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When Tom Cruise and Cher secretly dated in the 1980s: 'There was a connection'

4 December 2023, 15:01

By Tom Eames

Tom Cruise and Cher are two of Hollywood's most iconic stars, but you might not know that they were once an item.

Back in the mid-to-late 1980s, Tom Cruise was making a name for himself as one of Hollywood's leading men, with roles in films like Top Gun , Legend and Risky Business .

Meanwhile, Cher had already been a massive star for two decades. She first found fame as part of the pop duo Sonny & Cher with ex-husband Sonny Bono, and then went on to become a successful solo artist, TV presenter and actress.

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Cher - who is 16 years older than Tom - first met the actor in 1985 when Tom was 23 and she was 38. They met at Madonna and Sean Penn’s wedding (which is amazing in itself) and they apparently went on to have a short fling.

Speaking about when they next met, Cher told Event : " Then a bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic.

"We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there."

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Cher had previously told TV host James Corden that Tom was among her "top five lovers", and had also told Oprah Winfrey that he could have been a "great big romance" if they hadn’t been forced to part ways due to their busy schedules.

When asked by Oprah about their date, Cher responded: "That was a long date — I lived in his apartment.”

Who is Cher's All-Time Best Lover? | WWHL

Cher also dated Tom Cruise's Top Gun co-star,  Val Kilmer , from 1982 to 1984. She once said: “When we kissed, I thought my head would shoot right off my body."

When asked if she and Tom were still friends, she said: "Yeah! Though I don’t get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can’t understand it so I just… don’t."

Cher has been married twice. Her first marriage was with Sonny Bono from 1969 to 1975, followed by musician Gregg Allman from 1975 to 1979.

She is currently thought to be single, recently telling Event : "I’m still on the lookout. The problem I have with all the boyfriends lately is that I don’t want to go any place with them because you can’t keep a relationship going in this kind of goldfish bowl, where everything you do and every picture you have taken will be on Instagram. There’s no way to keep something special."

Meanwhile, Tom Cruise was previously in relationships with Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman , Penelope Cruz and Katie Holmes.

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Cher Opens Up About Her Famous Past Lovers, Including Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer

The 72-year-old singer also gets candid about her face lift.

Cher believes in love after love. 

The 72-year-old music icon gets candid about her past relationships in a new tell-all interview with the  Mail on Sunday . The Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again star first touches on her romance with actor Tom Cruise, who she met in 1985 at Sean Penn and Madonna’s wedding and started dating that same year. 

After their initial introduction, the pair reunited at a White House event, and Cher recalls how the two bonded. “A bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic,” she says. "We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there.”

She adds that she’s still friends with Cruise, noting, "Though I don’t get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can’t understand it so I just… don’t.”

Back in June, Cher played "Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts"   on  The Late Late Show With James Corden,  where she was asked to name her top four best lovers in addition to Cruise, who she’d named previously. Refusing to do so, she opted to eat a dried caterpillar instead. 

However, she isn't shy about discussing her love life in this most recent interview.

Cher also dated Cruise's Top Gun co-star, Val Kilmer, from 1982 to 1984, and from what she describes, the actor is a great kisser. “When we kissed, I thought my head would shoot right off my body," she remembers.

As for KISS rocker Gene Simmons, who she dated from 1977 to 1980, Cher says he's “the one I’m crazy about,” but credits David Geffen, who she was with from 1973 to 1974, for helping to keep her off the “street.” 

She goes on to call Rob Camilletti, a bagel baker who is 18 years her junior that she dated from 1986 to 1989, "possibly the one true love of my life.”

Cher isn’t quite as complimentary when it comes to her former husbands. 

The chart-topping singer spoke of the late Gregg Allman, who she was married to from 1975 to 1979, saying, "It was really intense, but it’s hard to have a marriage with someone who’s doing drugs… Drugs and I were just never meant to be together. I thought it was stupid and still do. I saw too many people where it ruined their lives. It ruined Gregory’s life.”

As for the late Sonny Bono, who Cher was married to from 1969 to 1975, she says he treated her “more like a golden goose” than a wife, adding, “We had a weird relationship. I don’t expect anybody to understand it.” 

These days Cher is single and admits that she finds it hard to date. 

"Not this week. I’m still on the lookout,” she teases. "The problem I have with all the boyfriends lately is that I don’t want to go any place with them because you can’t keep a relationship going in this kind of goldfish bowl, where everything you do and every picture you have taken will be on Instagram. There’s no way to keep something special."

Cher also doesn't shy away from discussing her plastic surgery, which she’s been open about in the past. "Yes, I’ve had a face lift, but who hasn’t?” she quips. 

Prior to dishing about her love life to the Mail , Cher opened up to ET about her longtime friendship with her  Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again  co-star, Meryl Streep. Check it out:

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The Truth About Cher And Tom Cruise's Relationship

The legend that is Cher has arguably led one of the most fascinating lives. The singer and actress' career has spanned over five decades, and began when she burst onto the music scene as half of the musical duo Sonny & Cher. When you've been in show business for as long as Cher has, her personal life, and specifically the men she's dated, became tabloid fodder throughout the years.

Cher has been married twice, first to her Sonny & Cher partner, Sonny Bono , and then to Southern Rock legend Gregg Allman. Her dating history  has become almost as legendary as her music. Cher dated her share of rock and pop stars such as Tommy Lee, Richie Sambora, Michael Bolton, Eric Clapton, and Gene Simmons. The "Believe" singer was romantically involved with numerous actors as well, including Warren Beatty, Paul Michael Glaser, Eric Stolz (who played her son in Mask ), and Val Kilmer. As for Kilmer, Cher bragged to The Daily Mail , "[W]hen we kissed, I thought my head would shoot right off my body."

During a November 2010 interview on Watch What Happens Live , Cher revealed that she almost slept with Elvis Presley, but regretfully declined an invitation for a date. One famous actor who Cher did not turn down, though, was Tom Cruise . Continue reading to learn more about Cher and Tom Cruise's liaison.

Cher and Tom Cruise first bonded at The White House

Cher, who is 16 years older than Tom Cruise , was introduced to the actor at Madonna and Sean Penn's 1985 wedding . The two reunited when they both attended an event at the White House. The pair found themselves bonding over something they had in common. "A bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic ," she told The Daily Mail in 2018. "We didn't go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there." While the former couple are still friends, she noted, "Though I don't get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can't understand it so I just... don't."

Cher first revealed she had dated Cruise during a May 2008 interview with Oprah Winfrey, per People . Cher told Oprah that she and Cruise shared more than a one night stand, revealing they had a "long date," adding, "I lived in his apartment." During the interview, Cher gushed over Cruise, telling Oprah, "I was so crazy about him. He was so wonderful ... And he was so, like, different. He was a shy boy. He didn't have any money."

During an interview with Good Morning America in February 2008, she said Cruise was "just the most adorable man you can imagine," but noted, per The Daily Mail , that he was not a Scientologist when they were dating. Keep scrolling to find out what Cher later revealed about Tom's "skills."

Cher reveals how Tom Cruise was in bed

During a 2013 appearance on Watch What Happens Live , while playing a game called "Truth or Cher," Cohen asked Cher where Tom Cruise fell on her best lovers' list. She then revealed , "he was in the top five. It's not a long list. It's just a good list." With sexual chemistry like that, you have to wonder what caused the pair to split up in 1985? It turns out their break up happened because of scheduling. Cher revealed to Entertainment Tonight  (via HuffPost ) "It was after Risky Business and right before The Color of Money. I couldn't go to Chicago and that was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back."

