Tom Cruise in eight cult roles
To coincide with the release of the latest installment of Mission: Impossible, we focus on the major performances of Tom Cruise, chameleon actor and king of spectacle.
A career born in the 80s… and still going strong
We know him for his stunts, his legendary sprints and his uncommon determination. But above all, Tom Cruise has an impressively varied filmography, punctuated by sometimes risky choices that have shattered his image as Hollywood’s “golden boy”.
Joel Goodson in Risky Business (1983)
First appearance: in this cult teen-movie, Cruise makes teenagers dance to Bob Seger. Beneath its airs of light comedy, the film reveals a genuine reflection on risk-taking and emancipation, and propels Tom Cruise onto the highway to success.
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun (1986) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
An absolute symbol of 80s cinema, Top Gun established Cruise as the sex symbol and action hero of the era. In 2022, Maverick confirms his return to favor, with a sequel hailed for its sincerity and technical mastery.
Ron Kovic in Born on July 4th (1989)
It’s in this Oliver Stone drama that Cruise shatters his glamorous image. As a Vietnam War veteran turned activist, he delivers an intense, vulnerable and political performance, which earned him an Oscar nomination.
Lestat de Lioncourt in Entretien avec un vampire (1994)
Undoubtedly one of his most unexpected roles: cruel, sensual and ambiguous, Lestat is an aristocratic, manipulative vampire. Tom Cruise breaks the mould, wins over the critics and delivers a fascinating performance that is still acclaimed today.
Jerry Maguire in Jerry Maguire (1996)
Part romantic comedy, part sports-business satire, Cruise plays an agent in crisis, trying to reinvent himself. We remember his cult lines (“Show me the money!”) and his vibrantly human performance.
Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible (1996 – present)
It’s impossible to talk about Tom Cruise without mentioning the Mission: Impossible saga. More than a role, it’s his personal playground. Actor, producer and stuntman, he pushes each film to new technical and narrative heights.
John Anderton in Minority Report (2002)
In this dystopian universe directed by Steven Spielberg, Cruise shines in a tense, paranoid and deeply human role. Minority Report blends thriller and reflection on free will with rare elegance.
Nathan Algren in The Last Samurai (2003)
Here, Cruise immerses himself in feudal Japan to play an American captain torn between two worlds. A spectacular epic, the film also reveals an actor inhabited by the physical and moral demands of his role.
Read also: Jennifer Lawrence in Die, My Love: a slap in the face at Cannes
