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When Tom Cruise sang on live TV and he was amazing

5 August 2022, 15:47

By Tom Eames

Tom Cruise is one of the world's greatest film stars, and it turns out he's a fantastic live performer too.

In 2015, the Top Gun: Maverick actor appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in the States, and shocked the audience with his impressive command of the stage.

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OK, he wasn't actually singing, but rather taking part in the Lip Sync Battle segment of the show, miming along with The Weeknd's 'Can't Feel My Face', but he was particularly great at it.

Watch the clip below:

Tom Cruise, Jimmy Fallon do lip sync battle | 'Can’t Feel My Face' & 'That Lovin Feelin'

Tom impressed the audience and Jimmy with his performance, which he followed up by lip-syncing to Meat Loaf 's 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light'.

Even The Weeknd himself was amazed, tweeting about the show afterwards:

can't believe @TomCruise is singing my song. @jimmyfallon *** you're the MAN for this one. #tomcruisetomcruise ||| https://t.co/xVFZSkYCCx — The Weeknd (@theweeknd) July 28, 2015

But it's not like Tom can't sing at all. He's belted out the likes of 'Great Balls of Fire' in Top Gun , 'Free Fallin'' in Jerry Maguire and 'Addicted to Love' in Cocktail .

And of course, in 2012, he starred as stadium rock legend Stacy Jaxx in the musical Rock of Ages , where he convincingly performed various '80s anthems like 'Wanted Dead or Alive' and 'Pour Some Sugar on Me'.

Tom Cruise has just experienced the most successful film of his career, with Top Gun: Maverick grossing over $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office.

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James Corden and Tom Cruise perform on ‘The Lion King’ stage for their final ‘Late Late Show’ skit

Tom Cruise has gone from “All the Right Moves” to all the right notes.

Cruise joined James Corden April 27 on the final episode of his “The Late Late Show” by performing alongside him in a production of “The Lion King” at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

The bit opened with Corden recruiting a reluctant Cruise to take part in the show, noting that the two of them had pulled off some amazing stunts together when Cruise has appeared on the program.

“In the eight years that I’ve hosted ‘The Late Late Show,’ we’ve been skydiving, you’ve flown me upside down, and today you’re going to enter my world, alright?” Corden said.

Corden then introduced Cruise to the "Lion King" cast and the pair did some exercises to prepare, including dancing to the “Mission: Impossible” theme song and using some of the character costumes to recreate the famous “You can’t handle the truth” scene from “A Few Good Men.”

Cruise also gave a spirited pre-show speech to the cast. Then, the curtain went up and Corden and Cruise walked onto the stage from the back of the theater. After they finished their part, Cruise thought they were done, but Corden rallied him to keep it up.

The duo then returned to the stage, with the curtain lifting up to show them, prompting the audience to hoot and holler and in delight.

“Hakuna Matata. What a wonderful phrase,” Corden, as Timon, said.

“Hakuna Matata, ain’t no passing craze,” Cruise, as Pumbaa, half-sang, half-spoke.

They then launched into a song and dance of “Hakuna Matata” while the audience cheered and Cruise later tried to hit a high note belting out the line, “When I was a young warthog!”

They wrapped up their song to a thunderous round of applause and a standing ovation from some people in the audience. The crowd went nuts again when they came out to take their bows after the performance ended.

Later, the two had a funny moment when Corden confronted Cruise about how he’ll “find yourself another late night host” to promote his future projects.

“When ‘Mission: Impossible 12’ comes out, you’re not going to think of me. You’re going to be off base jumping with Bowen Yang,” he said in mock anger.

“I’m not the one turning my back on everything that we have, everything that we’ve created,” Cruise fired back. “This is your last show. You did this to us.”

Cruise then went off to have drinks with some of “The Lion King” cast, but as he sat at a table, he began to sing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” with Corden still sitting in the theater, joining in for an unlikely duet. A montage of their moments on “The Late Late Show” played on the screen while they reunited on top of a building, continuing to sing.

As Corden apologized for their tiff, Cruise told him to "shut up" while referencing “Jerry Maguire.”

“You had me at hello,” he said.

“I love you, Tom,” Corden said.

“I know," Cruise said, as he walked away to a waiting helicopter while the “Mission: Impossible” music played, leaving Corden stranded on the roof.

Drew Weisholtz is a reporter for TODAY Digital, focusing on pop culture, nostalgia and trending stories. He has seen every episode of “Saved by the Bell” at least 50 times, longs to perfect the crane kick from “The Karate Kid” and performs stand-up comedy, while also cheering on the New York Yankees and New York Giants. A graduate of Rutgers University, he is the married father of two kids who believe he is ridiculous.

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What Songs Does Tom Cruise Sing in Rock of Ages ?

In the hair-metal musical Rock of Ages , Tom Cruise plays louche rock icon Stacee Jaxx and sings several songs with the help of a monkey and Auto-tune . But which classics of the genre will Cruise put his voice to? According to the just-released track listing for the soundtrack album , Cruise pulls solo duty on “Paradise City” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” sings duets on “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “I Want to Know What Love Is,” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” and contributes additional vocals to “Here I Go Again,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Mary J. Blige is also on the soundtrack, but alas, there are no Whitesnake songs about crispy chicken .

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James Corden’s Farewell Includes Duet With Tom Cruise and Parting Message to U.S.: ‘Remember What America Signifies’

By Michael Schneider

Michael Schneider

Variety Editor at Large

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James Corden said farewell to CBS on Thursday evening by doing something no one ever thought would be possible: Getting Tom Cruise to sing Elton John’s hit ballad “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”

Popular on Variety

“I love you Tom,” Corden added. “I know,” responded Cruise, before hopping on a waiting helicopter.

RELATED: James Corden on the Top Guest He Never Booked, His Craziest ‘The Late Late Show’ Taping and Adele’s Surprise Final Carpool Karaoke

Also on the primetime special: A final “Carpool Karaoke,” featuring Adele — who had surprised Corden at his house for a drive to the show’s Television City studio. Between driving and singing, Adele also grilled Corden on his memories about “The Late Late Show.”

