The Scandal That Nearly Ended Tom Cruise’s Career

what if the movie star you idolized was a puppet controlled not by a studio but by a controversial church with a dark reputation Tom Cruz's career almost crashed and burned not because of a box office bomb but because of scientology's influence in this video we're exposing the shocking events that nearly destroyed his reputation and the lengths he went to regain control but let's start from the beginning born on July 3rd 1962 in Syracuse New York Tom was the second of four children his family wasn't well off and his childhood was marked by constant moving and financial struggles Tom's father Thomas Cruz mapa 3 was an electrical engineer but Tom remembers him as a bully who would often hit his kids he described his dad as a chaos Merchant and someone you couldn't trust his mom Mary Lee was a special education teacher and she did her best to raise the kids with a Catholic upbringing money was tight so Tom had to work on jobs from a young age he mowed lawns Rak leaves delivered newspapers and even sold postcards to make 's meet because his family moved around so much he went to 15 different schools in 14 years one of those schools was in Canada where Tom's dad got a job in the military while living there Tom discovered his love for acting he joined the drama club and performed in plays one of his teachers even said that he was a natural performer but then his parents got divorced and his mom took the kids back to the United States Tom's dad later passed away from cancer for a while Tom thought about becoming a priest and even studied at a seminary but he got kicked out for drinking and acting up he realized that being a priest wasn't for him Tom went back to high school where he played football but got into trouble for drinking before a game he was always getting into something quitting jobs or getting fired because he was bored his life was full of ups and downs but he never gave up on his dream of becoming an actor his last High school was in New Jersey where he continued acting in school plays finally in 1980 he graduated and was ready to take on the world he had no idea that he would soon become one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood fresh out of high school Tom Cruz packed his bags and headed to New York City eager to make his acting dreams a reality with the support of his mom and stepdad he started the hustle working as a waiter to pay the bills while tirelessly going to auditions his perseverance paid off after a while Tom moved to Los Angeles and caught the attention of the creative artists agency CAA a major talent agency this led to his first small movie role in Endless Love in 1981 in the same year he landed a bigger part in Taps playing a wild Military Academy student Endless Love opened doors for Tom leading to more acting gigs he joined the cast of The Outsiders a movie based on a popular book and also starred in all the right Right Moves people in the industry were starting to notice his talent during this time Tom dated a few women including Rebecca deor Patty SE Alfa and even Sher but he was laser focused on his career his big breakthrough came in 1983 with the movie risky business he played a high schooler who turns his house into a brothel while his parents are away it was a risky role but it paid off big time critics loved Tom's performance and Risky Business became a huge success it was a turning point in his career launching him into the spotlight and setting the stage for him to become the Superstar we know today in 1985 Tom Cruz already a rising star took on the lead role in Ridley Scott's fantasy epic Legend he played Jacko the green a forest dweller with a magical connection to Nature interestingly Tom would be called Jack in several other movies later on it seems he liked the name Legend didn't become a blockbuster but it did get nominated for a few Awards including an oscar but the following year 1986 Tom's career really took flight with Top Gun at first he wasn't sure about doing the movie but the producers convinced him by taking him on a thrilling ride in an F-14 fighter jet he experienced all the twists and turns and by the time he landed he was hooked he loved the adrenaline rush and was eager to be part of the film to prepare for the role Tom learned how to ride a motorcycle and even got behind the controls of a real F-14 this was the beginning of his reputation for for doing his own stunts a dedication that has continued throughout his career Tom's First Flight in an F-14 wasn't exactly smooth sailing he flew with a pilot named Lloyd Bozo Abel who put the jet through some intense Maneuvers Tom ended up getting sick and when Bozo started climbing the g-forces pushed Tom's head down to the floor of the cockpit he finally managed to tell Bozo what was happening and Bozo's response was a classic they don't call me Bozo for nothing there was another funny detail about filming Top Gun Tom Cruz is actually shorter than his co-star Kelly McGillis so he had to wear special shoes with thick soles in some scenes to make them look closer in height this was particularly noticeable in a scene where their characters are talking after a motorcycle chase top gun was a massive success becoming one of the biggest movies of the year it solidified Tom Cruz's status as a superstar and cemented his love for adrenaline pumping action scenes it was the beginning of a career filled with thrilling stunts and iconic roles that would make him a household name in 1987 Tom married actress Mimi Rogers who introduced him to the Church of Scientology a controversial organization that