In 2018, Cher shared the news on Twitter that she was working on her autobiography, tweeting , "Writing Life Story Book Due Out First Part Of 2020 Bio Pic To Follow." Apparently, when Tom Cruise got word that Cher would be writing a tell-all book, he became a little worried. 

A source on the set of Tom's new film Top Gun 2 told the  Daily Mirror that the 56-year-old actor wasn't exactly jumping on the couch with joy over Cher's new memoir, Honest . "Everyone knew he [Tom] wasn't happy," the source told the outlet, adding, "It seemed like a bit of a touchy subject." While Tom Cruise may not be thrilled about the yet to be released Cher memoir, we are waiting with anticipation for all the secrets that Cher may end up spilling!

Cher's unbelievable dating history from Tom Cruise to Val Kilmer and two famous husbands

Turn back time with a look at Cher's dating history, from her marriage to Sonny Bono, and romances with Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise, to her new lover Alexander Edwards

• 12:00, 23 Nov 2023
• Updated 12:02, 23 Nov 2023

Do you believe in life after love? Cher sure does, having enjoyed numerous whirlwind romances over the years. Ahead of the 77-year-old pop icon’s performance at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade , let’s turn back time and dive into her dating history.

In the 60s and 70s, she had two high-profile marriages with fellow musicians Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman , with both ending in divorce. The singer went on to be linked to the likes of Gene Simmons , Val Kilmer , and Tom Cruise , and is currently head over heels for music executive Alexander Edwards , who is 40 years her junior. During a 2013 appearance on Watch What Happens Lives, she teased that she'd had “just the greatest lovers ever.”

READ MORE: Celebrity Thanksgiving traditions - bundles of pies and 'rewriting history'

At the age of 16, Cher briefly dated actor Warren Beatty . In a 2018 interview with Elle , she revealed that she first met a then-25-year-old Beatty when he almost hit her with his car. “‘Are you nuts?’” she recalled saying, adding: “Then I looked at his face, and I thought, my God, it’s Warren Beatty.” She said of their fling: “You can’t call it a relationship… it was very Warren.”

Shortly afterwards, in 1962, the legend crossed paths with Sonny Bono at a party and, initially, he wasn’t that interested in her. “I was with my girlfriend, who was really beautiful. He liked her so he didn’t really say anything to me. He was like, ‘Oh yeah, kid,’” she reminisced. They ended up becoming roommates and then lovers and tied the knot in 1964. A year later, they began performing as Sonny & Cher and found huge success. In 1969, they welcomed their only child together, Chaz Bono.

The couple’s marriage began to crumble. Cher explained in 2010 that her partner had become too controlling : “He didn’t want me to grow up or have any freedom. I wasn’t allowed to do anything except work. We worked more than we lived.” They divorced in 1975, but remained close until Bono’s death in 1988, and she delivered a tearful speech at his funeral.

Cher took another trip down the aisle with Gregg Allman, of the Allman Brothers. They wed mere days after her divorce from Bono was finalized. Nine days later, she filed to end the union, but they were able to reconcile and remained married until 1979. The pair had a son, Elijah, in 1976, and they also made sweet music together on 1977 duet album Two the Hard Way. In 2018, she cited Allman’s substance abuse issues as a cause for concern: “It was really intense, but it’s hard to have a marriage with someone who’s doing drugs.” Allman died following complications from liver cancer in 2017.

Tongues started wagging when she moved on to rocker Gene Simmons, whom she was with for two years. In 1979, she gushed that it was “the best relationship I’ve ever had with a human being” and that they weren’t entirely monogamous. “I’m going through a very liberated phase right now. I think I have a very masculine attitude to dating,” she pondered. “Gene might spend time with another woman and stay the night, but he wants her to leave in the morning so he can get on with his day.” Simmons left Cher for another superstar, Diana Ross.

Entering her Hollywood heartthrob era in the 80s, Cher wooed a few silver-stars, including a young Val Kilmer, of Top Gun fame. They remain pally to this day, and for the actor’s People magazine cover story in 2021, she revisited their relationship. “He would sleep over and it was just a friendship [at first],” she said, noting: “We had unbelievable times and then put up with some times when they weren’t [that way] because we were both Alpha males.” She also supported him when he was diagnosed with throat cancer: “He was at my house a lot of the time he was sick. He was brave the whole time… he’s like nobody I’ve ever known.”

Hitting Cruise control – in more ways than one – Cher kept it in the Top Gun family when she began seeing Tom Cruise, who she bumped into at Madonna and Sean Penn’s 1985 wedding, before reconnecting at a ‘do at The White House. “A bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic. We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there,” she previously said . She also once cheekily ranked Cruise “in the Top 5” of her list of best lovers.

On a roll, Cher became smitten by baker Rob Camilletti in 1986; he was 22, and she was 40. He accompanied her to the 1988 Oscars, where she received the best actress gong for her role in Moonstruck. Although they split in 1989, the chart-topper considers Camilletti as one of the real loves of her life , describing him as “completely different” to past boyfriends and “a rock.”

Strum-thing special was in the air when Cher mixed business and pleasure whilst working with Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora , one of the producers of her 1987 album Cher. The two were very private about their relationship, before calling it a day in 1992. Sambora only had lovely things to say about his ex: “We still have fun together. We still always have a good relationship, although it didn’t work out in that particular aspect.”

More recently, Cher celebrated her one-year anniversary with 37-year-old exec Alexander Edward, who she began dating the fall of 2022 after giving one another the (ahem) Eiffel at Paris Fashion Week. Unsurprisingly, she’s Strong Enough to withstand the criticism of the age difference between them . “LOVE DOESN’T KNOW MATH, IT SEES,” she tweeted, adding that her loved ones had given him their seal of approval and that he treats her like a “queen.”

Hot on the heels of the release of her first-ever Christmas album, titled simply Christmas, Cher will usher in the holiday season when she closes the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She’ll be joined by Jon Batiste, ENHYPHEN, Brandy, David Foster, Katherine McPhee, En Vogue and more.

Cher And Tom Cruise Explored Romantic ‘Connection’ During The 1980s

Mar 21, 2022 by apost team

Both Cher and Tom Cruise have been pivotal figures in the entertainment industry in their own ways. They’ve each gone through highs and lows in their respective careers and are no strangers to having their personal life out front and center in the spotlight. While many people have become fans of Cher for her work in music and Cruise for his work in acting, many people have also become increasingly interested in learning more about their romantic relationship.

Cher has dominated the music industry with her definable voice and her beautiful stage presence for several decades, taking center stage in a number of film productions as well. Some of her biggest hits include “ Believe ” and “ If I Could Turn Back Time .” She also was famously linked to her musical partner and real life husband Sonny Bono from the duo Sonny & Cher . Cher has also been linked to a few other celebrities, such as Val Kilmer .

Cruise is most famous for his role as Ethan Hunt in the “ Mission Impossible ” franchise, as well as starring roles in “ Vanilla Sky ” and “ Jerry Maguire .” He has also had a handful of public relationships, including his marriages and divorces with actresses Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes .

While many people may not pair the two together, Cher and Cruise actually had a relationship at one point in their lives. During the 1980s, the two were romantically involved, and Cher has since even considered Cruise one of her best lovers. Read on to find out more about this iconic duo’s unlikely pairing.