“The thing I was most worried about was how do we get guests on the show?” he said. “I mean, we couldn’t book anyone. And then things like ‘Carpool,’ I mean, no one would do it.” Mariah Carey became the first performer to say yes, but as Corden recalled, things changed when she arrived: “Mariah comes out and the first thing she says to me, ‘I’ll do the chat. I ain’t singing.’” Carey, of course, wound up singing — and “Carpool Karaoke” became an institution.

Corden responded, “It was work stuff and the internet and it was all those things.” Responded Adele: “It got me thinking I felt so unsafe with you feeling unsafe. Then I went to the studio a couple of weeks later and I wrote this. I remember I sang it into my phone and I sent it to you.” Said Corden: “It was everything that I was feeling that day. I was floored by how you’d managed to take everything that I was feeling about myself and life and just put it in a verse. It’s the greatest privilege that from some a conversation between two friends that you would create such a thing. It blows my mind.”

Adele rounded the “Carpool” out by asking Corden what he’d miss most. “I’ll miss I miss everything,” he said. “I think I underestimated how many friends I’d make doing this. More than anything, I will just miss going into work with my friends every day. And I’m really gonna miss Los Angeles. I love it. It’s been a brilliant adventure.”

Later, the final episode of “ The Late Late Show with James Corden ” opened with a bit of a tease: Corden did a victory lap with staff – and then proceeded to get “stuck” in a stairwell.

Then he opened with the usual check-in with the “Late Late Show” cast of staff characters. “This is the final ‘Late Late Show’ in the history of CBS and I’m telling you tonight finally we are in determined to get it right this time,” he quipped. Corden’s parents and sisters were in the audience, and he welcomed guests Harry Styles and Will Ferrell (who proceeded to destroy Corden’s desk with a sledgehammer).

But first, one more sketch: Fellow late night hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert appeared in Corden’s bedroom, warning him that he can’t just leave his show — at least, not without handing over his bits. Also appearing in the sketch: David Letterman, and later, Trevor Noah (as fellow talk retiree Noah and Corden are seen, “six months later,” on “The Masked Singer” set).

Corden noted that this sketch was yet another example of how the so-called late night wars are no longer a thing. He shared to the audience that Fallon had sent an ice cream truck for the show’s crew.

The episode also featured a special message from President Biden: “Thank you for all the joy you brought homes across America,” he said in the taped piece. “Special thanks for never asking me to sing in the car with you.”

With Styles and Ferrell, Corden played one final game of “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts.” Asked who his favorite late night host will be now, Ferrell said Seth Meyers — but ate some terrible food anyway. And when Styles was asked whether One Direction would ever reunite, he admitted, “I would never say never.”

“But I sit here now, today, with nothing but love, gratitude and pride. This show is everything I ever wanted it to be.”

After thanking his team, as well as CBS, Corden turned serious: “You know we started this show with Obama, then Trump then a global pandemic. And I’ve watched America change a lot. Over these past few years, I’ve watched divisions grow. And I’ve seen and I felt a sense of negativity bubble and at points boil over.

“I guess all I really want to say tonight is I implore you to remember what America signifies to the rest of the world. My entire life, it has always been a place of optimism and joy. And yes, it has flaws. So many. But show me a country that doesn’t. Show me a person that doesn’t. Me, you all of us. We are all trying to figure this out. We are every single one of us a work in progress. And just because somebody disagrees with you. It doesn’t make them bad or evil. We are all more the same than we are different. And there are so many people who are trying to stoke those differences. And we have to try as best we can to look for the light. Look for the joy. Because if you do, it’s out there.

“And that’s all this show has ever been about. All we’ve ever wanted is just be a little bit of light and levity at the end of your day. Thank you for letting me do this. Thank you for allowing me into your home every night.”

With that, “The Late Late Show with James Corden” ended with one final number, Corden singing a farewell tune, “That’s Our Show.”

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"Rock of Ages": Tom Cruise sings Bon Jovi in new trailer

By Jessica Derschowitz

April 4, 2012 / 11:25 AM EDT / CBS News

(CBS News) A new trailer for the rock musical "Rock of Ages" has arrived, and it has Tom Cruise showing off his pipes.

The actor, who plays rocker Stacee Jaxx, is shown singing Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" in front of a crowded arena at the end of this latest clip.

There are also glimpses of Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Julianne Hough, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mary J. Blige and a leather jacket-wearing monkey called "Hey, Man."

The Adam Shankman-directed film, filled with classic '80s rock songs, will arrive in theaters on June 15.

Tell us: What do you think of this new "Rock of Ages" trailer?

More from CBS News

Watch: Tom Cruise sings Bon Jovi in new ‘Rock of Ages’ trailer

Tom Cruise sings!

Finally, after months of still photos and a teasing initial trailer, we get to hear rock legend Stacee Jaxx (Cruise) belt out about 4 seconds of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.” It’s really too short to be able to make any kind of comments on the actor’s singing voice, but he definitely has the rock star look and swagger down pat.

Aimed more at fans of “The Voice” than aging metalheads, “Rock of Ages” is based on the hit stage musical that fearlessly mashes up hard rock songs from the 1980s

Joining Jaxx are Alec Baldwin as a sleazy promoter-type, Malin Akerman as a journalist, Mary J. Blige as a fellow performer, “Chicago” Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones as an evangelist hellbent on destroying rock music, and Paul Giamatti as a bald guy. At the heart of it all is the lovestruck/starstruck duo of Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) and Drew Boley (Diego Boneta). Adam Shankman (“Hairspray”) directed.

As one of the few cast members who can actually sing, Blige — whose controversial new ad for Burger King has been pulled from the airwaves, reportedly due to licensing problems — will hopefully have a showier role in “Rock” than is indicated here.

The trailer, with its garish look, flat one-liners and a baboon named “Hey Man,” likely won’t grab many new fans not already on board, but Cruise-as-rock star is a most intriguing proposition. The scenes where Akerman interviews him are reminiscent of “Magnolia.”

