History of Tom Cruise in Timeline
Tom Cruise is a highly successful American actor and producer, recognized as a Hollywood icon. He's received numerous awards, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Golden Globe Awards, with multiple Academy Award nominations. Cruise's films have collectively earned over $12 billion globally, establishing him as one of the highest-grossing and highest-paid actors in the world. He is considered one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.
2 days ago : Tom Cruise Responds to Viral Popcorn Eating; Internet Obsessed with Movie Snack
Tom Cruise reacted to a video of him eating popcorn at the movies going viral. The internet became obsessed with his unique style and his love for popcorn during movies. He stated no movie without popcorn
1934: Birth of Tom Cruise's father, Thomas Cruise Mapother III
In 1934, Thomas Cruise Mapother III, Tom Cruise's father, was born.
1936: Birth of Tom Cruise's mother, Mary Lee
In 1936, Mary Lee (née Pfeiffer), Tom Cruise's mother, was born.
July 3, 1962: Birth of Thomas Cruise Mapother IV
On July 3, 1962, Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, known as Tom Cruise, was born in Syracuse, New York. He would later become a famous actor and producer.
1981: Film debut in Endless Love and Taps
In 1981, Tom Cruise made his film debut with a small part in 'Endless Love', followed by a supporting role in 'Taps'.
1983: Roles in The Outsiders, All the Right Moves, and Risky Business
In 1983, Tom Cruise appeared in 'The Outsiders' and 'All the Right Moves', along with his breakout role in 'Risky Business'.
1983: Breakthrough roles in Risky Business and The Outsiders
In 1983, Tom Cruise had his breakthrough roles in 'Risky Business' and appeared as part of the ensemble cast in 'The Outsiders'.
1984: Death of Tom Cruise's father, Thomas Cruise Mapother III
In 1984, Thomas Cruise Mapother III, Tom Cruise's father, passed away.
1984: Death of Cruise's biological father
In 1984, Tom Cruise's biological father died of cancer.
1985: Starring in Legend
In 1985, Tom Cruise played the male lead in the Ridley Scott film 'Legend'.
1986: Cemented status as a superstar with Top Gun
By 1986, Tom Cruise's status as a superstar had been cemented with 'Top Gun'.
1986: Leading role in Top Gun and The Color of Money
In 1986, Tom Cruise had leading roles in 'Top Gun' and 'The Color of Money'.
1986: Starring in The Color of Money
In 1986, Tom Cruise starred in Martin Scorsese's 'The Color of Money' with Paul Newman, which received critical praise.
1988: Starring roles in Cocktail and Rain Man
In 1988, Tom Cruise starred in 'Cocktail', a box office success but critically panned. He also starred in 'Rain Man', which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
1989: Portrayal of Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July
In 1989, Tom Cruise portrayed Ron Kovic in 'Born on the Fourth of July', earning him a Golden Globe Award and his first Academy Award nomination.
1989: Starring in Born on the Fourth of July
In 1989, Tom Cruise starred in 'Born on the Fourth of July' portraying Ron Kovic, earning him a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
February 4, 1990: Divorce from Mimi Rogers
On February 4, 1990, Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers divorced after being married since May 9, 1987.
1990: Starring in Days of Thunder
In 1990, Tom Cruise starred in 'Days of Thunder' with Nicole Kidman.
1990: Named People's Sexiest Man Alive
In 1990, Tom Cruise was named People's Sexiest Man Alive.
1990: Involvement in Scientology Leaked
In 1990, Tom Cruise's involvement in Scientology was leaked by the tabloid Star.
1992: Public Announcement of Scientology Beliefs
In 1992, Tom Cruise publicly announced that he followed Scientology in an interview with Barbara Walters.
1993: Starring in The Firm
In 1993, Tom Cruise starred in the thriller 'The Firm', a commercially successful film.