During the 1980s, Cher experienced some ups and downs within her career. She struggled to find a sound that she was passionate about, but was doing well in the acting industry as she had her film breakthrough. Some of the movies she appeared in during this time included “ Silkwood ,” “ Mask ” and “ Moonstruck .”

The 1980s were also a pivotal time for Cruise as he began making a name for himself in the industry, landing roles in “ The Outsiders ” and “ Risky Business .” In 1986, he had further cemented himself as a leading man in Hollywood by landing a role in “ Top Gun .”

Cher and Cruise also bonded over some personal experiences during this decade. In 1985, they were among six of the prominent people honored for finding ways to work through their dyslexia, according to the Associated Press . They were congratulated by Nancy Reagan at a White House ceremony put on by The Lab School of Washington.

According to the Daily Mail , Cher and Cruise first met at Sean Penn and Madonna’s wedding in Malibu in 1985. Cruise was 22 years old at the time while Cher was 38. “Then a bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic,” Cher explained . She added , “We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there.”

This came years after Cher’s divorce with Bono . The two called it quits in 1975, as Cher claimed that he treated her “more like a golden goose” than a wife, according to the Daily Mail .

Cher admitted that Bono was very controlling of her life, but she has grown to look at the past with a sense of fondness. “We had a weird relationship,” Cher explained . “I don’t expect anybody to understand it.” The two stayed friends until Bono’s death in a skiing accident in 1998.

Around the time Cruise and Cher had a fling, Cruise was also finding his footing in Hollywood as a new star, and was enjoying a bit of the bachelor lifestyle. During the 1980s, he was romantically linked to Cher as well as actress Rebecca De Mornay and musician Patti Scialfa . This was also before he married Rogers in 1987.

Even though Cher and Cruise’s relationship ultimately didn’t work out, Cher said that she’s still on good terms with him, according to a 2018 report from the Daily Mail . On top of that, she has continued to rave about how great he was as a partner on various occasions.

During an appearance on “ Watch What Happens Live ” in 2013, Cher was asked by host Andy Cohen who some of her best lovers were. “Well, a lot of them kind of came in first,” Cher said . “I had just the greatest lovers ever.” When Cohen asked about her relationship with Cruise, Cher said , “He was in the top five.” She also explained that her list is “not a long list. It’s just a good list.”

This was brought up again during a 2018 episode of “ The Late Late Show ” with James Corden . While Cher stayed more tight-lipped about her past relationships this time, she admitted that Cruise was still among her top five.

While Cher dated some of the most iconic men in Hollywood, she herself is an icon to this day. Having recently turned 76 in May of 2022 Cher is still busier than ever. The singer and actress also still looks incredible for a woman over 70. You would never be able to truly guess her age with how outstanding she still looks. On top of public appearances, she has also recently launched her own scent line, Cher 90's Couture and perfume. Fans who are interested in purchasing Cher's perfumes from Walmart. 

Fans can also follow the icon herself on her social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram . Between the two platforms, the star has over six million followers combined. Following Cher gives fans behind-the-scenes access that people don't get to see otherwise. The award-winner posts lifestyle content, throwback content, as well as political content. 

Her followers comment things like, "One song at the right time can make the world of difference! You have performed many of these songs. Your music, fashion and movies over the years have been something I have admired for 32 years since I was 7 years old and stood in my grandmas bedroom listening to the song I got you babe on her battery stereo and now my sons listen to your music with me. 🤍 xxxx." 

They also comment with encouraging words such as, "Icon, goddess, legend till the end of time!" 

No matter what she is posting or doing, Cher will always be number one in so many hearts as a singer and actress. 

Did you know about Cher and Tom Cruise’s relationship? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your loved ones.

Please scroll below for more stories 

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Cher reveals what brought her and Tom Cruise together

CHER has not been shy in espousing Tom Cruise’s “talents”, but the star has finally revealed what bought the two together and it’s not what you might think.

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IT’S no secret that Cher and Tom Cruise had a fling in the 1980s. But how did their romance ignite?

In a new interview with the Daily Mail , Cher revealed the couple initially met at Sean Penn and Madonna’s wedding in 1985.

But the icon said it was a shared learning disability that would reunite them again, reports the New York Post.

“Then a bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic,” she said.

So as it seems, the pair’s first date was at the White House under the watchful eye of Ronald Reagan. But she denies there was any hanky-panky at the famous address.

“No, no, no!” she said of any naughty behaviour. However, sparks would soon fly.

“We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there,” she said.

In 2013, Cher, now 72, put Cruise, now 56, on her list of top five lovers of all time.

Talking with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live , Cher added, “It was pretty hot and heavy for a little minute.”

She also called Cruise, now a Scientologist, a “great, loveable guy.”

Asked if she currently had a boyfriend, Cher said: “Not … not this week. I’m still on the lookout. The problem I have with all the boyfriends lately is that I don’t want to go any place with them because you can’t keep a relationship going in this kind of goldfish bowl, where everything you do and every picture you have taken will be on Instagram,” she said. “There’s no way to keep something … special.”

The icon did speak about some of her famous exes, revealing she’s still friendly with most of them.

Speaking of Val Kilmer, who starred opposite Cruise in Top Gun , the singer said: “When we kissed I thought my head would shoot right off my body.”

Of music mogul David Geffen, she said: “If it wasn’t for him I’d have ended up on the street.”

She also said Kiss star Gene Simmons, was “the one I’m crazy about”, and that Rob Camilletti, a bagel baker 18 years her junior, was “possibly the one true love of my life”.

She also said she remained close to ex-husbands Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman until their respective deaths.

— with the New York Post

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Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers's Relationship Timeline: A Look Back

Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers met in 1985 before tying the knot in 1987.

Jim Smeal / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

ICYMI — or are just having a hard time remembering — Oscar-nominated actor Tom Cruise and actress Mimi Rogers dated in Cruise's  post-Cher  and pre- Nicole Kidman  days. The pair met in 1985 — although how, exactly, is up for debate — and married in 1987, marking a first for Cruise and the second marriage for Rogers. The pair later finalized their divorce in 1990.

During the course of their relationship, the  Risky Business  star and  The Rapture  starlet spoke highly of each other when giving interviews and confidently stepped out in public as each other's arm candy (not everyone can pull off T-shirts tucked into Bermuda shorts with ease). However, as with any couple, Cruise and Rogers had their ups and downs. Throw in the pressures of Hollywood, and it would eventually prove all too much for the actors.

Here's a look back at Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers's relationship.

1985: Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers first meet

In 1986, Cruise, then 23,  told  Rolling Stone  he'd met Rogers, then 29, "at a dinner party about a year ago" when he was developing the original  Top Gun .  However, the courtship wasn't  quite  as simple as a young Cruise introducing himself and asking to date Rogers. The actor said Rogers "was dating a friend" at the time. 

"I thought she was extremely bright," Cruise recalled to the publication.

Rogers remembered things differently,  telling  Sun Sentinel   that she and Cruise had been introduced by mutual friends. 

"I wasn't seeing anybody, he wasn't seeing anybody, and they thought, 'These people should be going out with somebody — let's see if they want to go out with each other,'" Rogers told the newspaper. "And we said, 'Aw, what the heck. OK.'"