“Rock of Ages,” is of course, a musical — albeit one with no original songs, just Broadway-style re-arrangements of radio hits. Although none of them were very edgy in the first place, there’s still something uninviting about how all of the songs featured in the trailer (from Pat Benatar, Warrant, David Lee Roth, Poison, Joan Jett, et al) sound exactly the same, as if “American Idol” contestants added vocals to muzak tracks. Baldwin and Russell Banks’ duet rendition of Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll” is particularly painful, although, to be fair, it’s played for laughs.

How many songs can you cram into one two and a half minute trailer? Find out below:

What do you think of the trailer? Grade it at the top of the page.

Rock of Ages first listen: Can Tom Cruise actually sing?

Critics get a taste of the actor's take on Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" in the upcoming rock musical — and they aren't so sweet on it

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The audio: Tom Cruise is, apparently, "hot sticky sweet." But can he sing? Ever since the Mission: Impossible star was cast in the upcoming musical Rock of Ages , based on the jukebox Broadway show of the same name, critics wondered whether he had the vocal chops to pull off the role. In the film, out June 15, Cruise plays Stacee Jaxx, a bare-chested, chaps-wearing rocker in the mold of Poison's Bret Michaels, who is tasked with belting out rock and roll classics like "Paradise City" and "Wanted Dead or Alive." The first audio clip of the actor singing the Def Leppard track "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was released Tuesday. (Listen to it below.) Cruise claims that the hair band already gave his performance its stamp of approval .

The reaction: Cruise may look the part of the long-haired, tatted-up rocker in the preview images we've seen, says Mary Ouellette at Loudwire , but his vocals are too Broadway. He lacks Def Leppard's "imperfections and reckless abandon," and sounds "more like he's singing a showtune than a rock anthem." What vocals? says Billy Dukes at Ultimate Classic Rock . He's drowned out by the ramped-up background production. While Cruise's version will bring the classic track to a new audience, "it fails to separate itself form the original in any remarkable way." He sounds fine, says Katey Rich at Cinema Blend . Cruise "always seemed like one of those people who can do just about everything well." The true test, though, will be whether he can pull off those crazy '80s dance moves. Listen to Cruise's "Sugar" rendition:

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‘rock of ages’ director: ‘i was like a 15-year-old girl’ hearing tom cruise sing (video).

Adam Shankman talks to THR about Warner Bros.' movie musical, which opens in theaters on June 15.

By Rebecca Ford

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Director Adam Shankman had his work cut out with him when it came to taking the musical Rock of Ages and transitioning it to the screen. Sure, he had an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julianne Hough, Malin Akerman and Tom Cruise , but he also had a group of actors that included some who had never sung in a film.

PHOTOS: Broadway Musicals That Have Sung Their Way to the Big Screen

Cruise, who plays rockstar Stacee Jaxx in the Warner Bros. film, is known for his full-on commitment to his characters, but could the man sing?

Shankman described to The Hollywood Reporter the first time he heard Cruise sing.

“The first time I heard him sing was before we formally agreed that we were going to go forward with this,” he said. Shankman sat in the other room as Cruise did his first lesson with Axl Rose ’s former voice coach.

“He sounded amazing,” Shankman told THR. “And within one lesson his range broadened as he opened up. I opened the door, and I was like a 15-year-old girl, I was screaming and jumping up and down and going, ‘Oh my god this is going to work.’ ”

PHOTOS: ‘Rock of Ages’ Premiere Features Tom Cruise and Julianne Hough, plus Josh Duhamel and Fergie in Costume

For the film, which opens in theaters on June 15, Cruise worked on his singing voice for months.

“He was singing literally four or five hours per day. He wouldn’t stop, and I started to get scared he was going to blow out his voice,” Shankman said, adding that “There’s no 100 percent with him, there’s 10,000 percent.”

Shankman, who also directed the musical movie hit Hairspray, added that he was impressed by the level of commitment from all of the actors.

Who surprised him the most? Malin Akerman , who plays Rolling Stone journalist Constance Stark. Akerman’s character interviews Stacee Jaxx, but ends up falling for his rock star ways in one of the craziest scenes in the film.

“Because of her fearlessness and her willingness to let all of that insanity that she got embroiled in just sort of happen without blinking an eye,” Shankman said.

For her part, Akerman told THR it was an honor to work with Cruise.

VIDEO: ‘Rock of Ages’ Star Malin Akerman on Tom Cruise: ‘He Transformed Himself Into a Rock Star’

“To be able to work with Tom Cruise is incredible,” said Ackerman . “If you look back at his body of work, he’s such an incredible actor so I always feel like whenever you get to work with someone who’s been in the business for a while whose really good at their job, they always make you a better actor.”

Watch THR ’s complete interview with Shankman above.

Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @Beccamford

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Tom Cruise Is Planning to Sing and Dance in an Original Movie Musical

He is also keen to revive his 'Tropic Thunder' character Les Grossman.

At the top of the list is an "original song and dance-style musical" which they will write as a starring vehicle for Cruise. While audiences might associate Cruise primarily with dramatic action roles, he has sang on-screen before. And no, that's not a reference to the terrible lullaby scene from the middling War of the Worlds remake. He was critically lauded for his pipes in the 2012 adaptation of the Broadway show Rock of Ages , in which he played a washed-up musician and performed impressive renditions of some hair rock anthems, including "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard and "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi.

No plot details have been announced about this new musical, although given Cruise's propensity for throwing himself into life-threatening stuntwork, it's likely he will train like a professional tap-dancer to get the moves right.

And speaking of stunts, another one of Cruise and McQuarrie's pending projects is the eighth Mission: Impossible movie, which will see Cruise "speed flying." They're also keen to create a brand new action franchise together. Most bafflingly though, they are reportedly excited about the prospect of bringing back Les Grossman, Cruise's scene-stealing character from the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder .

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Did Tom Cruise Sing in Rock of Ages?

I had some issues with Rock of Ages , mainly that it’s rated PG-13 and should be rated R. You can’t have that many sexual references in a PG-13 movie and have it be ok for 13-year-olds.