1994: Starring in Interview with the Vampire
In 1994, Tom Cruise starred in 'Interview with the Vampire', which initially drew criticism from author Anne Rice but later received her praise.
1994: Received a pilot's license
Since 1994, Tom Cruise has held a pilot's license, demonstrating his enthusiasm for aviation.
1996: Starring in Mission: Impossible
In 1996, Tom Cruise began playing Ethan Hunt in the 'Mission: Impossible' film series.
1996: Starring in and producing Mission: Impossible and starring in Jerry Maguire
In 1996, Tom Cruise starred as Ethan Hunt in 'Mission: Impossible', which he also produced, and starred in 'Jerry Maguire'.
1996: Starring in Jerry Maguire
In 1996, Tom Cruise starred in 'Jerry Maguire', for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
1997: Received top honor of "Most Beautiful People"
In 1997, Tom Cruise received the top honor of "Most Beautiful People".
1999: Starring in Eyes Wide Shut and Magnolia
In 1999, Tom Cruise co-starred with Nicole Kidman in 'Eyes Wide Shut' and played Frank T.J. Mackey in 'Magnolia', earning a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for the latter.
1999: Starring in Magnolia
In 1999, Tom Cruise's performance in 'Magnolia' earned him another Golden Globe Award and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
2000: Return as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible 2
In 2000, Tom Cruise returned as Ethan Hunt in 'Mission: Impossible 2', receiving an MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance.
February 5, 2001: Separation from Nicole Kidman
On February 5, 2001, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's spokesperson announced their separation, with Cruise filing for divorce two days later.
May 2001: Lawsuit Against Chad Slater
In May 2001, Tom Cruise filed a lawsuit against gay porn actor Chad Slater for claiming they had an affair. Cruise strongly denied the claim.
2001: Starring in Vanilla Sky
In 2001, Tom Cruise starred in the romantic thriller 'Vanilla Sky' with Cameron Diaz and Penélope Cruz.
2002: Starring in Minority Report
In 2002, Tom Cruise starred in 'Minority Report', directed by Steven Spielberg.
January 2003: Judge Rules Against Chad Slater
In January 2003, a Los Angeles judge ruled against Chad Slater after he admitted his claims of having an affair with Tom Cruise were false.
2003: Starring in The Last Samurai
In 2003, Tom Cruise starred in 'The Last Samurai', earning a Golden Globe nomination.
2004: Performance in Collateral
In 2004, Tom Cruise received critical acclaim for his performance in 'Collateral'.
2004: Creation of Scientology Freedom Medal of Valor
In late 2004, David Miscavige created the Scientology Freedom Medal of Valor and awarded it to Tom Cruise for his work with Downtown Medical.
June 24, 2005: Argument on Today Show
On June 24, 2005, Tom Cruise had a heated argument with Matt Lauer on NBC's Today show regarding Cruise's views on psychiatry.
October 6, 2005: Pregnancy Announcement
On October 6, 2005, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes announced that they were expecting a child.
November 2005: Publicist Replacement
In November 2005, Lee Anne DeVette was replaced with Paul Bloch from the publicity firm Rogers and Cowan as Tom Cruise's publicist.
2005: Starring in War of the Worlds
In 2005, Tom Cruise starred in 'War of the Worlds', a loose adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel.
2005: Lobbying for Scientology in Europe
In 2005, the Council of Paris revealed that Tom Cruise had lobbied French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and Senate President Jean-Claude Gaudin to recognize Scientology as a religion in Europe.
July 5, 2006: TomCruise.com Domain Decision
On July 5, 2006, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) handed down the decision to turn the TomCruise.com domain over to Tom Cruise.
August 2006: Apology to Brooke Shields
In late August 2006, Tom Cruise apologized in person to Brooke Shields for his comments about her use of antidepressants.
August 22, 2006: Paramount Ends Relationship
On August 22, 2006, Paramount Pictures announced it was ending its 14-year relationship with Tom Cruise due to concerns over his public behavior affecting his economic value.