May 9, 1987: Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers get married

The idea of marriage was introduced quickly, but given the magnitude of Cruise's stardom following the success of the blockbuster Top Gun  , the couple referred to their wedding by an ominous title: "The Project." Rogers, a second-generation Scientologist herself, is believed to have been one of Cruise's first links to the polarizing belief system.

In May 1987, Cruise and Rogers executed their, uh, project and tied the knot,  according to  People .  The Mighty Ducks  actor Emilio Estevez was Cruise's best man at the "very small, intimate and beautiful" event. Interestingly, nearly one year before Cruise and Rogers wed, he told  Rolling Stone,  "I don't know if I could get married."

Rogers spoke fondly of Cruise in their years together. "There's a lot of contentment and security (in marriage)," she  told  Chicago Tribune  in 1988. "I highly recommend it.''

December 9, 1989: Tom Cruise files for divorce from Mimi Rogers

According to Andrew Morton's  Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography , the actor filed for divorce on Dec. 9, 1989. Production on  Days of Thunder  (starring Cruise and his future wife, Kidman) began just two days later. In 1995, Cruise  described to  Vanity Fair  his reaction to meeting Kidman as "instant lust." 

Morton cited a statement made by Cruise and Rogers to address the announcement of their split in January 1990: "While there have been positive aspects to our marriage, there were some issues which could not be resolved even after working on them for a period of time." 

Ironically, just days before news of Cruise and Rogers's split broke, the  Rain Man  star insisted that (despite tabloid conjecture) he "couldn't imagine being without" his then-wife. "Since I've been with her, it's opened me up a lot," he  revealed to  Rolling Stone  in 1990. "I think it's helped me be a better actor. We live a lot of life together. We share everything. That's the best thing about life. Otherwise, you go through it pretty sad and lonely and angry." At the risk of laying it on too thick, Cruise added, "I care about my wife more than anything in the world. She's my best friend. I just really like being with her, you know? I love her."

February 1990: Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers finalize divorce

After finalizing his divorce from Rogers in February 1990, Cruise and Kidman reportedly wed in December. The actor  told Barbara Walters  in 1992 that he and his ex hadn't spoken "in a couple of years," though he did "wish her well." 

In 1993, the  Bosch  star spoke to  Playboy ,  per E! Online , and made some interesting comments about her ex. "Here's the real story," she reportedly told the publication. "Tom was seriously thinking of becoming a monk. At least for that period of time, it looked as though marriage wouldn't fit into his overall spiritual need. And he thought he had to be celibate to maintain the purity of his instrument." She also mentioned that her own instrument "needed tuning." 

Rogers was candid about the trouble of being married to one of the most famous men in the world. 

"You cease to be an individual," she  told  People  in 1995. "No matter what the article is, it's 'Tom Cruise's wife ...'" Rogers added that she was waiting for the moment when she didn't "have to talk about that [blankety-blank] name anymore."

Though, in 2001, she  explained to  The Telegraph  that "stardom wasn't really a problem" in their marriage. "What did annoy me was the age thing," she added. "Every six months, [the press] seemed to add another year to my age. If we were still married, the press would have me in my 60s by now."

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Cher Reveals She’s Still Friends With Tom Cruise After They Briefly Dated In The ’80s

She’s telling all…well, kind of! Cher is a pop music icon, but her love life is also quite legendary, too. While most people remember her marriages with Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman, but on a 2013 appearance on Watch What Happens Live , the “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer dished that her former lover, actor Tom Cruise , was in her top five list of lovers — and now she’s opening up about how they met and started dating in an interview with Mail on Sunday .

Cher said she met Tom for the first time in 1985 at Sean Penn and Madonna’s Malibu wedding. Cher was 38 years old at the time, while Tom was 22, which was right around the time he rose to fame after his roles in Risky Business. Despite their 16-year age gap, they eventually hit it off the next time they ran into each other, which was at the White House.

“Then a bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic,” the 72-year-old told Mail on Sunday. But even though it was their second meeting, they didn’t start their fling that night. “No, no, no!” Cher said. “We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there.”

Cher and Tom did eventually date, but both have since moved on from their fling. Cher revealed that they are still friends, but they’re not very close. “Yeah! Though I don’t get what he does, that whole Scientology thing,” Cher explained when asked if they were still friendly. “I can’t understand it so I just… don’t.”

Even though Cher has dated a number of men in her lifetime, she still has not found someone she wants to spend her time with — but that doesn’t mean she’s given up, either. “Not… not this week,” she said when asked if she has a boyfriend. “I’m still on the lookout.”

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Entertainment | ‘a very bad individual’: man shot, wounded two san jose police officers shot in hotel confrontation, entertainment, entertainment | cher and tom cruise’s wild ’80s fling: how madonna, dyslexia and ronald reagan brought them together.

Their fling happened in the 1980s when the pop diva was focused on her film career and Cruise was the hot young actor about to star in “Top Gun” and “The Color of Money.”

The affair was momentous enough for Cher, now 72, that she let slip in a 2013 TV interview that Cruise was “in her top five” of lovers — and that she’d had some of “the greatest lovers ever.”

“I’ve accepted that there’s something in him Cher liked, and have come to the conclusion that, like many men, Tom Cruise could very well be good in bed but lame in life.” https://t.co/mvl2XFhojI — Beatriz Hoya (@BeatrizHoya) September 16, 2018

In a new interview with the Daily Mail , the usually candid, straight-talking pop star and Academy Award winner was a bit reluctant to spill any more descriptions about Cruise’s love-making prowess.

But Cher would talk about how they connected in the first place. She credits some very 1980s cultural touchstones for bringing them together: Madonna and Sean Penn’s 1985 wedding in Malibu and the presidency of Ronald Reagan.

Cher, who currently stars in “Mamma Mia 2,” said she and Cruise first met at Madonna and Penn’s extravagant wedding, when he was just 22 and a newly minted star with the success of “Risky Business.” Cher was 16 years his senior.

That same year, they encountered each other again at the White House. And the reason they were there? Both have dyslexia. The White House was hosting an event for people with a learning ability that affects their ability to read.

“Then a bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic,” Cher told the Daily Mail. Citing a 1985 Washington Post report, the Daily Mail said Cruise was dressed “in 1920s-chic gangster suit, hair glooped in grease,” while Cher was “draped in black and gray gabardine with a sculpted hairstyle best described as haute punk goddess.”

Cher Opens Up About Her Famous Past Lovers, Including Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer https://t.co/cPbUtMQXnc pic.twitter.com/SK6K0l1OAn — Lisa Jhonson (@Pslmanianew) September 17, 2018

But Cher denied that this event constituted their first date or that there was any “snogging” in the White House of Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

“No, no, no!” Cher said in the interview. “We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there.”

In the 2013 interview on Andy Cohen’s “Watch What Happens Live,” she said the fling was “pretty hot and heavy for a little minute.””

Cher insists she and Cruise are still friends. However she admits: “I don’t get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can’t understand it so I just … don’t.”

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Tom Cruise and Cher's 'hot and heavy' romance as she put him in 'top five' of lovers

Cher and Tom Cruise are two of Hollywood's most iconic stars and have both seen a number of high-profile relationships over the years, but many fans forget they were once an item

• 10:24, 21 Apr 2023
• Updated 14:47, 21 Apr 2023

Cher has been busy enjoying a romance with her toyboy lover Alexander Edwards , who is 39 years her junior, but it's certainly not her first age-gap relationship.

Some fans may find it hard to believe, but the 76-year-old singing sensation once had a fling with Hollywood icon Tom Cruise .