Still, there was a lot to love about Rock of Ages (@RockofAgesMovie on Twitter) , Tom Cruise’s vocals being one of them. Even through all of his craziness, I’ve always been a fan, partly because he throws himself into every role with gusto — especially if it involves something he’s never done before. Hang from a building in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ? No problem? Be a foul-mouthed agent in Tropic Thunder ? Done. Belt out 80s tunes as a rock star in Rock of Ages ? That’s cool.

We can all take a page from Cruise’s book, because he doesn’t try to do these things on his own. He asks for help and hires the best trainers and coaches to get him where he needs to go. For Rock of Ages , he worked hard on his singing with Axl Rose’s former vocal coach Ron Anderson.

“Adam Shankman, the director, asked me if I could carry a tune,” Cruise explained in the June issue of W Magazine . “I said, ‘We’ll see, won’t we? This is either going to work or it’s going to be dreadful.’”

Well, it wasn’t dreadful. It was awesome. Jeremy Woodard, who began playing Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages on Broadway last September, agrees. “For him not to be a singer at all he sounded fantastic,” Woodard told the Wall Street Journal , admitting that maybe he has a teensy leg up on the mega-movie star. “I brought to it someone who’s come from a place of singing, so maybe I got him on that a little bit. I mean, with movies I guess they can fix mistakes, but here, we crack on stage and you’re going to hear every little thing that’s wrong.”

It’s interesting that Cruise never saw Woodard on stage before he began filming the movie, though he did see the Rock of Ages play in L.A. (and was also surprised with a three-song performance at a June 12 Friars Club event where he was honored with an Entertainment Icon Award).

Maybe he wanted to ensure that he’d bring his own rock-star chutzpah to the role of Stacee Jaxx without being clouded by another performance. I do that with my movie and TV reviews — never read other reviews until my own are filed. Because, you know, I’m like Tom Cruise that way.

Read my full review of Rock of Age s over at  MommaSaid.net , which runs Reel Life With Jane’s  syndicated family movie reviews .

Have you seen  Rock of Ages  yet? What did you think of Tom Cruise’s singing? 

Jane Boursaw

10 responses to “Did Tom Cruise Sing in Rock of Ages?”

I read some of Alec Baldwin’s tweets during filming, and he said Cruise’s singing was going to blow everyone away. I guess it’s really him!

I read an interview with him in People too. I, like most American girls my age, loved Tom Cruise early in his career: Taps, The Outsiders, Risky Business (who couldn’t love that underwear scene?), Top Gun, Born on the Fourth of July….but lost interest in him as I aged. Eyes Wide Shut really turned me off, mainly because it was creepy and that jumping on Oprah’s couch thing, what was that all about!? However, I never lost my love for 80s rock, so this just *might* be the movie that puts him back in my favor. 🙂

That’s a hoot that he does his own singing. Good for him.

Can’t wait to see this one – saw the show and loved it. The movie’s cast is terrific.

I heard about him singing his own tunes. The film doesn’t appeal to me–I still think movies based on musicals just never capture the magic of seeing it on stage. I loved Hairspray on stage but on film, it just seemed cheesy

You’ve intrigued me. Now I’d like to see the movie.

Tom cruise was at his peek when in real life of 1987 when heavy metal was very popular. So him playing as a heavy metal singer that look would of look good on him even when he was a teen idle back then. He was on teen magazines as the songs he did sing on this movie each singer was on Rolling Stone magazine. So weird, though he out done him self. He is still loved from the past up to now. He has shown the world he will never fade out.

Wow he totally blew me away I’m a huge gun’s and roses fan and Bon Jovi his voice was amazing. Not only is Tom Cruise hot but he’s now given himself a name on the stage. In my opinion I think maybe he should consider pursuing further a further career in music. That’s if he can handle the music career and acting. Either way keep rocking Tom xx

Nice singing, but they really should have rated this film, ‘R.’

He was a true ROCKSTAR!

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The 20 Best Tom Cruise Movie Performances

Tom Cruise needs no introduction. Seriously, one of the most popular and greatest movie stars of all time. The man had been in countless box-office hits with critical acclaim, directed by auteurs or well-recognized directors for nearly five decades now. Kubrick, Spielberg, Tony & Ridley Scott, Coppola, De Palma, Mann, PTA – you name it, he has worked with them all.

Early on, some doubted his talent because the media attention around him were little too much through the late 80s and 90s but Cruise kept proving them wrong all the time. He got criticisms for some of his public interviews (especially in 2005) and his association with the Church of Scientology but when you ask any co-star of his, most of them have only nice things to say about his dedicated professionalism and work ethic as well as his kindness. Some found his friendly and kind attitude rather phony in real life but that might just be because he’s a born-entertainer. His whole career is about pleasing others and bringing high-quality entertainment to audiences. You can just google nice stories about him, they’re pretty much endless.

Since “Top Gun Maverick” came out, there had been a lot of articles calling him the “last movie star”. The man who still brings audiences to theatre for his name recognition alone everywhere in the world, a star whose films still feel like an “event”, someone who creates his own franchises based on his name, an actor who refuses to do anything for streaming or television, someone who still has the mystique of movie stars of the previous times. There’s so much to talk about Cruise, but instead of talking about it here, it’s better to explore his incredible filmography which will help to understand what made him special as a movie star as well as his versatility as an actor.

20. Rock of Ages (2012)

Cruise is a serious man, he’s serious about his craft but he’s not afraid of poking fun at himself from time to time, or his industry (in a film that we’ll discuss later on). His comedic chops were well-known at the very beginning where he handled the satiric tone of “Risky Business” perfectly and his singing in things like “Top Gun” is serviceable for a non-singer.

In “Rock of Ages”, Cruise is here once again to steal the show with his singing and comedic chops. Admittedly, this is not a good film. It feels like a cheap Broadway show and it’d be a hit there with all the 80s songs and tributes but its silliness is not enough there to cover the bland tone and overlong runtime, as many critics complained.