October 10, 2006: "Tom Cruise Day" in Japan
On October 10, 2006, Japan declared it "Tom Cruise Day" due to his love for and close association with the country.
November 2006: Takeover of United Artists
In November 2006, Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner took over the film studio United Artists (UA), with Cruise acting as a producer and Wagner as CEO.
2006: Ranked as world's most powerful celebrity by Forbes
In 2006, Forbes ranked Tom Cruise as the world's most powerful celebrity.
2006: Mission: Impossible III release and Golden Globe Nomination
In 2006, Tom Cruise reprised his role as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible III, which grossed nearly $400 million. Also in 2006, Premiere ranked Cruise as Hollywood's most powerful actor and Forbes ranked him the world's most powerful celebrity.
March 21, 2007: Signing for Valkyrie Role
On March 21, 2007, Tom Cruise signed on to play Claus von Stauffenberg in Valkyrie, marking the second production greenlighted since he and Wagner took control of UA.
2007: Supporting role in Lions for Lambs
In 2007, Tom Cruise played a rare supporting role in Lions for Lambs, which was commercially unsuccessful.
January 15, 2008: Scientology Video Posted on YouTube
On January 15, 2008, a video featuring an interview with Tom Cruise discussing his beliefs about Scientology was posted on YouTube by Project Chanology.
August 2008: Wagner Steps Down from UA
In August 2008, Paula Wagner stepped down from her position at United Artists (UA), retaining her stake in the company, which combined with Tom Cruise's share amounted to 30% of the studio.
December 25, 2008: Release of Valkyrie
On December 25, 2008, the historical thriller Valkyrie, starring Tom Cruise in the central role, was released to box office success.
2008: Restricting Scientology Questions in Interviews
Since 2008, Tom Cruise has restricted interviewers from asking him about Scientology.
2009: Seven Saturn Award nominations
Between 2002 and 2009, Tom Cruise was nominated for seven Saturn Awards and won one.
February 9, 2010: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
On February 9, 2010, Tom Cruise confirmed his role in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the fourth film in the series.
March 2010: Filming of Knight and Day
In March 2010, Tom Cruise finished filming the action-comedy Knight and Day with Cameron Diaz.
June 23, 2010: Release of Knight and Day
On June 23, 2010, the action-comedy Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, was released.
2010: Starring in Knight and Day
In 2010, Tom Cruise starred in 'Knight and Day'.
May 6, 2011: Humanitarian Award
On May 6, 2011, Tom Cruise received a humanitarian award from the Simon Wiesenthal Center for his philanthropic work.
December 2011: Release of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
In December 2011, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol was released and became Cruise's biggest commercial success at that time.
June 2012: Release of Rock of Ages
In June 2012, Rock of Ages, starring Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx, was released and became a box-office misstep for Cruise, but he received positive reviews for his performance.
June 29, 2012: Katie Holmes Files for Divorce
On June 29, 2012, Katie Holmes filed for divorce from Tom Cruise.
October 2012: Defamation Lawsuit
In October 2012, Tom Cruise filed a lawsuit against In Touch and Life & Style magazines for defamation after they claimed he had "abandoned" his daughter.
December 21, 2012: Release of Jack Reacher
On December 21, 2012, the film adaptation of Lee Child's novel One Shot, titled Jack Reacher and starring Tom Cruise, was released to positive reviews and box office success.
2012: Guinness World Record for consecutive $100-million-grossing movies
From 2012, Tom Cruise achieved the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive $100-million-grossing movies, a feat completed by 2018.
2012: Starring in Jack Reacher
In 2012, Tom Cruise starred in 'Jack Reacher'.
2014: Starring in Edge of Tomorrow
In 2014, Tom Cruise starred in 'Edge of Tomorrow'.
2015: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Release
In 2015, Tom Cruise reprised his role as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, which he also produced. The film was a critical and commercial success.
