Profile of the Day: Tom Cruise
Happy birthday to Tom Cruise! Today the actor turns 58.
Image: Tom Cruise / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Tom Cruise was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962 in Syracuse, New York. When he was young, Cruise had considered becoming a priest, however, he left after a year in seminary school. He was encouraged to join the drama department in high school and caught the bug for acting.
After making memorable appearances in the films Taps and The Outsiders, Cruise got his big break as the star of Risky Business. His breakout success led to his next big movie, Top Gun, which cemented his status as a superstar. Since launching to stardom, Cruise has become one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors. He has also earned three Academy Award nominations.
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Explore Tom Cruise’s family tree and share how you’re related to the star!