The movie would also heavily benefit if it was R-rated, here it feels like they played it rather safe. Thankfully, Cruise is as committed as ever as fictional hair metal rocker Stacee Jax. He’s bit channeling Axl Rose while singing a Bon Jovi song. His singing is good, and his charisma is off the charts but also not afraid of going silly or showing some vulnerability. His scenes with Malin Akerman are particularly a highlight. As a film, it’s not one of Cruise’s best films but if we’re talking about performance, he’s got another chance to prove his versatility and he once again did it.

19. Minority Report (2002)

One of Spielberg’s best films, Minority Report expertly combines the elements of tech noir, whodunit, thriller, and science fiction elements and delivers high-quality entertainment. It’s also aging incredibly well. Looking into the future and its effects, the interplay of cause and effect between the time levels and the idea of ​​the time paradox have always been among the most fascinating subjects of the science fiction genre. It probably has to do with the narrative possibilities that the question of “what if” is so often asked in the cinema. In Spielberg’s film, it’s not people that travel but rather the information.

The film sets in the future where there’s “precrime” police program. Would-be killers are imprisoned in a benevolent virtual reality state. However, an officer from that unit is himself accused of a future murder. That officer is Tom Cruise. Most of it plays like a chase movie and Cruise’s screen charisma keeps you engaged all the time, not only that, he brings a lot of nuance to his character as well, largely via his character’s struggle to deal with the years-earlier kidnapping and death of his son. It’s a perfect kind of “star” performance.

18. War of the Worlds (2005)

As extraterrestrials invade the Earth and destroy cities with giant war machines, Cruise’s dockworker character tries to protect his children. Tom didn’t stop with “Minority Report”, and he made another film with Spielberg. This time based on a sci-fi novel by H. G. Wells. It was an interesting year for Cruise, he was on the news all the time. It was like he was having a mid-life crisis; his couch-jumping on Oprah Winfrey show was everywhere even if Oprah later defended his behavior as him expressing his love for his then love Katie Holmes. The infamous Matt Lauer interview and his feud with Brooke Shields (for which he later apologized) were other controversial moments in a career that usually avoided any of it. His off-screen persona was getting so much attention that it created an idea that his career is over and he was trying to get attention to stay “relevant”.

It’s funny think about it now but maybe it was funny then too because “War of the Worlds” was a major box office success, and critically acclaimed. Cruise’s performance was also praised. At the beginning of the film, he comes off like an unsympathetic jerk more interested in rebuilding car engines than spending quality time with his offspring. That alone shows even in the same genre, Cruise avoids getting typecast. His character also has an arc; he transforms into a reluctant hero and there are moments where he struggles to hold his emotion for the sake of his kids, and these are all amazing to watch. He’s convincing in every minute of it.

17. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

As we’re talking about his sci-fi/action films, it fits to continue with “Edge of Tomorrow”. Unlike the previous two, “Edge of Tomorrow” finds him as a less macho and more flawed type of action hero. He plays a captain who sells the war to the public but is privately a coward. He has no combat experience, it’s not an Ethan Hunt type of character. He finds himself in combat, he gets killed and then he realizes he’s brought back to life in an endless vicious cycle. “Groundhog Day” might be a rare Hollywood film that established its own genre. One might find a similar concept prior to that but this one made it popular. Luckily filmmakers managed to find to make this concept always feel fresh.

“Edge of Tomorrow” is doing that with impressive sets, amazing combat scenes, lots of black humor, and amazing chemistry between Cruise and Emily Blunt. All these, in fact, show what a great leading man Cruise actually is. Also shows that in the genre, Cruise is not afraid of taking roles that challenge his image. Edge of Tomorrow was listed on 23 critics’ top ten lists of movies of 2014 (out of 201 evaluated), another proof that Cruise might go after the blockbusters but he often chooses great ones.

16. “Top Gun” franchise (1986, 2022)

Tony Scott’s “Top Gun” was where everyone fell in love with Cruise. Always smiling, bike riding hotshot young pilot who pushes the limits with his cool glasses and jacket, singing “You Lost That Loving Feeling” – everything about it made Cruise iconic. Now that the film is often criticized for its jingoistic tone but if you take it less seriously, it has a lot to appreciate, especially how Tony Scott builds the atmosphere. Those uses of sun give a dream-like quality to the whole film and most of the film doesn’t have a linear plot, it feels more like a 70s hangout movie. Sure, with thin characters but since they’re all played by talented actors, you don’t mind it all. With great action sequences, a fine romance subplot, and an unforgettable soundtrack, “Top Gun” became an iconic film.

Cruise came back to the characters years later in “Top Gun Maverick”. Now Maverick is an old teacher. While you don’t have to watch the original to appreciate the sequel, it somehow makes it surprisingly richer because Cruise’s character reflects on another time, another era of life. It’s a bit of a moment where Cruise himself faces his age. Almost a moment for Maverick’s character arc to complete. Both films are good or great for several other reasons but one thing is for sure, they won’t be the same without Cruise and he took people’s breath away in both films.

15. The Color of Money (1986)

“Top Gun Maverick” gets a lot of praise and many people have commented that this is how legacy sequels should’ve been made. It’s indeed a brilliant piece of work but Cruise is also no stranger to great legacy sequels. Some critics were ready to dismiss it as if it was a work-for-hire film for Martin Scorsese, one of the many auteurs he has worked with. Instead, it’s a beautiful film and if you had seen “The Hustler”, it’s a great reflection on aging and many other things. Full of gorgeous, clever shots as you might expect from Michael Ballhaus.

One of the many impressive things about Cruise is that at a young age, he was not afraid of co-starring with some of the giants of their generation; Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Jack Nicholson, and in this case, Paul Newman. They make a great duo together, delivering subtle and nuanced performances with great arcs. Since they both can play the game, Scorsese uses this to get great frames from them both.

Unlike the original, this one is not full of tension but these two men are so great together, them playing, them talking, them doing everything – so it becomes a joy to watch. It’s not a film about sports clichés, it’s about characters. Cruise has some of the cockiness he displays in Top Gun but this time he’s not that bright and somewhat insecure. He loved working with Newman who raised his interest in racecars. Soon later, Cruise ended up even doing a race car movie in “Days of Thunder”. Cruise also did his own trick shots for the film, the man was all ready to perform his own stunts.