would play a significant role in his life for years to come their marriage however didn't last long they divorced in 1990 citing busy schedules and a loss of connection as the reasons but Tom didn't let the divorce slow him down he jumped right back into acting starring in The Color of Money along onside the legendary Paul Newman years later Tom shared a funny story about a lesson he learned from Newman on set during a cold Chicago winter Tom was freezing in a leather jacket while Newman stayed warm in a car with a heater Newman jokingly teased Tom about his choice of attire showing him the importance of being prepared for any situation on set in 1988 Tom starred in cocktail a movie that didn't exactly win over critics it was even nominated for several golden raspberry Awards also known as the razis which recognized the worst movies and performances of the year but that same year Tom also starred in Rainman with Dustin Hoffman and that movie was a completely different story at first both Tom and Hoffman weren't sure about the film's potential they jokingly called it two jerks in a car Hoffman even wanted to quit after 3 weeks of filming telling the director it was the worst job he'd ever had little did he know that he would end up winning an Oscar for his performance throughout filming Tom and Hoffman rehearsed together even switching roles sometimes their dedication and hard work paid off as Rainman became a critical and Commercial Success even the legendary actor Michael Kaine praised Tom's acting in that film calling it perfectly played Tom's character required a lot of discipline and nuance and he pulled it off flawlessly earning the empathy of audiences worldwide Rainman didn't initially set the box office on fire but it quickly gained momentum and became a massive success the film won four Academy Awards including best picture and Tom received the Kansas City film critic Circle Award for best supporting actor it's now considered a classic and Tom's performance is a big reason why in 1989 Tom took on a different kind of role in born on the 4th of July he played Ron kovich a real life Vietnam War veteran who became paralyzed this powerful performance earned him a Golden Globe award a Chicago film critics assoc Association award and a People's Choice Award it also landed him his first Oscar nomination for best actor Tom was becoming a major player in Hollywood and his star power was undeniable in 1990 People magazine even named him the sexiest man alive his next film Days of Thunder was a romantic Sports drama about race car drivers this is where he met Nicole Kidman the actress who would become his second wife Tom was so impressed with her performance in another movie that he insisted she be cast as his love interest the idea for Days of Thunder came about when Tom and Paul Newman got to test drive a race car they were so excited about it that they started making the movie without even having a finished script they would often come up with scenes on the spot right before filming Tom was so into the racing scenes that he even tried to read his lines from Q cards attached to the windshield while driving this led to a minor accident and after that he had to wear an earpiece so someone could feed him his lines turns out Tom had always loved cars and racing he used to watch races on TV as a kid and working with Paul Newman on The Color of Money only fueled his passion Newman even let Tom try his hand at racing and he got to drive a modified Nissan GT3 car on a real track Tom's first race was a scary experience he was terrified but also exhilarated by the speed and adrenaline in Days of Thunder most of his driving stunts were done by a professional NASCAR driver but even then Tom's Love For Speed and excitement was evident fun fact the cars used in the film were actually prepped by a professional racing team and some even raced in real competitions later on but the biggest spark on set wasn't the engines but the chemistry between Tom and Nicole Kidman they fell in love and quickly became one of Hollywood's hottest couples getting married on Christmas Eve that same year Nicole later admitted she was head over heels for Tom so much so that she put her own life plans on hold she desperately wanted to have a baby with him but sadly she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and lost the child this painful experience LED them to adopt two children Isabella and Connor through the Church of Scientology in 1992 Tom and Nicole teamed up again on screen for the historical drama Far and Away playing Irish immigrants seeking their fortune in America it was another chance for them to Showcase their onscreen chemistry Tom's star power was only growing he starred in the legal thriller the firm in 1993 a movie based on a popular book by John Grisham this film was so big for Tom that he even negotiated a deal to have his name be the only one above the title on the movie poster another big star Jean Hackman was upset about this and asked for his name to be removed from the poster altogether but despite the drama the movie was a huge success making 270 million dollars at the box office every year Tom Cruz's projects got bigger and more exciting but he still loved action movies like sports and War dramas so his next role surprised a lot of people but he loved scary movies and had always been fascinated by vampires the filming wasn't easy though to get ready for the role of leat Tom watched videos of lions attacking zebras it's a bit strange but it helped him understand lat's predatory nature interestingly the role was originally offered to Johnny Depp but he