2012 | Essayed title role in action drama "Jack Reacher"; also produced |
2012 | Played mega-rocker Stacee Jaxx in feature adaptation of the stage musical "Rock of Ages" |
2011 | Reprised role of Ethan Hunt for the fourth film in franchise "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol," directed by Brad Bird |
2010 | Co-starred with Cameron Diaz in the action/comedy "Knight and Day," about a fugitive couple on a glamorous and deadly adventure across the globe |
2008 | Nominated for the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture ("Tropic Thunder") |
2008 | Portrayed Colonel Stauffenberg, the leader of German army officers who plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in "Valkyrie"; directed by Bryan Singer |
2008 | Made a memorable cameo as a studio head in the Ben Stiller directed comedy "Tropic Thunder" |
2007 | Portrayed Presidential hopeful Senator Jasper Irving in Robert Redford's "Lions for Lambs" |
2006 | Partnered with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to resurrect United Artists; starred in and produced films for the studio, and production partner Paula Wagner served as chief executive officer |
2006 | With business partner Paula Wagner, signed a two-year development deal with an investment partnership headed by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder |
2006 | On Aug. 22, 2006, Paramount Pictures announced it was ending its 14-year relationship with Cruise/Wagner Productions |
2006 | Reprised role of Ethan Hunt for "Mission: Impossible III," with J.J. Abrams making his feature-film directorial debut |
2005 | Re-teamed with Spielberg for "War of the Worlds," based on the H.G. Wells novel |
2004 | Played against type as a contract killer in Michael Mann's "Collateral" |
2003 | Starred in Edward Zwick's historical drama "The Last Samurai"; earned third Best Actor Golden Globe nomination |
2002 | Starred in the science fiction thriller "Minority Report," directed by Steven Spielberg |
2001 | Re-teamed with director Cameron Crowe for "Vanilla Sky," a loose remake of the Spanish film "Abre Los Ojos" |
2000 | Returned as Ethan Hunt for the John Woo directed sequel "Mission: Impossible II"; also produced with Wagner |
1999 | Acted in Paul Thomas Anderson's ensemble drama "Magnolia"; played a misogynistic male guru; earned Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination |
1999 | Played the lead role in Stanley Kubrick's final film "Eyes Wide Shut"; re-teamed with then wife Nicole Kidman and Sydney Pollack (took two years to complete) |
1996 | Played the title role of a sports agent in the Cameron Crowe directed "Jerry Maguire"; received second Best Actor Academy Award |
1996 | Feature producing debut (with partner Wagner), Brian de Palma's "Mission: Impossible"; also played the lead role of Ethan Hunt |
1994 | Starred along with Brad Pitt and Christian Slater in Neil Jordan's "Interview with the Vampire," based on Anne Rice's best-selling novel |
1993 | Made TV directorial debut with "Frightening Frammis," an episode of Showtime's "Fallen Angels" |
1993 | Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame |
1993 | Starred in Sydney Pollack's "The Firm" along with Gene Hackman and Ed Harris; based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham |
1992 | Along with former CAA agent Paula Wagner, signed an exclusive production pact with Paramount Pictures to produce his films |
1992 | Starred in the military thriller "A Few Good Men" with Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore; earned another Best Actor Golden Globe nomination |
1992 | Re-teamed with Kidman for the Ron Howard directed "Far and Away"; played Irish settlers in the American West |
1990 | First story credit (shared with Robert Towne), the Tony Scott directed "Days of Thunder"; first film with future wife Nicole Kidman |
1989 | Portrayed paralyzed Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July"; garnered first Best Actor Academy Award nomination |
1988 | Received critical praise for his performance opposite Dustin Hoffman in Barry Levinson's "Rain Man" |
1988 | Played a sexy bartender in the lighthearted drama "Cocktail" |
1986 | Starred in Martin Scorsese's "The Color of Money" along with Paul Newman |
1986 | Rose to star status as American fighter pilot Lt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in Tony Scott's blockbuster film "Top Gun" |
1985 | Starred in the Ridley Scott directed fantasy film "Legend" |
1983 | Played a goal-oriented high school football player in "All the Right Moves" |
1983 | Breakthrough film role, as high school student Joel Goodson in "Risky Business"; earned a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination |
1983 | Persuaded director Francis Ford Coppola to cast him in "The Outsiders" |
1981 | Had a more substantial role in "Taps" opposite George C. Scott, Timothy Hutton, and Sean Penn |
1981 | Feature acting debut, a small role in "Endless Love" starring Brooke Shields |
1981 | Met Paula Wagner, then an agent at Creative Artists Agency |
| Took up acting in high school after losing his place on wrestling team due to a knee injury |
1974 | Briefly lived in Canada before moving back to the U.S. with his mother and three younger sisters |