14. The Firm (1993)

While working for a law firm, a young Harvard graduate encounters inconsistencies and suspicions that catapult him into a career- and the life-threatening situation between the FBI and the mafia. There’s a better lawyer character in his filmography in a better film for sure but “The Firm” is somewhat underrated right now. Would be good to start with the fact that this film made $270.2 million against a budget of $42 million, making it the highest-grossing film adapted from a John Grisham novel (“A Time To Kill”, “The Client”) and the highest-grossing R-rated film of 1993.

It shows that the times have changed a bit, nowadays a legal drama/thriller over two hours would hardly made that much money but one of the factors that contributed to its success was Tom Cruise’s star power. People wanted to watch what Cruise does and what he does is extraordinary; playing a young, naive man full of fear and confusion who finds himself in extremely dangerous situations. Cruise carefully builds his character and rooting for him becomes very easy. “The Firm” is an intelligent thriller of its time and Cruise’s performance being at the center of it elevates it even further. The thing about Cruise is that he doesn’t play anyone extraordinary, he has a lot of puzzled moments but he finds in an himself in an extraordinary situation and tries to find a way out in rather realistic scenario.

13. Vanilla Sky (2001)

Inferior to its Spanish original “Close Your Eyes” for sure and even Penelope Cruz performance is not on the same level but it’s understandable that Cruise liked the concept and wanted to bring something fresh to Hollywood mainstream cinema. Maybe Cameron Crowe was not the right choice for the project but still, he pulls it off to a degree. Some critics dismissed Cruise’s performance as yet another star vehicle without depth but they’d be wrong, mostly because there was some judgment against this being a remake of a European film.

Cruise’s performance is pretty fascinating and he surprisingly takes on a very unlikable character in the leading role. He accomplishes to make us care about him or at least intrigued by him because we never get too sure about everything his character faces – the accident, the disfigurement, and his conviction and therapy – are all real or not. From handsome and arrogant to disfigured and self-loathing, Cruise is mesmerizing. The problem with the film was that it came out at the wrong time, it felt like, probably because of the character he plays as an attempt to gain sympathy for his own public persona but when you get rid of that on your mind, you’ll end up watching a complex, unusual work from a talented actor.

12. Interview with the Vampire (1994)

The author of the book Anne Rice wrote the script for the film version herself but totally opposed Tom Cruise’s casting in the leading role. She had more of a young Rutger Hauer type of someone to play Lestat. She didn’t see that in Tom Cruise. She offered Jeremy Irons or John Malkovich instead and even asked Brad Pitt and Tom to replace their roles but nobody listened. She was ready to disown the film because Cruise was not her Lestat.

When the film came out, Anne Rice saw it and her quote describes it the best: “From the moment he appeared Tom was Lestat for me. He has an immense physical and moral presence; he was defiant and yet never without conscience; he was beautiful beyond description yet compelled to do cruel things. The sheer beauty of Tom was dazzling, but the polish of his acting, his flawless plunge into the Lestat persona, his ability to speak rather boldly poetic lines, and speak them with seeming ease and conviction were exhilarating and uplifting. The guy is great. I’m no good at modesty. I like to believe Tom’s Lestat will be remembered the way Olivier’s Hamlet is remembered. Others may play the role some day but no one will ever forget Tom’s version of it.”

She also praised him for pulling off subtly humorous moments and also giving depth in all the subtle ways, creating a fully dimensional, interesting, and haunting character. And she was right. While the film could’ve benefited if he had better chemistry with Brad Pitt, still the performance works on the individual level. Critic Roger Ebert also agreed with the author, saying Tom is “never less than convincing, and his slight British accent, combined with makeup that is dramatic without being obtrusive, disguises the clean-cut star – makes him seem unwholesome in an odd, insinuating way.

11. Risky Business (1983)

Tom Cruise the movie star was in the making. He already got some attention to himself in “Taps”, he didn’t get the best role in Curtis Hanson’s “Lovin It” which he somewhat hated, but Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Outsiders” and underseen sports drama, Michael Chapman’s “All the Right Moves” showed that the guy has something special going on. In “The Outsiders”, you could see that he was willing to give himself to the part, both mentally and physically. Finally, it was time for a true breakout, in arguably the most stylishly directed (though some may call it “MTV aesthetics”) teen sex comedy “Risky Business”. Now the film is good, could’ve been even better with the alternative ending and better control of the satire. What is truly fantastic is Cruise’s performance. He’s young but very confident in himself.

The 80s were probably the golden decade of teen films but rarely any of them try to tackle the serious subjects of capitalism, materialism, and prostitution this well. This is also the closest Cruise came to playing a “loser”. He’s obviously too charming and charismatic to play one but he was 21 here, and while he has a lot of self-confidence and some amazing experiences, he’s still the same guy throughout the whole film. There’s no “Tom Cruise star film formula” for him yet. Even when he’s at his supposedly most powerful, he’s desperately trying to get money because he ruined his dad’s Porsche. It’s also the movie where he danced to “Old Time Rock and Roll” in his underwear when his parents leave him home alone. So iconic that even Sam Rockwell thanked him for influencing him in his SAG award speech.

5 Replies to “The 20 Best Tom Cruise Movie Performances”

I liked how he played 6’5″ Jack Reacher and people believed he was a bad-ass. That’s some good acting.

I like those shorts he does where he pretends to be a Scientologist. Haha, they’re great!

“The Last Samurai”….here we see Tom master the art of the Samurai over the course of a winter….he also learned to play the bagpipes during the Easter bank holiday week-end….as well as building a matchstick model of Middle Earth during his dinner hour.

Merry Cruisemas!

As a massive Cruise-ite, my ranking greatly differs. Fallout is Cruise’s most committed performance; he broke his ankle doing one stunt and resumed filming/doing wild stunts when he was healthy again. Risky Business is the quintessential Cruisemas performance and should be in the Top 3. Eyes Wide Shut is his greatest pure acting role (he filmed a Kubrick movie with his wife, c’mon….).