turned it down at first the author of the book Interview with the Vampire didn't think Tom was right for the role of Lestat film was a box office hit making over $223 million and it was even nominated for a couple of oscars since then then Tom has kept a sweet tradition every Christmas he sends Kirsten Dunst who played the young vampire Claudia in the movie a coconut cake with white chocolate pieces she calls it the cruise cake and loves it in 1996 he starred in Mission Impossible a movie that would define his career for years to come he played Ethan Hunt a top secret agent who has to clear his name after being accused of a crime he didn't commit it was the start of a hugely successful franchise and Tom's role as Ethan hunt would become one of his most iconic Tom Cruz and his production partner Paula Wagner spent months brainstorming the story for Mission Impossible with director Sydney Pollock but eventually Tom decided to bring in Brian DePalma a director he had met while working on Interview with the Vampire Tom was impressed by depalma's films and felt he was the right person for the job the script went through many revisions with multiple writers contributing to the final product but the core idea of a secret agent framed for a crime and trying to clear his name remained unchanged DePalma convinced Tom to film the first part of the movie in Prague a city not often seen in Hollywood films at the time the studio wanted to keep the budget down but Tom had a vision for a spectacular action movie he ended up saving them some money by doing most of his own stunts even though some of them were quite dangerous one famous scene involved Tom hanging from the ceiling and he actually kept bumping his head on the floor until he figured out a way to balance himself with corn Co in his shoes the trick Tom used to fool Jee Reno's character with a CD was a real slight of hand trick not movie Magic and that scene in the restaurant with the huge aquarium filled with lobsters that was Tom's idea too the director wanted to use a stunt man but Tom insisted on doing it himself even though there was a risk of drowning Mission Impossible was a box office smash breaking records on its opening day Tom even turned down his usual $20 million salary for a share of the profits critics loved the movie calling it a thrilling and exciting ride the movie's success launched a whole series of Mission Impossible films with Tom reprising his role as Ethan Hunt in each one in the same year he also starred in the romantic comedy drama Jerry Maguire with Renee zelger this movie was another hit earning Tom his second Oscar nomination while Tom Cruz's career continued to soar with his films becoming even bigger and more more diverse a personal drama was unfolding behind the scenes his marriage to Nicole Kidman was falling apart and rumors swirled that his involvement with Scientology was a major factor by this point Tom had become one of the most famous scientologists in the world some even whispered that the church's leader David miscavage had a strong influence over Tom making him believe he couldn't function without the religion Nicole a devout Catholic struggled with her husband's Devotion to Scientology her father a psychologist also voiced concerns about Tom's behavior in 1997 Nicole left Scientology and rumors circulated that she had disrupted Tom's rituals and questioned the church's intentions it's hard to know the full truth of what happened but the strain on their marriage was evident they eventually divorced in 2001 and their two adopted children chose to stay with their father and remain within the church despite the divorce Tom tried to be a good dad he even left the Oscars early in 2002 to to go home and watch the rest of the ceremony with his kids and then an incident happened that changed the Tom image in 2004 he made a bold and controversial statement that sparked a media Firestorm he declared that he believed Psychiatry should be outlawed a stance that aligned with his beliefs as a Scientologist this statement raised eyebrows and Drew criticism from many who believed in the value of mental health treatment the controversy intensified the following year when Cruz publicly criticized actress Brook Shields for using Paxil an anti-depressant to treat her postpartum depression he argued that there was no scientific basis for mental illness and that psychiatric medications were harmful Shields fired back defending her decision to seek treatment and urging Cruz to focus on his action movies rather than meddling in women's health care choices this exchange ignited a heated debate about the role of Psychiatry and the validity of mental illness the controversy reached a boiling point when Cruz appeared on NBC's Today Show in June 2005 he engaged in a tense argument with host Matt laau defending his stance on Psychiatry and dismissing the effectiveness of medication the interview became a viral sensation with many criticizing Cruz for his seemingly aggressive and dismissive attitude towards mental health issues the medical community didn't take kindly to Tom Cruz's views they felt that his comments were harmful and added to the stigma already surrounding mental illness it's like when someone is sick sick and instead of getting help they feel ashamed and hide their illness that's the kind of negative effect Cruz's words had on people who needed treatment even the lancit a prestigious medical journal weighed in they agreed that psychiatric drugs might be overused sometimes and lifestyle changes can definitely help but they pointed out that Cruz as a famous person was making things worse