Cher first met the 60-year-old Top Gun actor back in 1985 when he was 23 and she was 38.

The Strong Enough hitmaker had already been married and divorced twice by the time she met Tom at Madonna and Sean Penn's wedding in Malibu.

The dynamic duo were then later reunited at the White House before embarking on a passionate relationship.

Cher later gushed about their 'deep connection' and hailed Tom as one of her "greatest lovers ever" .

Reminiscing about their wild romance back in 2018, Cher said: "A bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic."

"We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there," she told Event magazine.

Cher also gushed about her former lover to Andy Cohen and said the actor was in her "top five lovers".

Appearing on Watch What Happens Live, she revealed: "I had just the greatest lovers ever. Not a long list. It's just a good list."

When the TV host grilled Cher about her relationship with Tom, she admitted: "He wasn't a Scientologist then. It was pretty hot and heavy for a little minute. He's a great guy. The person that I knew was a great and lovable guy."

She added: "He was in the top five."

Despite their romance eventually fizzling out, Cher revealed they are still friends - but admitted she was a bit confused about his beliefs.

"I don't get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can't understand it so I just… don't," she explained.

Tom went on to marry actress Mimi Rogers in 1987, before they divorced three years later.

He met his second wife Nicole Kidman on the set of Days of Thunder and they tied the knot in 1990.

The former couple adopted two children together but divorced in 2001. Tom then married Katie Holmes in 2006 and their daughter Suri was born the same year.

They divorced in 2012.

Before dating Alexander, Cher had already been married to Sonny Bono from 1964 to 1997 and Gregg Allman from 1975 to 1978.

She has also dated Warren Beatty, David Geffen, Richie Sambora, Val Kilmer and claims to have turned down the likes of Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando.

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All of Tom Cruise’s wives and girlfriends in order, chronologically

There’s nobody like Tom Cruise . He’s charismatic, he’s eccentric, he’s controversial, and he’s everybody’s beloved. He has made some of the most quotable films of all time yet has dedicated the last decade of his career to performing some of the most dangerous stunts ever. His unpredictability is arguably his greatest weapon, and we struggle to find a more perfect word to describe his love life.

Cruise has been world-famous since the 1980s, and in that time, he’s been linked to several different women. The interesting thing to note here, especially given Cruise’s desire for privacy, is that nearly all the women he’s dated are celebrities. Apparently, the Mission: Impossible actor likes to fraternize with other actors. Cruise’s latest girlfriend is literally his Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One co-star! However, before we jump ahead too quickly, let’s step back and begin at the very start.

Melissa Gilbert

Cruise’s relationship with Melissa Gilbert predates the name Cruise! Gilbert appeared on an episode of Watch What Happens Live in 2014, and she revealed that the actor was still going by his birth name when they first met. “I was maybe 16 or 17,” she recalled. “Actually, when I dated him, he was still Tom Mapother.”

Both Cruise and Gilbert were actors in 1981, but their situations could not have been more different. The former had just made his film debut in Endless Love (1981), and the latter was one of the cast members on the hit show Little House on the Prairie (1974-83). “He was like a struggling, starving actor, and I was working,” Gilbert added. “I actually bought him his first set of dishes.” They broke up within a few months.

Patti Scialfa

There are claims that Cruise romanced Heather Locklear and Rebecca de Mornay during the early 80s, but neither relationship has been confirmed by the people involved, so we felt like they shouldn’t warrant their own entry. However, what has been confirmed is the brief romance between Cruise and Patti Scialfa in 1985.

In a 1988 profile on Scialfa, People Magazine revealed that she dated Cruise before moving on to her future husband (and fellow E Street Band member) Bruce Springsteen. “Patti was hardly a nun before she met Bruce,” a source told People. “She doesn’t go out with accountants.” Scialfa and Springsteen have been married since 1991.

Tom Cruise and Cher dating already seems like the epitome of 80s pop culture, but it gets even better when you consider where they met: the 1985 wedding of Sean Penn and Madonna. These circumstances are so bizarre and hilarious that they sound made up. We digress. Cruise and Cher dated for a year, and while things didn’t last between them, there didn’t appear to be any hard feelings. Cher even listed Cruise as one of her top five lovers on a 2013 Watch What Happens Live episode.

Cher also marked the last time Cruise dated someone more famous than he was. Cher was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet and had just earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Mask (1985). Cruise released Top Gun the following year, and things were never the same.

Mimi Rogers

Cruise married actress Mimi Rogers in 1987. They were together for three years, and BBC News theorized that Rogers was actually the person who introduced Cruise to the Church of Scientology. Either way, their romance was not built to last. Rogers cited intimacy issues, and then there were discrepancies in their respective careers.

Rogers’ career ran parallel with Cruise’s. She also made her film debut in 1981 and earned critical praise for her performances in Gung Ho (1986), Someone to Watch Over Me , and Street Smart (both 1987), but Cruise’s megastardom led to her being overlooked in the media. “No matter what the article is, it’s ‘Tom Cruise‘s wife’,” Rogers told People . She received a $4 million settlement from the divorce.

Nicole Kidman

Cruise quickly rebounded from the Rogers marriage and started dating Nicole Kidman. The two had met during the making of Days of Thunder (1990) and were already two years into their marriage by the time they made Far and Away (1992). Cruise and Kidman were one of the premiere celebrity couples of the decade, and their third collaboration, Eyes Wide Shut (1999), drew attention for its scandalous depiction of a marriage on the rocks.

Eventually, the issues bled into real life. Cruise and Kidman divorced in 2001 and released a joint statement citing “difficulties inherent in divergent careers.” They remain co-parents to their adopted children, Isabella Jane and Connor Antony.

Penelope Cruz

Cruise likes to rebound quickly, and he did it again while making Vanilla Sky (2001). He started dating co-star Penelope Cruz, who played his love interest in the film, and despite their shared fame, they maintained a relatively low profile. They dated until 2004 when their amicable split was chalked up to scheduling conflicts and a general acceptance that things had run their course.

At the time, Lee Anne DeVette, Cruise’s sister and publicist, told People : “They broke up at the end of January, and it’s amicable.” Cruz’s publicist, Robert Garlock, went as far as to state that the actors stayed in touch after splitting. “They remain good friends and still talk often,” he assured fans. “There is no other person involved.”

Katie Holmes

We wonder if you need a refresher on this one. Cruise went on The Oprah Winfrey Show to jump on the host’s couch and declare his love for Katie Holmes in one of the most cringe-inducing interviews ever. That being said, the couch jumping worked, and Cruise and Holmes were wed in 2005. They had a daughter named Suri the following year and remained steady tabloid fodder until their divorce in 2012.

Holmes told In Style that the attention of being married to Cruise was often overwhelming. “That time was intense,” she admitted. “It was a lot of attention, and I had a little child on top of it. We had some funny moments out and about in public.”

Hayley Atwell

Cruise’s love life has slowed down, but things picked up with Hayley Atwell during the making of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One . The Sun reports that Cruise and Atwell started dating in 2020, when Dead Reckoning Part One was going into production, and remained a couple until their split in May 2022.

While a reason for their official split was not given, Cruise and Atwell appear to be friendly with one another during the press junkets. Atwell even attended the premiere of Cruise’s film Top Gun: Maverick (2022) to show her support. Both are currently single.

