Thomas Cruise Mapother IV is an American actor and producer. Tom Cruise, byname of Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, (born July 3, 1962, Syracuse, New York, U.S.)
American actor who emerged in the 1980s as one of Hollywood’s most popular leading men, known for his clean-cut good looks and versatility.
One of the world's highest-paid actors, Cruise, who took up acting in high school, made his film debut in Endless Love (1981).
He had supporting roles in such movies as Taps (1981) and The Outsiders (1983) before starring as a high-school senior who turns his parents’ home into a brothel in Risky Business (1983).
The movie was a major success, earning Cruise widespread recognition. His star status was cemented with Top Gun (1986)
In 1986 Cruise appeared opposite Paul Newman in The Color of Money, which was directed by Martin Scorsese, and two years later starred as an autistic man’s selfish brother in Rain Man.
For his portrayal of a Vietnam War veteran turned activist in Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Cruise received his first Academy Award nomination.
Cruise starred in a number of action films in the 2000s, including the science-fiction thriller Minority Report (2002), directed by Steven Spielberg