for people already dealing with mental illness Brook Shields the actress Cruz had criticized called his comments a disservice to mothers everywhere she was speaking out for all the women who struggle with postpartum depression feeling that Cruz was making it harder for them to seek help eventually in August 2006 Cruz realized the impact of his words and apologized to Brook Shields in person Scientology the religion Tom Cruz follows is known for its strong stance against traditional Psychiatry and the use of psychiatric medications this belief played a big role in Cruz's controversial views on Mental Health it's even been reported that Cruz's and an Psychiatry views caused problems between him and director Steven Spielberg who had directed him in Minority Report apparently Spielberg mentioned a doctor friend who prescribed psychiatric medication and soon after scientologists started protesting outside that doctor's office this allegedly upset Spielberg and created a rift between the two Hollywood heavyweights in March 2004 another significant shift occurred in Tom Cruz's professional life his publicist of 14 years Pat Kingsley unexpectedly resigned this raised eyebrows as Kingsley was a highly respected figure in Hollywood Cruz then replaced her with his sister Lee Anne DEET who was also a Scientologist this move further fueled speculation about the influence of Scientology on Cruz's career decisions however D vet's tenure as his publicist was short-lived she was replaced by Paul block from the renowned publicity firm Rogers and Cowan in November 2005 this change in representation was widely interpreted as an attempt to control the narrative surrounding Cruz's controversial views on Scientology and his relationship with Katie Holmes in 2013 Lawrence Wright's book going clear Scientology and the prison of belief shed light on Cruz's prominent role within the organization the book later adapted into a documentary by Alex Gibney alleged that Scientology had been involved in selecting romantic Partners For Crews and that he had exploited seaorg and Rehabilitation project Force workers for unpaid labor one of the most shocking claims in the documentary came from Cruz's former auditor Marty Ren who alleged that Cruz had his then wife Nicole Kidman wiretapped at the behest of the Scientology organization Cruz's lawyer vehemently denied this accusation another disturbing Revelation came from Cruz's ex-girlfriend nazanin boniadi who likened scientology's practice of auditioning women to date Cruz and her experiences with him to White slavery y this further tarnished Cruz's image and raised serious concerns about the organization's practices in 2005 Tom Cruz wasn't just focused on acting he was also a passionate advocate for Scientology he actively lobbied politicians in France and the UK to recognize the church as a tax exempt organization he even tried to influence officials in the Bush Administration to support Scientology it was clear that Scientology was more than just a religion for Tom it was a cause he deeply believed in Tom claims that Scientology helped him overcome dyslexia as a child and sees the church's teachings as a way to improve the world but not everyone shares his enthusiasm some former members of Scientology like actress Leah reminy have spoken out against the church and criticize Tom's involvement reminy believes that Tom has changed over the years becoming more like the head of Scientology David miscavage and fully dedicated to spreading the religion she even claims that Tom is no no longer the kind and decent person he once was rumors swirled that the Church of Scientology played a role in selecting Tom's next girlfriend hoping to avoid the problems he had with Nicole Kidman who wasn't a Scientologist they reportedly introduced him to actress nazan and bonatti but their relationship didn't last shortly after Tom met Katie Holmes at a Hollywood party and they quickly fell in love Katie had been a fan of Tom since she was young and their romance seemed like a fairy tale come true in a whirlwind of excitement Tom publicly declared his love for Katie on the Oprah Winfrey Show and they soon announced that they were expecting a baby Tom was so thrilled about the pregnancy that he even bought a $200,000 ultrasound machine for home use this Drew criticism from medical professionals but Tom promised to donate the machine to a hospital after the baby was born in 2006 their daughter Suri was born and 6 months later Tom proposed to Katie at the Eiffel Tower they had a lavish Scientology wedding in it with the head of the church as Tom's best man Katie raised a Catholic converted to Scientology for Tom even with all the excitement of his personal life Tom never slowed down his career in 2006 Tom was back for another round of impossible missions in Mission Impossible three critics liked this one more than the second movie and it made a whopping $400 million at the box office Tom was truly at the top of his game even being named the most influential actor in Hollywood by Premier magazine and the most INF infuential celebrity in the world by Forbes Japan even declared October 10th Tom Cruz day because of his love for the country in 2007 he took a small role in a war drama called lions for lambs which didn't do too well but he bounced back in 2008 with a hilarious role in The Comedy Tropic Thunder where he played an unrecognizable and over-the-top movie executive named Les grman he even got another Golden Globe nomination for it that same year Tom starred in the historical Thriller Valkyrie which was a commercial success between 2002 and 2009 he was