Tom Cruise is an American actor, producer, and filmmaker, born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, as Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. He is one of the most popular and successful actors in Hollywood, with a career spanning over three decades.
Cruise's parents divorced when he was young, and he moved around a lot with his mother and three sisters. As a child, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and struggled with academics, but he found solace in performing. He started acting in school plays and community theater, and when he was 18, he moved to New York to pursue a career in acting.
In the early 1980s, Cruise started getting small roles in films like "Endless Love" and "Taps." His breakthrough came in 1983, when he starred in the teen comedy "Risky Business." The film was a huge commercial success and established Cruise as a leading man. He followed it up with hits like "Top Gun" (1986) and "Rain Man" (1988), for which he received his first Academy Award nomination.
Cruise continued to star in successful films throughout the 1990s, including "A Few Good Men" (1992), "Interview with the Vampire" (1994), and "Jerry Maguire" (1996), for which he received another Oscar nomination. He also established himself as an action star with the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, which he has been a part of since 1996.
In addition to acting, Cruise has also produced and directed several films. He produced the first three "Mission: Impossible" films, as well as "Minority Report" (2002) and "The Last Samurai" (2003), both of which he also starred in. He made his directorial debut with "The Firm" (1993) and has since directed two other films, "Vanilla Sky" (2001) and "Jack Reacher" (2012).
Cruise's personal life has been the subject of much media attention. He has been married three times, first to Mimi Rogers, then to Nicole Kidman, and finally to Katie Holmes. He has three children, two with Kidman and one with Holmes. He is also a practicing Scientologist and has been a vocal advocate for the controversial religion.
Despite his personal controversies, Cruise remains one of the most bankable and influential actors in Hollywood. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globe Awards. He has also been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been named one of the most powerful celebrities in the world by Forbes magazine multiple times.