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Tom Cruise kicks off 60th birthday celebrations with cake and dancing at Adele concert

• Andy Robinson
• Published : 19:52 ET, Jul 2 2022
• Updated : 21:08 ET, Jul 2 2022

HOLLYWOOD megastar Tom Cruise kicked off his 60th birthday celebrations singing and dancing along to Adele.

The actor, who turns 60 today, watched the Hello singer live at Hyde Park on Friday.

VIP suite staff celebrated by singing Happy Birthday as he blew the candle out on a strawberry-smothered Victoria sponge.

It came after the Top Gun star was seen “bopping along” and belting out lyrics to the Grammy winner’s hits.

An eyewitness said: “ Tom looked like he had an absolute blast.

“He was really going for it with his dancing and seemed to know all the words to sing along.

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“After the set finished, staff brought the cake out for him and he couldn’t stop saying thank you. He hugged his favourite hostess as they sang Happy Birthday.

“Then he gave a speech about how nice it was for everyone to be able to come together for events again after Covid.

“And Tom said Adele was phenomenal. He was so upbeat and living his best life.”

The Hollywood star was seen singing the break-up belters following his own split with actress Hayley Atwell.

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Yesterday we exclusively revealed his Mission Impossible co-star, 40, is now dating music producer and self-styled pagan Ned Wolfgang Kelly.

But it appears to be Water Under The Bridge for Tom, who watched Adele with his sister, M:I 7 director Christopher McQuarrie and other staff from next year’s blockbuster.

A source said: “Tom loves coming to Hyde Park and has been to see The Eagles and the Rolling Stones there before.

“But he really is a massive Adele fan and loved every minute.

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“Afterwards, he walked back to his Knightsbridge hotel with a single bodyguard to rest ahead of more birthday celebrations.”

Tom is said to be planning trips to Wimbledon, which he attended with Hayley last year, and the British Grand Prix before throwing a bash for pals at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire.

• The Sun Newspaper

“I don’t really think it was”: Nicole Kidman Didn’t Blame Stanley Kubrick for Her Marriage to Tom Cruise Falling Apart Despite Numerous Claims

F or over a decade, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were the dream Hollywood couple. The actors who had a fairytale romance on the sets of their film Days of Thunder , tied the knot in 1990 and seemed to have the perfect life until their shocking divorce in 2001. During this period, the ex-couple also starred in Stanley Kubrick’s bold erotic drama, Eyes Wide Shut .

The director who pushed the boundaries of s*xual intimacy in various ways through his very specific conditions, was incidentally rumored to have been the cause for the rift between Kidman and Cruise which ultimately led to their separation. But the Oscar winner confirmed in clear terms that the film and Kubrick had nothing to do with her divorce.

Nicole Kidman Shut Down Speculations About Her Divorce With Tom Cruise

For over 11 years, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were couple goals. The two superstars who began courting on the sets of Days of Thunder which was their first film together, sealed their romance by tying the knot a year later. The celebrities also extended their family by adopting two daughters.

Unfortunately, the fairytale was not meant to be and the couple officially called it quits in 2001 . While there were many speculations floating around about the reasons behind the divorce, one rumor that was making the rounds was related to the couple’s erotic film Eyes Wide Shut directed by Stanley Kubrick.

The story follows a doctor and his wife who push the boundaries of intimacy by getting involved in various s*xual adventures to rekindle the spark in their relationship. But this experience takes a very dark turn for the couple.

Kubrick who is known for his meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of filmmaking, reportedly required both Kidman and Cruise to indulge in a high level of method acting to develop this risqué relationship. According to Menz Mag , the filmmaker allegedly wanted to film six days worth of s*x scenes which included the actors trying out over 50 different s*xual poses.

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In addition, it was reported that the Big Little Lies actor and the Top Gun star who were husband and wife at the time, were given the condition that they could not discuss any of these aspects at home once the shooting had wrapped up in order to maintain the intrigue that was required. To make sure this unorthodox method was adhered to, Kubrick allegedly told the couple to live apart during the filming (via Slash Film ).

These stringent rules and regulations that Kubrick insisted on, were considered by many as one of the reasons for the two actors falling apart emotionally with each other. But The Hours star put an end to these rumors once and for all in 2012 when she sat down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter where she discussed various aspects of the film. Addressing this issue directly, she said,

”People thought that making the film was the beginning of the end of my marriage, but I don’t really think it was. Tom and I were close then, and it was very much the three of us. On screen, the husband and wife are at odds, and Stanley wanted to use our marriage as a supposed reality.“

Kidman went on to praise Kubrick for his creative genius and his vision that brought forth stories of this nature. She also revealed that she was devastated on hearing of the filmmaker’s demise which happened ironically before the film’s official release.

Nicole Kidman Broke Her Ribs For This Role

While Nicole Kidman had to come out of her comfort zone for Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut , the actor has had other instances where she has pushed herself to the limit for a role. Moulin Rouge was a breakthrough film for Kidman mainly because the star took on not just the burden of acting, but also channeled her cabaret singing and dancing skills for the role of a courtesan.

While the Oscar winner received rave reviews for her performance, it was grueling physical work behind the scenes. For the role, Kidman went through hard rigor and practice that resulted in the star sustaining quite a few injuries while filming.

“That feels really inappropriate”: How Nicole Kidman’s Oscar Win Helped Her Finally Move On from Tom Cruise to Find Love Once Again

Further, with her need for perfection to get into a corset that would give her the perfect silhouette for the character, Kidman went on to aggravate her existing wounds. The actor recalled the tough challenges she faced in an appearance on The Graham Norton Show (Via Yahoo News ).

“I hurt myself dancing in heels at three in the morning and I fell downstairs. I then re-broke my rib getting into a corset. I had this thing that I wanted to get my waist down to 18 inches, which Vivien Leigh had on Gone with the Wind and I was just like, “tighter, tighter!”’

Despite these painful encounters, the effort was completely worth it as Kidman proved her versatility as a full-fledged performer with Moulin Rouge .