Cher’s Boyfriend: All About Her Reported Split With ‘AE’ Edwards & Her Past Relationships

Cher & her former boyfriend AE have reportedly called it quits! Find out more about him and Cher's long list of A-list lovers, like Tom Cruise, here!

• Cher was part of the hit singing duo ‘Sonny & Cher’ in the late 60s before starring in hit movies such as ‘Mask’ and ‘Mermaids.’
• The Grammy winner took home an Oscar for Best Actress in 1987’s ‘Moonstruck’
• Her high-profile romances over the years include Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer
• Cher and Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards called it quits, on May 1, 2023, TMZ  reported.

Cher   made headlines over the 2022 holidays when her ex-boyfriend, Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards , gifted her a diamond ring , causing fans to freak out over a possible engagement. Months later,  TMZ  reported that the pop icon and AE called it quits on their months-long romance on May 1, 2023. The sources also alleged that the pair was “never even engaged,” despite Cher posting a diamond ring via Twitter five months prior.

While the iconic Grammy/Oscar winner appeared to deny the giant sparkler was a promise to walk down the aisle, the exchange renewed interest in the long list of A-listers who were romantically involved with the superstar. Keep reading to find out all about Cher’s relationships, below.

Cher became a household name after she linked up with Sonny Bono for a duet act… and a marriage! At the age of 16, Cher moved to Los Angeles to follow her dreams and ended up meeting Sonny, according to People .  “I was with my girlfriend, who was really beautiful. He liked her so he didn’t really say anything to me. He was like, ‘Oh yeah, kid,’” Cher said on her podcast in 2018, per the outlet. However, they soon became friends, singing partners and eventually lovers, getting hitched in 1964 in Tijuana.

They also became pop stars together, with the release of their single “I Got You Babe” reaching number one in 1965. Then they went on to have their own successful TV career, hosting the very successful Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour .

By 1975 the romance had sputtered, and the couple officially divorced. “We had a weird relationship. I don’t expect anybody to understand it,” Cher said of her romance with Sonny to Mail On Sunday in 2018. In 1998, Sonny died in a tragic skiing accident in Lake Tahoe.

Cher and Tom Cruise dated briefly in the 80s. According to the star, she met Tom in 1985 at Sean Penn and Madonna’s wedding, per the Mail On Sunday . She then met up with her again at the White House. “A bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic,” she explained. “We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there.”

While they did eventually go on some dates, it was never a long-term thing. However, according to the star, they are still friends to this day. “Though I don’t get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can’t understand it so I just… don’t.” she said.

Before Tom, Cher dated his Top Gun  co-star,   Val Kilmer , from 1982 to 1984. Cher has said in the past that the The Doors star was a great kisser. “When we kissed, I thought my head would shoot right off my body,” she recalled in her Mail On Sunday interview.

Gregg Allman

Cher was married to the rock star and founder of The Allman Brothers , Gregg Allman , from 1975 to 1979. “It was really intense, but it’s hard to have a marriage with someone who’s doing drugs… Drugs and I were just never meant to be together,” She revealed in the Mail interview. “I thought it was stupid and still do. I saw too many people where it ruined their lives. It ruined Gregory’s life.”

Gene Simmons

As for KISS rocker Gene Simmons , who she dated from 1977 to 1980, Cher said he’s “the one I’m crazy about. A few years before, she had dated David Geffen , who she credits for helping to keep her off the “street.”

The ‘One True Love’ of Her Life

Cher dated a bagel baker 18 years her younger, Rob Camilletti , from 1986 to 1989. In her Mail interview, the goddess of pop said, Rob was “possibly the one true love of my life.”

Cher has been giving fans quite a treat when she sparked romance rumors with AE after they were spotted holding hands in Los Angeles in November 2022. She admitted that the 40-year age gap between them is “ridiculous” on an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. “Well, on paper it’s kind of ridiculous. But in real life we get along great. He’s fabulous and I don’t give men qualities that they don’t deserve,” she smiled. “He’s very kind, he’s very smart, he’s very talented and he’s really funny and I think he’s quite handsome,” she continued. Sadly the duo is no more as of May 1, 2023.

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Cher peels back the curtain on her '80s love story with Val Kilmer

Cher, who’s known for her colorful dating history, is opening up about her relationship with Val Kilmer.

The stars were a couple in the 1980s, raising eyebrows due to their age difference, with Cher being more than 13 years older than Kilmer.

“We called ourselves Sid and Ethel. Val didn’t want to yell ‘Cher’ and I didn’t want to yell ‘Val,’” she told People . “We also called ourselves Valus Maximus and Cherus Reprimandus. It was just kind of who I was in the household. Of course he was Maximus, come on.”

The “Moonstruck” star, 75, said she was introduced to the “Batman Forever” star, 61, at a birthday party a friend threw for her.

“We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly,” she told People. “He would sleep over and it was just a friendship (at first). That took a long time. Well, I guess not really a long time.”

Cher was not blind to the fact they were not close in age, but she didn’t care.

“He was so young. Was he 22? What was I? I don’t know. Thirty something. It was a bigger deal back then,” she said. “The truth was if I hadn’t gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date. Younger men weren’t intimidated by older women. But older men in my age category, they weren’t having it.”

The Oscar winner, who said Kilmer “was so good with my kids” and helped her prepare for her role in “Mask,” also said they had strong personalities, which could cause conflict.

“We had unbelievable times and then put up with some times when they weren’t (that way) because we were both Alpha males,” she said. “We were both individuals and neither of us was going to give up on that.”

The relationship evolved over time, with each of them learning to appreciate the other’s talent.

“Our sense of humor, and what we would put up with from one another, was more than I think I’ve ever had with any other guy,” she said. “He would just go off and do his own thing and you just had to be prepared. And he was so beautiful. It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other’s ability.”

Kilmer would go on to marry Joanne Whalley, with whom he'd have two kids. They married in 1988 before splitting up in 1996, while Cher continued to be romantically linked to a wide range of stars, including Tom Cruise and Richie Sambora.

Kilmer would see his star rise in movies like "Top Gun," "The Doors" and "Heat," but his voice was permanently damaged after he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015. He has won raves for his documentary, “Val,” which chronicles his career and his health struggles.

“He was at my house a lot of the time he was sick,” Cher said. “He was brave the whole time. I saw how sick he was. Once when the paramedics showed up after he was so sick and coughing up blood, he looked at me and I looked at him and we both knew what we were thinking. Because those guys are so handsome. When one of those paramedics comes to your house, you just know you’re going to see somebody who’s really cute.”

Cher has seen “Val” and loved it. Even as the years have gone by, she maintains a deep admiration for Kilmer, both as a person and a performer.

“He is so creative like nobody I’ve ever known and how brave he was to do it in the way that he did it,” she said. “He’s an artist. He can be a brat too but you forgive him. You forgive him everything. Even when I was angry, it was still a joy. If he called, it wouldn’t matter where I was, I would go. 

“I loved him — and I love him. I (just wrote to him), I said, ‘Valus Maximus, I’m sorry if I did anything to piss you off or hurt your feelings. I love you and your documentary was all things ... I love the things that pissed me off, the things that made me hysterical, amazed, hurt, astonished, etc. You are brave and beyond brilliant. Ethel.’”

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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7 Best Tom Cruise Movies of the 80s

Born in Syracuse, NY on July 3, 1962, Tom Cruise is one of Hollywood’s most popular actors and producers, receiving numerous accolades for his work, including three Golden Globe Award and three nominations for Academy Awards.