2017: Death of Tom Cruise's mother, Mary Lee
In 2017, Mary Lee (née Pfeiffer), Tom Cruise's mother, passed away.
2017: The Mummy Reboot
In 2017, Tom Cruise starred in the reboot of Boris Karloff's 1932 horror movie, The Mummy. The film received negative reviews but grossed over $400 million.
2018: Guinness World Record for consecutive $100-million-grossing movies
By 2018, Tom Cruise had achieved the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive $100-million-grossing movies since 2012.
2018: Mission: Impossible – Fallout Release
In 2018, Tom Cruise reprised Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, which became his biggest commercial success to date, grossing over $791 million.
May 2020: Movie Shot in Outer Space
In May 2020, it was announced that Tom Cruise would star in and produce a movie shot in outer space, directed by Doug Liman and involving a SpaceX Dragon 2 spacecraft mission to the International Space Station.
June 2020: Scientology Video Views
As of June 2020, the video featuring Tom Cruise discussing his beliefs about Scientology, which was posted on YouTube, has achieved over 15 million views.
May 2021: Protest Against HFPA
In May 2021, Tom Cruise protested against the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) by returning his three Golden Globe Awards due to controversy surrounding the HFPA's lack of diversity and ethical concerns.
2022: Top Gun: Maverick Release and Honorary Palme d'Or
In 2022, Tom Cruise reprised his role as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick, premiered at Cannes Film Festival where he earned an Honorary Palme d'Or, and the film broke box office records, becoming his highest-grossing film.
2022: Starring in Top Gun: Maverick
In 2022, Tom Cruise starred in 'Top Gun: Maverick'.
July 12, 2023: Release of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
On July 12, 2023, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, starring Tom Cruise, was released in theaters to critical acclaim but was a box office disappointment due to Barbenheimer.
January 2024: Partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery
In January 2024, it was announced that Tom Cruise's production company was forming a new strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery to develop and produce original and franchise films.
2024: Adjusted Cost of Anne Rice's Ad Praising Cruise
In 1994, Anne Rice spent $7,740 on an ad praising Tom Cruise after initially criticizing his casting in 'Interview with the Vampire'. This amount is equivalent to $16,420 in 2024.
2024: Appearance at Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony
In 2024, Tom Cruise appeared at the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony to promote the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics by jumping from the roof of the Stade de France stadium in Paris and taking the flag.
2024: Awarded US Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award
In December 2024, Tom Cruise received the US Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award for his contributions to the military through his screen roles.
Mentioned in this timeline
Steven Spielberg is a highly successful American filmmaker who played...
Brooke Shields is an American actress who began her career...
Antonio Banderas born Jos Antonio Dom nguez Bandera is a...
The National Broadcasting Company NBC is a major American commercial...
Japan is an East Asian island country in the Pacific...
Brad Pitt is a highly acclaimed American actor and film...
Trending
36 minutes ago Jordan vs. James: Agent Falk Predicts 15 Championships, Paul Responds in GOAT Debate
37 minutes ago Jobe Bellingham transfer: Dortmund and Chelsea pursue Sunderland's rising star, following Jude's path.
2 hours ago Penske Cheating Scandal Threatens IndyCar; VeeKay Joins Newgarden & Power in Last Row.
2 hours ago Alexis Bledel Discusses Handmaid's Tale Exit Before Finale, Reflecting on Her Departure
2 hours ago North Carolina's Hurricane Helene Relief Request Denied by FEMA, Insufficient Aid Approved.
2 hours ago USA Hockey Dominates, Secures Semifinal Spot in World Championship After Victory Over Finland
Popular
Jupiter the fifth planet from the Sun is the Solar...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a highly decorated Portuguese...
Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter was an influential Australian zookeeper...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a professional basketball player...
Kash Patel is an American lawyer and former federal prosecutor...
Pope Francis is the current head of the Catholic Church...