Eyes Wide Shut can be rented on Apple TV.

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Keane’s Tom Chaplin and Tim Rice-Oxley look back: ‘Long friendships are like a marriage. You have to adapt to each other’s madness’

The founding members of the band on early gigs, a magical brush with a Beatle, and being lifelong friends

Tom Chaplin and Tim Rice-Oxley are childhood friends and founding members of Keane , a group from Battle, East Sussex. The band formed in 1995 and released their debut album, Hopes and Fears, in 2004. It won them a Brit award, and became one of the bestselling albums in UK chart history. The band took a hiatus in 2013, with Chaplin releasing a solo album and Rice-Oxley forming side project Mt Desolation. To celebrate 20 years of Hopes and Fears, the band tour the UK this spring and summer.

Tom Chaplin

This photo was taken in the grounds of Vinehall school in the village of Robertsbridge, which my mum and dad ran. I was nine, so there’s a slight sense of bashfulness on my face; the sort of awkward feelings I’ve since had years of therapy to deal with. But it would have been a fun summer’s evening. It was pretty idyllic, our wild and free childhood, charging around the woods on our bikes or building dens.

Tim has always been my hero. As far back as I can remember, he was cool and intriguing. He was my best friend’s older brother, and he had a sticker on his bed that said: “Don’t cry, girls. I’ll be back.” I think that was the last time Tim had proper balls-out confidence.

When this was taken, Tim already had a little world of songs and I really wanted to join him. Our first official Keane gig was at the Hope & Anchor in London in 1998. The audience was just our friends, including Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland from Coldplay. Tim was studying classics with Chris at University College London, so we did a few gigs with them over the years. Seeing Chris’s confidence and how polished they were as a band made me realise we’d have to take things a bit more seriously if we wanted to make it.

I’ve had a lot of pinch-me moments in Keane, but Christmas Eve 2004 stands out. It was the end of a pretty amazing year, and I’d had a few beers and was doing some last-minute shopping. Paul McCartney lived nearby in Sussex, and I spotted him coming out of a health food shop. I approached him and said: “I’m Tom, I’m in a local band called Keane.” He was very gracious and said: “Oh, great, I’ll go and buy your record from Woolworths.” The next time I saw him was at Live Aid. It turned out he and Heather Mills had fallen in love to our record. He was there, side of the stage, singing along to our songs. To have that impact on a Beatle was incredible.

It’s easy to lose sight of who you are within the lifestyle of a band – the money and the fame. Mine and Tim’s friendship meant that even if we drifted away from the people we once were, there was a shared history that kept us connected, especially as I encountered my addictions [Tom struggled with drug and alcohol addiction while in Keane and is now sober]. Our egos could run out of control, and we had a solid foundation to return to. I’m very grateful to Tim because he’s put up with a lot of my shit over the years, but he kept the faith in me.

I’ve always looked up to Tim. He’s driven and creative, but also kind – probably even kinder as he’s got older. He’s intelligent too, and that manifests in the songwriting. He can articulate something obvious, but no one else has quite said it like that before. That skill still fills me with a sense of wonder. His songs have given me a life and an opportunity to convey something that means a lot, not just me, but to the rest of the world.

Tim Rice -Oxley

I can tell by the way I’m leaning on the log that I was still in my Top Gun era – Tom Cruise, topless volleyball and high fives, that sort of thing. It was definitely the last time I thought I was remotely cool. Shortly afterwards, it was bashed out of me by life.

This image has always stuck in my head. I wasn’t sure which “fallen tree” I was referring to when we wrote Somewhere Only We Know, but it would have been an amalgamation of trees, including this one, that had fallen in the 1987 storm .

Although I was three years older, Tom and I spent a lot of time together as teenagers. He would come over on a Saturday, and there would be a point when his mum would come to pick him up and we’d have a debate about whether he could stay the night. Part of the fun was in the tussle with our parents, knowing if we pulled it off we’d have a whole night of watching The Goonies , eating choc ices and listening to OK Computer. We spent many long nights poring over Radiohead lyrics and thinking about their significance. It became a musical obsession.

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Tom is very energised and up for anything. When we were kids, he had a gift for finding the best in a really boring day, and could always come up with a stupid game to play. As you go through life, that positivity becomes much more important. I am easily discouraged. We had a lot of nearly moments when we were starting out. There was a point in 2002 when we’d written lots of good songs and were trying to get signed. Labels would come to Battle to hear us play, but it would come to nothing. That went on for a long time. My spirits were flagging, but Tom was always encouraging. When I’m writing sometimes, I think: I should probably give up now, I’m too uncool, I’m too old. But I know that if I sit at the piano, I have at least two days of writing total shit before I get to anything half decent. Tom’s always very generous in supporting my creativity throughout those hard bits. It has made a huge difference to me because I don’t really have anyone else who does that, and I really respect his opinion.

We came up in the era when to make it you had to play in pubs around Camden. Every week there would be another new group posing and trying to look cool. We were lost in a swamp of musicians all on the same mission to get signed, and it became clear that we had to get our shit together to make an impression, and Tom’s quiet determination came in very useful then.

The first time we did Glastonbury was a once-in-a-lifetime feeling. It was a realisation that things weren’t normal. Hopes and Fears had come out in the UK and we were at No 1, but we’d been travelling across the States and playing small venues, so we hadn’t acknowledged its popularity. To see it manifest in a 20,000-strong audience at Worthy Farm was incredible. An adrenaline rush that was indescribably weird. I came off stage shaking.

In some ways, lifelong friendships are like a marriage. You have to permit each other to change over time, and adapt to each other’s madnesses and mutations. Tastes are fickle and bands break up, so I am very appreciative of the friendship and music we’ve made together. What’s important is to adapt and enjoy the newness. That’s been a massive breakthrough for us – but try us again in another 20 years.

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Fame, impact, and pushing boundaries is the recipe for popular, fan-driven content. Explore what's driving breakthrough moments of popularity and how brands can better connect with audiences in our latest LinkedIn newsletter.

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