Tom Cruise: Behind the Stunts, The Celebrity, and the Controversy

There are few names in global cinema as commanding as Tom Cruise. For over four decades, Cruise’s megawatt smile, blockbuster bravado, and magnetic presence have charmed audiences, sent box-office returns soaring, and ensured his permanent place in the pantheon of Hollywood legends. Yet, as an in-depth interview during the promotion of War of the Worlds revealed, Cruise is as complex and fiercely guarded as the roles he plays—a star who inspires devotion, debate, and even, at times, discomfort.

“Cruise Control” in Hollywood

There’s an old saying in Hollywood: Name three actors who can guarantee a box-office smash. The answer, more often than not, is “Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise.” His films—and even the less acclaimed ones—routinely rake in hundreds of millions of dollars. As Steven Spielberg, director of War of the Worlds, remarked, Cruise’s unique ability to draw crowds is unmatched.

But meeting Tom Cruise means meeting a man who exudes both warmth and ice. While his public persona radiates energy and approachability, there’s a side to him—a quick shift in tone, a glint in the eye—that signals he’s always in control. It’s a trait, perhaps, honed from the very beginning, when Cruise was a boy from a broken home with a relentless self-imposed deadline for greatness. By age nineteen, with roles in Taps and Endless Love, he was well on his way.

The Scientology Question

But sitting down with Cruise in 2005 to discuss War of the Worlds produced an interview moment unlike any other. Before talking, his team made an unusual request: that the journalist attend a four-hour session at the Scientology Celebrity Center in Los Angeles. Scientology, often described as the most controversial of modern faiths, has been Cruise’s religion for two decades. He credits it as life-changing—especially during his struggles with dyslexia.

“I had what you’d call learning disabilities,” Cruise shared. “Dyslexia. They actually wanted to put me on drugs—my mother wouldn’t let them. When a friend gave me a Scientology picture book about suppression and social personalities…I was interested. That’s how I became a Scientologist.”

To Tom, the tools he’s gained from the church shape every part of his life—from acting to parenting to business. For him, the backlash against Scientology stems from ignorance. “Ignorance breeds bigotry, breeds racism,” he insisted. “I find it appalling when people who don’t know what they’re talking about say things like that … when they say there are no solutions for these issues. I’ve personally helped people get off drugs.”

Questions About Family

Cruise’s fiery passion isn’t limited to defending his faith. When it comes to his children—adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman—he’s unwavering in his aspiration to offer them a “normal” upbringing. “There’s no such thing as normal when you really look at someone’s life,” he mused. “Everyone has a story that’s unique. I feel very fortunate for the life my children have, and I’m really proud of them.”

But the conversation turned more precarious upon the subject of Kidman—his glamorous second wife, mother to their children, and former red-carpet partner. In a rare display of icy resolve, Cruise rebuffed probing questions about whether Kidman was the love of his life or about the private contours of their parenting relationship. “You’re stepping over a line,” he warned. It was a masterclass in boundary-setting—swift and controlled.

Hollywood’s Greatest Showman

The world’s fascination with Cruise’s personal life is perpetual. Every romance, every split—from his marriage to Kidman to his whirlwind courtship and theatrical love for Katie Holmes—has been dissected, debated, and splashed across tabloids. But Cruise’s signature blend of openness and reserve is strategic. “I know people are interested,” he admitted. “But there’s a way of phrasing questions—with manners. There are lines I’d never cross with strangers at a party. Why would I on TV?”

That uncanny ability to command attention but set limits is, in part, why Cruise’s star endures. Directors and co-stars speak of a man who brings the same focus and emotional investment to every project he undertakes. Spielberg himself noted Cruise’s untapped naturalism as an actor, highlighting his then-new role as a father in War of the Worlds. “He’s a great father. I know him more as a father than a co-worker,” Spielberg said.

More Than Fame and Fortune

For all the rumors of controlling tendencies and the many millions earned (Cruise’s personal wealth is estimated at close to half a billion dollars and, per some accounts, he earned another hundred million off War of the Worlds alone), Cruise resists the notion that money or fame drives him. “I wanted an adventurous life,” he says. “I want to know people. I want to help people. It’s not just something I say, it’s something I actively pursue.”

And perhaps that, above all, is the contradiction—and enduring allure—of Tom Cruise. He’s a star who’s always in motion, whether running from aliens onscreen, performing gravity-defying stunts, or defending his beliefs and his privacy. For better or worse, his life is a spectacle, one which the world can’t help but watch.

The Final Scene

As our time with Cruise closed, there was a telling exchange: “Do you think I was out of line?” the interviewer asked about his probing. Cruise smiled—controlled, yet gracious. “Yeah. You stepped out of line. I cracked you—gotcha,” he joked, letting warmth return as the cameras stopped rolling.

With new films, new stunts, and new chapters always ahead, Tom Cruise remains as unpredictable and riveting as any character he’s played. In the age of disposable fame, he is proof that true movie stars—and the fascination they engender—never really fade to black.