He has a net worth of $570 million as of 2020 and is one of the highest paid actors in the world. He’s also one of the highest-grossing box office stars of all time, with films grossing over $4 billion in North America and over $10.1 billion around the world.

Tom Cruise in the Early 80s

Tom Cruise’s early career started when moving to New York City with his mother and step father to pursue an acting career. He first found a job as a busboy and later went to Los Angeles to try out for television roles, where he landed a contract with CAA and started acting in films. His first film was Endless Love (1981) where he appeared in a bit part, followed by a major supporting role as Billy in Taps .

In 1983, he was made part of the ensemble cast of The Outsiders before starring in All the Right Moves and Risky Business which was described as “A Generation X classic, and a career-maker for Tom Cruise.” It was then in 1986 where he landed the major role of playing Maverick in Top Gun, where his career really took off.

Top Tom Cruise Films of the 80s

1. top gun (1986).

Directed by Tony Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer in association with Paramount Pictures, Tom Cruise played Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchel, a young naval pilot working off the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, along with his best friend and Radar Intercept Officer, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards). Together, they are given the opportunity to train at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA.

After being released, Top Gun first had mixed reviews from critics, but most loved the action scenes, effects, aerial stunts and acting performances from Cruise and Kelly McGillis (Charlotte). Despite its mixed reviews, the film had grossed $356 million in the US with a budget of just $15 million. It maintained its popularity throughout the 80s and also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin.

Fun fact: a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick will be released on July 2, 2021, after being postponed twice due to COVID-19.

2. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Directed by Oliver Stone and based on an eponymous 1976 autobiography by Ron Kovic, Born on the Fourth of July is a biographical war drama film about the life of Kovic (Cruise) over a 20-year period. The story covers his childhood, military service and paralysis during the Vietnam War and then his transition to anti-war activism.

After the film’s release, it was praised by critics for its story, including Tom Cruise’s acting and Stone’s direction. While they initially had a $14 million budget, it ended up costing $17.8 million after reshoots when Al Pacino (who would have played Kovic) and producer Bregman left.

Despite going over budget, the movie was largely successful at the box office as it grossed over $161 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 1989. The film also won four Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

3. Rain Man (1988)

Directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass, Rain Man is about an abrasive, selfish young wheeler-dealer named Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) who discovers his estranged father died and left his multi-million dollar home to his other son, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman). Raymond is an autistic savant of whom Charlie didn’t even know. The only items left for Charlie were his father’s beloved vintage car and rosebushes. Valeria Golino also stars alongside Tom Cruise as Charlie’s girlfriend Susanna.

Rain Man was the highest grossing film in 1988, winning four Oscars at the 61st Academy Awards in March 1989, including Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading role for Hoffman, Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. The film crew had also received an additional four nominations. The movie also won the Golden Bear at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival.

4. Risky Business (1983)

Written and directed by Paul Brickman and starring Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay, Risky Business is about a once young, smart, innocent boy, Joel (Cruise) who lives with his wealthy parents in Chicago’s North Shore of Glencoe.

His future means everything to him, but his friend, Miles, steps in and calls a prostitute on his behalf. Turns out, she happened to be a trans woman, who Joel paid for her to leave. But before she did, she gave Joel the number of another prostitute, Lana, who Joel also called and invited over.

She was a gorgeous young blonde who fooled around with him the rest of the night and asked him for $300 the following morning for her services. He didn’t have the money on hand, so he went to the bank, leaving the prostitute in his home, where she stole his mother’s expensive Steuben glass egg.

The film had a great presentation for themes including loss of innocence, coming of age, capitalism and materialism, grossing over $63 million with just a $6.2 million budget.

5. The Color of Money (1986)

Directed by Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Richard Price in association with Touchstone Pictures, The Color of Money is a drama film based on the 1984 novel by Walter Tevis. The movie features the continued story of a pool hustler and stake horse Edward “Fast Eddie” Felson, who decides to introduce a student to his game of scamming others in pool halls.

He meets talented, green Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise) and proposes a partnership. When Fast Eddie leads Vince through various pool halls and teaches him the tricks of scamming, he eventually grows frustrated with Vincent’s showboat antics which leads to a major argument and fallout between the two. But Eddie soon takes up playing again and takes on Vincent as an opponent.

The film won an Academy Awards for Best Actor, National Board of review Awards for Top Ten Films and National Board of Review Awards for Best Actor. It also grossed $52.3 million with a budget of $13.8 million.

6. All the Right Moves (1983)

Directed by Michael Chapman, All the Right Moves is a sports drama about Stefan Djordjevic (Tom Cruise), who is the star player of his high school football team who’s hoping his talents will earn him a scholarship and move him out of his small hometown of Ampipe, PA. But a heated argument between him and his coach (Craig T. Nelson) gets him booted from the football team, and he’s blacklisted from college recruiters. So Stefan must fight for the chance to live out his dream and escape from a dead-end future.

While the film wasn’t nominated nor won any awards, it did gross over $17 million at the box office with a budget of $5.6 million.

7. Legend (1985)

Directed by Ridley Scott, Legend is an epic dark fantasy adventure story , revolving around Jack, a pure being who must stop the Lord of Darkness, who plans to cover the world in darkness forever. Most describe this film as a dark fairy tale and return to more original and even disturbing fables originating from the ancient times oral tradition.

This movie was not a commercial success when it was first released, but it did win the British Society of Cinematographers Award for Best Cinematography in 1985 for cinematographer Alex Thomson. It was also nominated for a number of other awards, including:

• Oscar for Best Makeup
• Academy of Science Fiction
• Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award for Best Makeup
• BAFTA Awards for Best Costume Design
• Best Makeup Artist
• Best Special Visual Effects
• DVD Exclusive awards
• Young Artist Awards

But despite all the nominations, the film only grossed $23.5 million with a $24.5 million budget.

Tom Cruise’s Films with Minor Roles

1. the outsiders (1983).

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, The Outsiders is based on the 1967 novel by S. E. Hinton, where Jo Ellen Misakian and her students inspired Coppola to make the film at Lone Star Elementary School in Fresno, CA. It had various up-and-coming stars, including C. Thomas Howell (who won a Young Artist Award), Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swazy, Ralph Maccio, and Diane Lane. The film also inspired the Brat Pack genre of the 80s, where a rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and rich Socs heats up when one gang member kills a member of the other. While Cruise didn’t have a strong role, it helped him to land the starring role as Joel in Risky Business.

The movie received mostly positive reviews from movie critics, mostly for the acting performances, specifically Macchio being singled out for praise. The movie grossed $33.7 million at the box office with only a $10 million budget.

2. Taps (1981)

Directed by Harold Becker, Taps is a 1981 drama starring George C. Scott and Timothy Hutton about a group of military school students who decide to take over their school and save it from closing. While it was Sean Penn’s first film role and Cruise’s second, Cruise only had a supporting role, playing David Shawn.

But it was this film, along with another film, Endless Love that gave him the opportunity to star as Joel in Risky Business, where he would have his big break.

With a budget of only $14 million, the movie grossed almost $36 million at the box office.

3. Endless Love (1981)

Endless Love is another 80s romance drama directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. Tom Cruise had a minor role as Billy. The movie was also based on the 1979 novel, written by Scott Spencer.

The story is about a love-obsessed couple where a 15-year-old girl is thwarted by her parents’ disapproval of her relationship. So she burns down her family’s home and is committed to a psychiatric hospital.

