Tom Cruise Success Story

Career

Cruise began his acting career with no savings and a desperate need to find something that truly stimulated him. He took on bit parts throughout the early 1980s, occasionally reading a line and rarely shining. However, his career took a turn for the better when he was cast in Risky Business, and later in classic movies of the era like Top Gun and Rain Man.

In the 1990s, he progressed from budding star to international superstar, starring as Ethan Hunt in the commercially successful Mission Impossible series. On top of his game and constantly in front of the cameras, he followed up with critically acclaimed performances in Eyes Wide Shut, the final film of auteur Stanley Kubrick, and the equally acclaimed Magnolia.

At the peak of his fame, Cruise's public image changed dramatically when his bizarre beliefs went from being relatively private to being a very public part of his image. His rigid adherence to Church of Scientology teachings and his obsession with anti-medicine made him a target for ridicule, while his unusual 'jump the couch' incident fueled gay rumors and certainly made him look unusual.

However, Cruise took the criticism in stride, maintaining his beliefs and cementing himself as one of the industry's most bankable and reliable stars. His films continued to perform well, and he took it upon himself to expand from acting into finance and production. He negotiated new deals for his own DVD roles, and grew into one of the industry's most wealthy individuals through savvy deals.

Today, Cruise remains a bankable star, showing his true value as an actor and reversing the 'damage' that his controversial beliefs may have caused. From his intensity to his focus, Cruise's work ethic, his immense belief in himself, and his unstoppable ambition have made him one of the world's most recognized actors, and certainly one of its biggest stars.

Tom Cruise Biography