Tom Cruise is back on the big screen with Digger, his first film with Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which premiered at the Royal Film Performance in London's Leicester Square in September 2026 and opened in UK and US cinemas on 2 October. It follows The Final Reckoning and, at last, an honorary Oscar.
Few stars have stayed on top for four decades while hanging off aeroplanes. Here is his story - and for more screen greats, browse our Movie Stars collection.
Tom Cruise Fact File
| Full name | Thomas Cruise Mapother IV |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 July 1962 (age 64) |
| Place of birth | Syracuse, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Actor, film producer |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Known for | Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, Jerry Maguire, Rain Man |
| Production company | Cruise/Wagner Productions (founded 1993 with Paula Wagner) |
| Signature | Performing his own stunts as Ethan Hunt |
Career History
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Risky Business | Joel Goodsen |
| 1986 | Top Gun | Pete "Maverick" Mitchell |
| 1988 | Rain Man | Charlie Babbitt |
| 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July | Ron Kovic |
| 1992 | A Few Good Men | Daniel Kaffee |
| 1996 | Mission: Impossible | Ethan Hunt |
| 1996 | Jerry Maguire | Jerry Maguire |
| 1999 | Magnolia | Frank T.J. Mackey |
| 2004 | Collateral | Vincent |
| 2022 | Top Gun: Maverick | Pete "Maverick" Mitchell |
| 2025 | Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning | Ethan Hunt |
| 2026 | Digger | Digger Rockwell |
Years are original release dates. Cruise played Ethan Hunt in eight Mission: Impossible films between 1996 and 2025.
Early Years and First Roles
Born in Syracuse, New York, Cruise made his screen debut with a small part in Endless Love (1981) and quickly stood out as a military academy cadet in Taps the same year.
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Breakthrough: Risky Business to Rain Man
Risky Business (1983) made him a leading man, and Top Gun (1986) made him a global superstar. He then held his own opposite Paul Newman in Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money and Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, which won Best Picture. Playing Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July (1989) brought a Golden Globe and his first Oscar nomination.
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Ethan Hunt and the Stunts
The 1990s brought A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia, the last two earning further Oscar nominations and Golden Globes. In 1996 he became Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible, and the series turned into a showcase for his fearless approach: climbing the outside of Dubai's Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol, clinging to an A400M plane at take-off at RAF Wittering in Rogue Nation and riding a motorbike off a cliff, six times, in Dead Reckoning Part One. In between came Minority Report and Collateral.
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Maverick, the Final Reckoning and Digger
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) earned more than $1 billion worldwide and a Best Picture nomination for Cruise as producer, and Cannes presented him with an honorary Palme d'Or. He leapt from the roof of the Stade de France at the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony, was named a BFI Fellow in March 2025, and in May 2025 released The Final Reckoning, which took around $591 million worldwide. On 16 November 2025 Iñárritu presented him with an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards. Their film Digger, shot in the UK, casts him as oil magnate Digger Rockwell and has drawn mixed reviews and a slow box office start.
Awards
Academy Awards
- Honorary Oscar (Governors Awards, 2025)
- Four nominations: Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, Magnolia and Top Gun: Maverick (Best Picture, as producer)
Career Honours
- Golden Globes: Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia
- Hollywood Walk of Fame star (1986)
- Honorary Palme d'Or, Cannes (2022)
- BFI Fellowship (2025)
- Saturn Awards for Vanilla Sky, Top Gun: Maverick and The Final Reckoning
Away From the Spotlight
Cruise has long championed the big-screen experience. In December 2024 the US Navy gave him its Distinguished Public Service Award.
FAQs
How old is Tom Cruise?
Tom Cruise was born on 3 July 1962, so he is 64 years old as of October 2026.
What is Tom Cruise's real name?
His birth name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV.
Where was Tom Cruise born?
He was born in Syracuse, New York, in the United States.
Has Tom Cruise won an Oscar?
Yes. After four competitive nominations, he received an honorary Academy Award at the Governors Awards on 16 November 2025.
Is The Final Reckoning the last Mission: Impossible film?
Cruise has said The Final Reckoning (2025) is his last film as Ethan Hunt.
What is Tom Cruise's newest film?
Digger, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, released in UK and US cinemas on 2 October 2026.
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Part of our Icon Profiles series. Read next: Tom Hardy Career Story: His Films, MobLand and Awards and Arnold Schwarzenegger: His Career, Films, Awards and Legacy.
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