flick, and manages to impress with his deadpan delivery even amidst the chaos that ensues.
Top Gun: Perhaps Cruise's most iconic role, Top Gun sees him as an elite fighter pilot who quickly earns his wings through his irresistibly cocky demeanor and stellar flying skills.
Jerry Maguire: In this comedy-drama, Tom Cruise plays a sports agent whose life is thrown into disarray when he speaks out against unethical practices in the industry – and finds redemption along the way.
Rain Man: In this Oscar-winning drama, Cruise plays a hustler on a cross country roadtrip with his autistic brother (played by Dustin Hoffman). The film is touching without becoming maudlin, and Cruise turns in an excellent performance as the brother desperate to connect to another person in an authentic way.
Top 5 Tom Cruise Roles
Everyone has their own favorite Tom Cruise movie—but which one does the actor himself deserve the most credit for? While it may not be possible to definitively answer the question, here are five roles that Tom Cruise knocked out of the park.
Top Gun (1986)
As Maverick in Top Gun, Cruise set a new standard for cool and left audiences wanting more of his daring stunts. From taking on an F-14 Tomcat to leading a mission over the Indian Ocean, this is a role that will go down in cruise's history!
Risky Business (1983)
It was Risky Business that first put Cruise on the map as an actor. His character Joel Goodsen was an unexpected hit with moviegoers: from his school dance performance to selling alcohol from his parents’ basement.
Rain Man (1988)
In Rain Man, Cruise plays opposite Dustin Hoffman as estranged brothers Charlie and Raymond Babbitt. Despite stealing scenes from Hoffman with his humor and charisma, Cruise still manages to take a back seat for much of the film — he leaves the real stars of the show to Hoffman and co-star Valeria Golino.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Cruise’s skill as an action star was well-known before 1996's Mission: Impossible — but it wasn't until this movie that fans got to see him playing Ethan Hunt, a daring agent on a mission to save the world. This is where we get some of Tom Cruise's most iconic stunts and moves, like climbing up walls and hanging on helicopters.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Towards the end of 1996, Jerry
Tom Cruise's Iconic Scene Stealing Characters
Tom Cruise has been playing iconic scene-stealing characters for decades, but which ones deserve the top spots? There are so many to choose from, but here are some of our favorites.
Maverick in Top Gun
It's no surprise that Maverick from Top Gun made the list. He was the ultimate daredevil pilot and was always pushing the boundaries between bravado and recklessness—an attitude we can all relate to. His obsession with flying was infectious and he captured our minds as he flew into unknown danger.
Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible
Ethan Hunt has been Tom Cruise's most iconic character—if you haven't seen the movies in the Mission Impossible franchise, you probably know who Ethan Hunt is. He constantly puts his life on the line to save the world, making him one of the toughest and most daring characters Tom Cruise has ever played.
Cole Trickle In Days of Thunder
Cole Trickle from Days of Thunder isn't as well known as some of Tom Cruise's other characters, but he still stands out for his intense focus on winning at all costs. Even though racing had always been a part of his life, Cole rises to new heights when he embarks on a career as a professional racer—his will to win is unrivaled!
These are just a few of Tom Cruise's scene-stealing characters—there's plenty more where these came from!
Underrated Performances by Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is known for being an over-the-top action star, but he also has some seriously underrated performances under his belt. While we all love the Mission: Impossible films and Top Gun, here are a few you might have missed.
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Cruise plays a playboy who gets caught up in a love triangle. He is both likable and despicable, making viewers question their feelings towards him throughout the movie. His engaging performance will make you reconsider what “Vanilla Sky” really means by the time the credits roll.
Magnolia (1999)
Magnolia is often overlooked, but it's one of Cruise’s most iconic roles—he plays a sleazy womanizing real estate mogul who is also shockingly vulnerable. Cruise’s ability to weaponize his charm is on full display in this film – so much so that his co-star Julianne Moore was intimidated working with him.
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
In this Oliver Stone classic, Cruise tackles a Vietnam veteran struggling to come to terms with post-traumatic stress disorder and all its implications. His performance conveys such depth and complexity that critics wondered if Cruise had ‘amputated himself from reality’ during filming.
Whether he's playing an action hero or inept lothario, Tom Cruise proves time and time again why he's one of Hollywood's most versatile actors - even in roles that don't get as much attention as they should.
Tom Cruise's Innovations in Filmmaking
If you're a Tom Cruise fan, then you know he's not content with just making critically acclaimed and box office hits — he's always looking for innovative ways to make our movie-watching experience more enjoyable.
Take for example 3D movies: Tom Cruise was amongst the first to jump on the 3D movie bandwagon. From his 2011 action/comedy flick "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" where Tom Cruise scale the outside of Dubai's Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest building) to his more recent venture into space in "Oblivion", he has pushed the envelope in what can be done in 3D films.
He has also been involved in some of the biggest cinematic spectacles of the decade, such as Christopher McQuarrie's "Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation", which was shot almost entirely using IMAX cameras. This meant that viewers were given a heightened cinematic experience that highlighted some of Cruise’s most daring stunts yet, including being whisked away by a massive cargo plane while attached to its wing.
No other actor has invested as much energy as Tom Cruise when it comes to creating films that are unique and awe-inspiring. From his daring stunts to his commitment to using groundbreaking technologies, we have seen our favorite action hero create some truly unforgettable films!
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