nominated for seven Saturn Awards winning once it was a great time for his career with nine out of 10 of his films making over 100 million at the box office Tom's next movie night and day was a fun action comedy where he reunited with Cameron Diaz but then it was back to Serious Business with Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol this movie took Tom's stunt work to a whole new level he climbed the tallest building in the world the Burge Khalifa at the age of 49 it was a daring stunt that few actors would even consider the film was a huge hit breaking records for the franchise and earning over $694 million worldwide Tom continued his love for action roles in 2011's Rock of Ages a musical that didn't perform as well as expected he then took on the lead role in Jack Reacher based on a popular book series some fans were upset because Tom wasn't as tall as the character in the books but the author defended him saying that Tom captured the essence of the character perfectly in 2012 Tom's personal life took another turn when Katie Holmes filed for divorce many believe it was because of her concerns about scientology and its influence on their daughter Suri as a result of the divorce Tom lost custody of Suri and has limited contact with her he does however pay a significant amount in child support despite the personal turmoil Tom continued to work on exciting projects He starred in the sci-fi film Oblivion and the action-packed Edge of Tomorrow showcasing his versatility and dedication to his craft even in the face of challenges Tom Cruz's star power remained undeniable he continued to take on daring roles push his limits and entertain audiences around the world Tom's next mission was to star in a reboot of the classic horror film The Mummy in this 2017 movie he played a soldier who accidentally awakens an an ient Egyptian princess unfortunately the movie didn't do too well with critics or at the box office Tom didn't let that disappointment stop him in 2018 he returned as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible Fallout the stunts in this movie were even crazier than before Tom jumped out of a plane from 25,000 ft in the air and he was 56 years old at the time he also broke his ankle while jumping between buildings but he kept running like a trooper to finish the scene the movie was a huge hit making over $791 million and becoming the highest grossing film in the mission impossible series with that kind of success it's no wonder they're making two more sequels in fact Tom was even spotted on top of a moving train while filming Mission Impossible 7 we can only imagine what crazy stunts he'll pull off in the next movie but wait there's more in 2020 it was announced that Tom would star in and produce a movie filmed in space he's teaming up with director Doug Lyman to make make this happen and they'll be heading to the International Space Station on a SpaceX rocket now that's what we call a mission impossible in the meantime Tom starred in Top Gun Maverick the long- awaited sequel to the 1986 classic the movie's release was delayed a few times because of the pandemic but it finally came out in 2022 bringing back all the high-flying action and excitement that fans loved Tom Cruz's love for Thrills isn't just limited to the movie screen he's a real life adrenaline junk enjoying skydiving scuba diving and even piloting his own stunt plane he owns a vintage World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane which he proudly calls Kiss Me Kate he even went skydiving with James Cordon on The Late Late Show jumping from a plane at 12,000 ft Tom's got a pretty impressive real estate portfolio too he owns homes in Beverly Hills Clearwater Florida and even has places in London and West Sussex England he's also a big soccer fan thanks to his friendship with David Beckham he cheers for the Spanish Team Real Madrid but Tom isn't just about Fame and Fortune he's known for his generosity and often donates to Charities like the Ashley Flint fund the tsunami Relief Fund and the diabetes Foundation he's also a big supporter of the Church of Scientology which he credits with helping him overcome dyslexia one heartwarming story involves Tom's visit to a Dairy Queen in Virginia while filming War of the Worlds he saw a jar with a picture of a young girl named Ash Ashley Flint who had been in a go-kart accident without hesitation Tom put $5,000 in the jar to help her family with medical bills this act of kindness shows his compassion and willingness to help others in need although Tom's not making movies as frequently as he used to his films are still eagerly anticipated by fans all over the world he's a global Superstar whose movies have earned over 10 billion dollar worldwide it's amazing to think that despite his massive success he's never started in a Marvel movie even though he almost played Iron Man back in the 9s Tom Cruz's life is full of Adventure both on and off the screen he's a talented actor a philanthropist and a thrill seeker who never shies away from a challenge it seems like the sky the limit for this Hollywood icon and we can't wait to see what he does next

Channel: The Unseen

Views: 148,347

Keywords: tom cruise, tom cruise scandal, tom cruise and katie holmes marriage, tom cruise interview, tom cruise and nicole kidman, tom cruise scandalous, katie holmes and tom cruise, why everyone hates tom cruise.., the, ultimate, expedition, the Ultimate expedition, prime, discovery, prime discovery, top, exploration, top exploration

Id: aT9ib0dJnfw

Length: 27min 47sec (1667 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 20 2024