Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise Biography
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (pronounced /tms kruz mep/; born July 3, 1962), better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American actor and film producer. Forbes magazine ranked him as the world's most powerful celebrity in 2006. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and won three Golden Globe Awards. His first leading role was the 1983 film Risky Business , which has been described as "A Generation-X classic, and a career-maker" for the actor. After playing the role of a heroic naval pilot in the popular and financially successful 1986 film Top Gun, Cruise continued in this vein, playing a secret agent in a series of Mission: Impossible action films in the 1990s and 2000s. In addition to these heroic roles, he also played other roles, such as the misogynistic male guru in Magnolia (1999) and a cool and calculating sociopathic hitman in the Michael Mann crime-thriller film Collateral (2004).
In 2005, Economist Edward Jay Epstein argued that Cruise is one of the few producers (the others being George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer) who are able to guarantee the success of a billion-dollar movie franchise. Since 2005, Cruise and Paula Wagner have been in charge of the United Artists film studio, with Cruise as producer and star and Wagner as the chief executive. Cruise is also known for his support of and adherence to the Church of Scientology.
Tom Cruise Filmography
Film Year Role Notes and Awards
- Valkyrie 2008 Claus von Stauffenberg Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Actor
- Tropic Thunder 2008 Les Grossman Nominated Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
- Lions for Lambs 2007 Senator Jasper Irving
- Mission: Impossible III 2006 Ethan Hunt Also Producer
- War of the Worlds 2005 Ray Ferrier Golden Raspberry Worst Actor nomination
- Collateral 2004 Vincent
- The Last Samurai 2003 Nathan Algren Golden Globe Best Actor nomination; also producer
- Austin Powers in Goldmember 2002 Himself
- Minority Report 2002 John Anderton
- Space Station 3D 2002 Narrator IMAX Only
- Vanilla Sky 2001 David Aames Winner - Saturn Award for Best Actor; Also producer
- Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures 2001 Narrator
- Mission: Impossible II 2000 Ethan Hunt
- Magnolia 1999 Frank T.J. Mackey Golden Globe - Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
- Eyes Wide Shut 1999 Bill Harford
- Jerry Maguire 1996 Jerry Maguire Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor
- Mission: Impossible 1996 Ethan Hunt
- Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles 1995 Lestat de Lioncourt
- The Firm 1993 Mitch McDeere
- A Few Good Men 1992 Lt. Daniel Kaffee Nominated Golden Globe Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
- Far and Away 1992 Joseph Donnelly
- Days of Thunder 1992 Cole Trickle
- Born on the Fourth of July 1989 Ron Kovic Won Golden Globe Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama, Nominated Academy Award for Best Actor
- Rain Man 1988 Charlie Babbitt
- Young Guns 1988 Cowboy uncredited cameo
- Cocktail 1988 Brian Flanagan
- The Color of Money 1986 Vincent Lauria
- Top Gun 1986 Lt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell
- Legend 1985 Jack O' The Green
- Risky Business 1983 Joel Goodson Nominated Golden Globe for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
- All the Right Moves 1983 Stefen "Stef" Djordjevic
- Losin' It 1983 Woody
- The Outsiders 1983 Steve Randle
- Taps 1981 Cadet Captain David Shawn
- Endless Love 1981 Billy
