Tom Cruise From the ’80s to Today

Few actors have maintained the level of fame Tom Cruise has enjoyed for more than four decades. From his breakout roles in the 1980s to leading some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises today, Cruise has remained one of the film industry’s most recognizable and enduring stars.

Tom Cruise has been a pop culture icon for decades. Born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV in New York in July 1962, he landed his first onscreen role in the 1981 film "Endless Love."

Since then, Cruise’s career has steadily climbed. He has starred in numerous blockbuster hits and critically acclaimed films, launched major franchises, and earned several Academy Award nominations. From "Mission: Impossible" to "Top Gun" and "Jerry Maguire," Cruise has remained a constant presence in Hollywood.

The 1980s

After early roles in "Endless Love" and "The Outsiders," Cruise experienced a major breakthrough with "Risky Business." The film helped establish him as one of the decade’s rising stars.

In 1985, Cruise began dating Cher after meeting her at Madonna’s wedding to Sean Penn. The pair had a 16-year age gap, and their relationship drew public attention at the time.

Cruise’s career reached another milestone in 1986 when he starred alongside Val Kilmer in "Top Gun." The film became one of the defining movies of the decade and helped cement Cruise’s leading-man status.

That same year, Cruise married actress Mimi Rogers. Rogers introduced him to Scientology, and to date, he remains one of the religion's most popular members. The marriage lasted several years before ending in divorce in February 1990.

During this period, Cruise also starred in films such as "Cocktail" and "Rain Man." His performance in "Born on the Fourth of July" earned him his first Academy Award nomination.

The 1990s

The 1990s brought both professional success and major changes in Cruise’s personal life. While filming "Days of Thunder," Cruise met actress Nicole Kidman. The two quickly fell in love and married in December 1990.

During their marriage, they adopted two children, Isabella, born in 1992, and Connor, born in 1995. Their relationship lasted about a decade before Cruise filed for divorce in February 2001.

Throughout the decade, Cruise continued building an impressive list of film credits. He appeared in "A Few Good Men" and "The Firm," both of which were major hits. He also starred alongside Brad Pitt in "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles."

In 1996, Cruise helped launch one of his most recognizable projects with "Mission: Impossible." The film introduced a franchise that would grow into one of Hollywood’s most successful action series. There have been eight "Mission: Impossible" movies since the original release.

That same year, Cruise earned his second Academy Award nomination for his performance in "Jerry Maguire." In 1999, he and Kidman starred together in "Eyes Wide Shut." That year also brought another Oscar nomination for Cruise for his role in "Magnolia."

The 2000s

After his divorce from Kidman, Cruise began dating actress Penelope Cruz. The two were in a relationship from 2001 to 2004 after working together on "Vanilla Sky."

Professionally, Cruise remained a major box office star throughout the decade. He appeared in several high-profile films, including "Minority Report," "The Last Samurai," and "War of the Worlds."

In 2005, Cruise started dating actress Katie Holmes. Their relationship quickly became widely discussed in the media. In May 2005, Cruise publicly declared his love for Holmes. By October of that year, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together.

Their daughter, Suri, was born in April 2006. Later that year, Cruise and Holmes married in Italy in November 2006. The marriage lasted several years before Holmes filed for divorce in June 2012. The couple finalized their settlement the following month.

Cruise also appeared in films such as "Tropic Thunder" and "Valkyrie" in 2008.

The 2010s

During the 2010s, Cruise continued to explore a mix of action roles and musical performances. He appeared in "Knight and Day," "Rock of Ages," and later starred in "Jack Reacher." Cruise also worked alongside Emily Blunt in the 2014 science fiction film "Edge of Tomorrow."

He returned to the "Jack Reacher" franchise with "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" in 2016 and starred in "American Made" in 2017.

The 2020s

Cruise continued his long-running career in the 2020s with some of his most ambitious projects yet, continuing to do his own stunts well into his late 50s and 60s.

He reprised his role in the sequel "Top Gun: Maverick." The film’s release date was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, along with other Cruise projects that were affected by the global shutdown. In 2023, Cruise continued the action series with "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One."

The actor also made headlines in 2024 during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, where he performed his own stunt while riding a motorcycle.

In 2025, Cruise returned to one of his most famous roles with the eighth installment of the franchise, "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning."

After more than four decades in Hollywood, Tom Cruise remains one of the industry’s most recognizable stars. From the early days of "Risky Business" to the ongoing "Mission: Impossible" series, his career has continued to evolve while keeping audiences around the world engaged.