While the movie was unfavorably compared to the book, which featured the dangers of obsessive love as well as receiving poor reviews, its theme song became a #1 hit on Billboard Hot 100. The song also received an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nomination for “Best Original Song” in addition to five Grammy Award nominations.

Tom Cruise’s Less Successful Films

1. cocktail (1988).

Directed by Donaldson and written by Heywood Gould, this 80s rom com was based on Gould’s novel. The Cocktail is about a young business student living in NYC, Brian Flanagan (Cruise) whose dream is to go into marketing. But he learns how to bartend to pay for college and make ends meet, where he meets his veteran boss, Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown). Working together, they show off special tricks and charisma while bringing in large tips and crowds – until they have a falling out. Flanagan ended up moving to Jamaica to raise money to open his own bar, where he fell in love with the beautiful artist Jordan Mooney (Elisabeth Shue).

Despite its success in the box office, grossing over $171.5 million, the film had horrible reviews from critics. One had said, “There are no surprises in Cocktail, a shallow, dramatically inert romance that squanders Tom Cruise’s talents in what amounts to a naive barkeep’s banal fantasy.”

2. Losin’ It (1983)

This American-Canadian film was directed by Chris Hanson and involves four teenagers trying to lose their virginity. Losin’ It takes place in 1950s Los Angeles where the group is on their way to Tijuana, Mexico. Dave, Spider and Woody (Cruise) are there to lose their virginity while Wendell came to buy fireworks. They pick up a young woman named Kathy, who tags along because she wants a quick divorce from her husband. But they quickly find themselves in a series of adventures and troubles south of the border.

This film received a ton of negative reviews from critics and has a 20% score on Rotten Tomatoes according to 10 reviews.

What’s Your Favorite Tom Cruise Film?

Even if it’s not from the 80s, Tom Cruise starred in many highly successful films, including the Mission Impossible series, Jerry Maguire (1996), Minority Report (2002), Interview with the Vampire (1994), The Last Samurai (2003), Vanilla Sky (2001), and The Mummy (2017). What are your favorites? Please let us know in the comments below!

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

1980s celebrities who have barely aged in 40 years

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Some of the most beloved stars of the 1980s have barely aged in the past 40 years and still look almost exactly the same as they did four decades ago.

Everybody ages and that’s a fact of life. But not all of us age the same, with some trying to prevent it, some trying to embrace it, and others really not worrying too much about it.

There are those who are also envied by many: the Hollywood stars who have found a way to age like fine wine .

Particularly, some of the stars who appeared fresh faced on our screens in the 1980s when they were just starting their careers, and have managed to look just as fresh today.

It could be genetic, it could be with the help of cosmetic procedures or it perhaps they have been drinking from the (very delicious) fountain of youth.

All we can say, is that there are some famous faces from the 1980s who have retained their look s – if not their shoulder pads – and look just as great as they did in the 1980s as they do today…

Rob Lowe, 60

Rob Lowe first gained fame in 1985 with the release of the film, St Elmo’s Fire and has a younger generation of fans because of his appearance as Chris Traeger in Parks and Recreation . The star is incredibly well-preserved and turned 60 earlier this year.

Speaking about his youthful complexion, Rob credited sleep, the Adkins diet, and 33 years of sobriety.

Speaking on his podcast, Literally! With Rob Lowe, the actor said: ‘I haven’t had a drink in 33 years. That’s a huge thing, even beyond recovery.’

He added: ‘When you think about the calories and the bloat you’re missing. That just adds up. So that’s super-helpful.’

Patrick Stewart, 83

When the actor reprised his iconic role as Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek Picard fans were astonished to see that Sir Patrick Stewart looked almost the same as he did back in the 1980s.

On the Graham Norton Show in 2017 he credited his unchanged looks to thinking ‘clean thoughts’.

He then said: ‘I was born with it, thank you to my mother and father, they gave me great skin and this physique!’’ 

Kim Wilde, 63

Kim Wilde just announced a huge UK tour and fans were amazed to see that she has aged incredibly well. Speaking to The Mirror a couple of years ago, the Kids In America hitmaker spoke humbly about ageing alongside her fans.

‘I think my audience have grown up with me, so there’s a sense we’re all in it together, there’s a joyfulness about that. I’m loving singing my hits, I like the way it brings my audience so much happiness and I love how generous they are to me.

‘They know I’m 61 – nobody is pretending anything; they get me warts and all.’

Tom Cruise, 61

It’s fair to say that Tom Cruise, who first shot to fame with the 1983 film Risky Business and the action 1986 film Top Gun, has aged incredibly well in the past 40 years.

In 2012, when asked whether he had had plastic surgery, Cruise told Playboy: “I haven’t, and I never would.” 

Per Men’s Health, the actor credits his very active lifestyle for his appearance. ‘Sea-kayaking, caving… fencing, treadmill, weights… rock-climbing, hiking… I jog… I do so many different activities,’ he said.

Demi Moore, 61

Demi Moore first shot to fame in General Hospital in the early 80s. The star is now 61 but still looks ageless in tiny bikini in jaw-dropping snaps that she posts on her social media on a regular basis.

On the Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast the actress commented on her appearance saying: ‘Skin is going, and having its own program.’

‘I have a friend who used to say, “Oh, this loose skin,” and of course my arrogance was like, “Yeah….” I had no connection to it. Now it’s hitting me of what she was talking about.’

The star also ‘100% agreed’ that women her age feel younger because of diet, exercise, modern medicine, and fitness routines.

Meryl Streep, 74

Fans have claimed on several occasions that Meryl Streep hasn’t aged a day in four decades and still looks as she did in her 80s films such as Sophie’s Choice.

Meryl has spoken about her youthful appearance and said that she tries never to touch her face, which means she avoids spreading bacteria from her hands to her skin.

In 2010 she also said that she would never turn to plastic surgery: ‘To each his own. I really understand the chagrin that accompanies ageing, especially for a woman, but I think people look funny when they freeze their faces.’

Eddie Murphy, 63

Eddie Murphy, 63, is another Hollywood heavyweight who has barely aged over the years.

In an Apple TV+ episode of The Oprah Conversation, the star spoke about how he has felt better than ever now he is in his sixties.

‘I feel great and optimistic and totally comfortable in Eddie,” he said, ‘I was always comfortable in my skin, but not like now.’

Bruce Willis, 69

Bruce Willis is another star who looks almost the same today as he did when appearing in the 80s film franchise, Die Hard. Before Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis was revealed to the world in 2023, the star has spoken about aging.

In 2013, the star told Everything Zoomer : ‘No. I’m completely comfortable being this age. I know, from an intellectual point of view, that I’m getting older.

‘I see myself getting older. But I don’t feel older yet. I look after myself for the most part, try to eat well.’

Vanessa Williams, 61

Vanessa Williams, who was crowned Miss America in 1984, is another celebrity who has barely aged over the years. The star said on The Jennifer Hudson Show in 2023 that she is a lot more relaxed in her older age.

Vanessa said: ‘When I was Miss America at 20 years old, my life completely changed, but also gave me the biggest kick in the a*s of my life, with life lessons.’

She added: ‘(At 60), you don’t beat yourself up the way we do when we’re in our 20s and 30s, and I gotta do this, and I gotta be this and I gotta please people.

‘There is a sense of satisfaction and ease that you get the older you get, and I’m embracing that and loving it.’

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